U.S. Shoppers Like China Just Fine

[54anickel]

The American consumer has been Walmartized. I cannot believe folks can't see how this will ultimately hit their payroll checks.


http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2003/12/09/259.html

NEW YORK -- The contents of Rose Casalino's shopping cart might provide a clearer picture of U.S.-China trade relations than Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's New York visit this week.

While talk of a possible U.S.-China trade war was heating up in diplomatic circles recently, Casalino was shopping for her goddaughter at a Target store in the New York City borough of Queens.

She bought a video-game joystick, a CD player and a bathrobe, and eyed a Barbie doll mattress. All the products were high in quality and inexpensively priced, she said.

And unbeknownst to her, all were made in China.

"If I can afford it, I'll buy it," Casalino said. "I don't pay attention to where the products are made. I really don't."

Her shopping habits show the voracious American appetite for cheap foreign goods.

[Maple]

1. Competition

produces the lowest prices.

America has preached this for years.

[54anickel]

4. Competition - so we are in a race to the bottom. I am all for free trade

that is fair trade.

[sujan]

11. absolutely

[truthisfreedom]

2. can't stem the tide. gotta make the best of it...and keep in mind that we

aren't the only ones who have lost manufacturing jobs. China lost several percent MORE manufacturing jobs than the US in the last year, blamed almost completely on automation and increased efficiency of new manufacturing plants. we have the same thing going on here as well as the jobs moving overseas. calling it evil isn't going to change anything... we need innovation.

[toodles_oduff]

8. Would innovation necessarily help?

I mean what if they just innovate a robot or computer who can do the work of several hundred people, where the only human workers are the person who pushes the buttons and maybe a couple of maintanance techs who repair the machines. Who knows, maybe even those jobs will be innovated out of existence.

[truthisfreedom]

13. there's always room for humans. robots and automation can only take the

place of repetitive tasks... we need more jobs for human beings who can make decisions based on more complex details.

[Bozita]

3. Bought a percolator today. Had a choice between Farberware and Presto.

Similar price, around $50.

I've owned both in the past. Both brew at cup-a-minute speed.

The Farberware product was made in China. I was shocked.

I took the Presto.

Oh, yeah, I bought it from a small appliance store in my neighborhood.

[pinto]

5. Do you want the best price or the most value? U spend U decide.

[Overkil]

6. It's all about personal choice

[UpInArms]

7. here's an interesting little tidbit

from the *Co/China meeting

http://cbs.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7B96774E53-01A7-4EE3-84C3-85C256580D99%7D&siteid=google&dist=google

The deal, five years in the making, offers American shipping companies similar privileges to operate in China that Chinese firms have in the United States, U.S. officials said.

The Bush administration hopes the deal could diffuse some of the tension over currencies and other trade matters that have bubbled up in recent months.

<snip>

Still, the deal is likely to increase the politically sensitive trade deficit with China.

Last month, the Commerce Department reported the U.S. trade deficit with China widened to a record $12.7 billion in September, easily beating the previous record of $11.7 billion set only a month earlier. Imports from China totaled a record $14.8 billion.

<snip>

Snow raised the issue with Wen in a trip to Beijing in September, but the Chinese government told the Treasury chief it would not revalue its currency in the near term.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Bush would raise the currency issue with Wen at Tuesday's meeting.

[KT2000]

9. Consumers are us

$$ is everything, it doesn't seem to matter that the workers making these things are many times suffering debilitating illnesses due to lack of workplace safety.

And what about quality control? I have not been able to find a bobby pin that is still made in the US. Sure China can make them for less, but since they only last for one use before the tip falls off, I end up spending about 300% more and creating more garbage when I have to throw them away.

And finally, what happens when China is making everything our American hearts desire. All they will have to do is threaten not to ship and their wish will be our command.

[rman]

10. good to see Bush like at least one of them Dictators

-

[Nile]

12. If it makes my pay check go further and...

it is something that I need why should I pay more?