Mary, I appreciate your thoughts on the subject. . .even though we really should take this topic to my HOME thread, as it is more appropriate to discuss there.
I disagree about the government. I believe it IS their job to position our manufacturing, trade, services and technologies in such a way as to be competitive with the rest of the world and hopefully to lead it. Catering to and preferring big business is a problem that goes way back in U.S. history.
In my opinion, these "pathways" we developed many decades ago were the root of the problem. But because we hit a boom period, spurned on by technology and industry, government officials did not peer down the road far enough to recognize that once the rest of the world catches up to our industry and technology, we will need an entirely new means for staying globally competitive.
They dropped the ball and continue to do so.
We can fix the growing problems, deficits and issues with foreign trade. Prefer American companies, when the government purchases goods and services. Publish guides for the American consumer, which list bonafide American made goods and services. Set minimums on using American companies or purchasing American goods. Set saturation limits to imports, keeping entire markets from being consumed by import goods. Slow import containers down at the docks, for the purpose of verifying authenticity, thus thwarting the burgeoning counterfeit goods industry. We can fix the problem, but our elected officials will not dare to do so.
NAFTA, CAFTA, FTAA and GATT. The true effects may not be known for many decades to come. And in the history books of 2060, it could read that Presidents Clinton and Bush signed away American labor . . . and the signing of these treaties laid the groundwork for the American supereconomy to dwindle down to a third world economy. The truth is: we just don't know yet.
On this subject of equalizing trade I am for MORE government. I wouldn't be, had we not screwed things up so long ago. Now, I fear it is too late, since my suggestions will certainly never get heard within the walls of the White House.
The bottom line is that the problem is bigger than people realize and growing faster. Imports are completely saturating the American marketplace. And those brand names we pay extra for are the first to be counterfeited. Oddly enough, much of the counterfeiting is done right here on U.S. soil. . . but that is another subject.
Rande Is |
