Obama's "Buy American" clause stirring global concern

reply to post by Lug


Actually is not going to be "a trade war" at all, the rest of the world depend too much of Americas consumerism to do anything about it.

The rest of the world will be in worst shape if America will stop every business with them.

See, we can always find a way, we did it before during the great depression and we can do it again.

After all we are a nation of survivors.

Originally posted by marg6043
Just look at the millions of jobs that US has lost since NAFTA came to be.

That alone should be enough to show the Canadian people to fight this with everything they can find.

Disputes on softwood lumber have simmered for more than 20 years, but the most recent conflict boiled over in May 2002, when the United States imposed duties of 27 per cent on Canadian softwood lumber, arguing that Canada unfairly subsidized producers of spruce, pine and fir lumber.

An agreement in principle to end the dispute was reached in December 2003, but it collapsed two days later. The issue went before North American Free Trade Agreement panels and the World Trade Organization several times. Rulings have usually gone Canada's way
www.cbc.ca...

Yes, the rulings have mostly gone Canada's way, as the article states, but that didn't mean that the USA would abide by those rulings.

The lumber industry in Canada has been gutted and remains that way today. Mills closed from Newfoundland to British Columbia and the job losses that came out of that still hurt many communities.

I understand your frustrations, Marg... but are you willing to ignore the problems American protectionism would bring to others around the world?

The thing Canadians are starting to say (and I've heard it) about 'The Big Three' bailout is "forget them, let's build a Canadian line of cars for Canadians" and keep the money in Canada.

How would America like it if Canada did that (I know it's far fetched, but the thinking is the same) and blocked Ford, Chevy and Chrysler sales?


[edit on 3-2-2009 by Lug]

reply to post by Lug


No I am not ignoring what it will do to those nation that support the terrible pacts and agreements that are killing America.

What do you want? an exodus of Americans from the US into Canada because America can not longer supply its citizens with their basic needs? to jobs, shelter and a better life for their families?

If America brake apart due to financial meltdown where do you think Americans will migrate too? is not going to be Mexico.

Do you know the hypocrisy behind Free trade?

Its about time that America stop the leaching of its wealth to the rest of the world.

Why? because is just one side.

The “buy American” clause inserted into the House version of the $819 billion stimulus package is causing concern among some world leaders, who are claiming the provision could start a rush to protectionist measures, according to the New York Times.

Those same world leaders, however, have a long track record of using subsidies, tax benefits, value-added taxes and other forms of incentives to aid and protect their own industries. As America is attempting to do something similar to save millions of jobs, it is the height of hypocrisy for them to criticize America. The “buy American” clause is fair, necessary and a small first step to level the playing field in trade. World leaders don’t seem to see it that way.

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Learn what the so call trade partners has been doing while claiming fowl play when America wants to take care of its own.

The French have a very long history of protecting companies it dubs “national champions” from takeovers by foreign competitors as well as providing extensive subsidies to farmers.

The British have been nationalizing their banking industry and forcing multinational banks to lend less internationally to focus on British businesses and citizens.

Indonesia has recently put up trade barriers to protect its domestic production of electronics, garments, toys and footwear.

France, Britain and Sweden have long histories of subsidizing their respective domestic auto making industries.

Both Korea and Japan are well known for putting up barriers to make it nearly impossible to sell American made cars inside their countries. In fact, in 2006 the U.S. sold just 5,000 cars in South Korea while the South Korean automaker Hyundai sold 600,000 in the U.S.

China has been known to purposely undervalue its currency in order to keep the price of its manufactured products cheaper than that of its competitors.

www.economyincrisis.org...

As you can see this countries has no regards for Americas downfall at all, so why should we, it seems we have been taken for a ride and the "bending over please should be over".

By the way things are looking it seems that the purpose of the rest of the world is to see America fall apart.

As an America right now I see what is happening around me, we has been taken advantage off for far too long.

Originally posted by marg6043
reply to post by Lug

 

Its about time that America stop the leaching of its wealth to the rest of the world.

By the way things are looking it seems that the purpose of the rest of the world is to see America fall apart.

As an America right now I see what is happening around me, we has been taken advantage off for far too long.

The pacts and trade agreements are not the sole cause of the issue with America's economy, the gross mismanagement of funds, corrupt government, and the imbalance of consumption versus production are very real causes of the problem. These exist in many countries. You are seriously deluded if you think that the whole world has caused this problem for the US and none of the responsibility lies within.

See America fall apart? Good grief, not I. Leaching it's wealth? It goes both ways.

reply to post by Lug


When are people going to get it? This is NOT the 1930s. In the 1930s we had ALREADY set protectionist mechanisms on our economy. We had trade and budget surpluses as well, no credit(As it had no existed in such a form as it does now) we were on the gold standard which controlled inflation, and not as many people had property tied to their names.

Today we have HUGE trade and budget deficits, huge, insurmountable public and private debt, no gold standard to control our out of control printing to subsidize our out of control debt(And much more on the way). Right now protectionism may be a good idea. To rebuild our country, to rebuild our economy, and reemerge on the world economic stage later on. If we just keep importing our goods and borrowing our wealth we will become slaves to the rest of the world. We have to spend a few decades building real wealth in this country, with sound money, and sound free-market practices. We just have to.