Carranza,
Not to pick a fuss with TJ, but here is an another problem with his "China First" thesis:
TJ has repeatedly made reference to "socks", meaning the hosiery that a person wears on his feet, and I guess the bulk of them for sale in the US are now made in China.
I have some "hands on" experience with "socks" having years ago worked on new designs for knitting machines (not for hosiery but for tubing, but working the same way except for starting and closure).
Not long ago the US made most of their own socks, but the industry is mostly gone now, a result of environmental, consumer and workplace safety laws more than anything else, including cheaper wages overseas.
I know for a fact that vast numbers of these US sock knitting machines were shipped to China and are doubtlessly still there and still making socks, as a knitter can last for ever if maintained. And no doubt the Chinese are now making their own knitters, in fact I saw images of some online somewhere and some more in a Taiwan trade magazine.
BUT, it is quite possible to make a VAST generational leap in the manufacture of socks and it is quite possible to create a completely automated process where there is essentially NO human labor required at all, other than a few tech and management people.
I'm thinking that there are many things like socks. If China forces others, maybe here in the US to make our own socks and other items, then we will, but we will do it in a much improved and enhanced manner than is now being done in China, and also to be done in a way that China will loose whatever advantage abundant and low cost labor provides them.
Slagle |
