skek said:bltserv said:I have a vested interest in the Steel business. My family has owned land since the Civil War in a part of the Minnesota Mesabi Range. In the 80`s the entire steel business was wiped clean. All the Unions and thousands lost jobs. Closed plants. Then in the late 90s. The business began to come back. Then the Chinese decided to DUMP steel well below their cost to produce in 2002. Dont lose track its our money that they are using. They are converting their slave labor into the ability to target our industries that remain OURS. Do you want the United States to use Slave labor to compete with China ? Can you live on .50 Cents an hour? Global Econmic Pie ? Say that it when it takes your paycheck away and another country is obviously selling steel well below its cost to manufacture to disrupt competition.
Because you have a vested interest in the steel industry, I can understand why you feel the way you do. But you are confusing two issues: (1) comparative/competitive advantage, and (2) unfair competition. If China can fairly produce steel cheaper than the United States, it is in the global economic interest that China produces more steel and we produce less. Granted, that will disrupt the American steel industry, and it is our obligation to help those displaced, but we all benefit by moving steel production to the low-cost producer.
On the other hand, you are absolutely right that China and many other developing nations compete unfairly. Whether through currency manipulation, slave labor, lax intellectual property enforcement or dumping, such actions prevent the global marketplace from acting as a level playing field. So I agree with you that global trade norms must be enforced. But, they aren't enforced by engaging in protectionism, we have multilateral institutions through which these disputes can be resolved, including the WTO. If I recall, in recent years, both the EU and US have pursued complaints against the Chinese for steel dumping.
awgee said:The "stimulus" plan includes $50 billion for the National Endowment for the Arts.
So, you did not like Ron Paul for whatever reason.
Americans are getting exactly what they deserve.
I don't care if it's 50 cents. The nebulous "arts" are still entertainment in one form or another and I don't think financing them with future tax dollars is the proper use of those tax dollars. As long as there is one nutrition-deprived child in the country *any* money spent on the "arts" is being horribly misspent.caycifish said:awgee said:The "stimulus" plan includes $50 billion for the National Endowment for the Arts.
So, you did not like Ron Paul for whatever reason.
Americans are getting exactly what they deserve.
I thought it was $50 million? Just checked, yep, it's still 2.5% of the money granted for just child-care alone and a tiny fraction of the total.
Why bitching about the arts and no bitching about "research", for example? I see no difference between a scientist getting a grant to do their thing and an artist getting a grant to do theirs.
Just to add: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/jan/26/eric-cantor/does-stimulus-package-really-include-300000-sculpt/
skek said:Thanks, blt. I'm enjoying this too.
Let me repeat -- dumping is not fair trade. I am not advocating unfair trade. Dumping should result in economic sanctions. But the spending bill in Congress is not addressing unfair trade practices, it is legislating populist protectionism in the guise of economic stimulus.
I'm not sure I agree with you about food being "easy to grow" once you abandon the industry -- once those fields are lost, people will build things on them. That can't be undone quickly. No one is growing strawberries on the former farms that are now the home of South Coast Plaza any time soon.
The point is, whether jobs move out of town, state or country, there will always be disruption in economies. It is painful and tragic for those who experience it, but it is necessary for long term economic growth and frankly, it encourages adaptation and innovation, two things Americans are the best in the world at. I suspect the same American ingenuity would help the steel industry adapt and do just fine without protectionism.
I've acknowledged that there are exception to every rule, but you haven't demonstrated why steel is an exception, other than wishing it to be so.
skek said:blt, I think with your last post you have elevated "missing the point" to an art form. Congratulations and good luck.
caycifish said:awgee said:The "stimulus" plan includes $50 billion for the National Endowment for the Arts.
So, you did not like Ron Paul for whatever reason.
Americans are getting exactly what they deserve.
I thought it was $50 million? Just checked, yep, it's still 2.5% of the money granted for just child-care alone and a tiny fraction of the total.
Why bitching about the arts and no bitching about "research", for example? I see no difference between a scientist getting a grant to do their thing and an artist getting a grant to do theirs.
Just to add: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/jan/26/eric-cantor/does-stimulus-package-really-include-300000-sculpt/
awgee said:Is it just me, or is this about the stupidest job producing package anybody could think up?