An index of American decline

World Net Daily ^ | Feb. 23, 2004 | Patrick Buchanan

[1rudeboy]

Due to destruction of well paying jobs, vast swaths of our population can no longer afford American made even if they want to.

Aw c'mon, take the next step. Only the government can save us, right?

[dennisw]

Clearly, the "export profile" of the U.S. does not bother Pat a whit, as by his standard, we should export more corn and soybeans and concentrate on that increasing that share of agricultural goods exports from 8%. In other words, Pat (the economist) correctly identifies some of the comparative advantages, but Pat (the Luddite) looks at the largest exporting country on the globe and sees an "agricultural colony."

Advanced nations export high value added, manufactured goods. That's how Japan has run  a trade surplus for three decades. Usually it's third world nations that try to pay for imported manufactured goods by selling raw agricultural commodities abroad.

[palmer]

It's a vicious circle being created.

That's a good point. But above that circle there are still people with choices who are making bad ones and contributing to the problem.

[Robert Drobot]

You offer no rebuttal to the content of the article, because you can't. To do so might expose an exploitive trait, and that's unacceptable in polite society. After all, I'm willing to bet you are want to say you treat your substandard labor like they are one of your own.

[1rudeboy]

Usually it's third world nations that try to pay for imported manufactured goods by selling raw agricultural commodities abroad.

And it's the demagogues that try to convince you that developing-nation mercantilist economics can be applied to the most industrialized county on Earth.

[A. Pole]

We retain a trade surplus in airplanes and airplane parts, but, because of the competition from Airbus, that is shrinking.

After airplanes, our No. 1 export in terms of a trade surplus is ... soybeans. Corn is next, followed by wheat, animal feeds, cotton, meat, metal ore, scrap, gold, hides and skins, pulp and waste paper, cigarettes, mineral fuels, rice, printed materials, coal, tobacco, crude fertilizer and glass. Airplanes aside, the United States has the export profile of an agricultural colony.

Free trade bump.

[palmer]

The fact that he switched is an argument against his brand of protectionism.

[skip2myloo]

I try to buy American, all my cars have been American for that reason.

But, there's a point where my brain overwhelms my pocketbook and I go for the best product at the best price, regardless where it comes from.

There is NO American substitute for Highland Single Malt Scotch (sorry Kentucky and Tennessee).

I buy the very best I can afford, based on the principle of "Penny wise, Pound foolish."

In 1988 I bought a 27" TV for $980. Yesterday I bought one for $163.

Zenith and RCA could not stay competitive building TVs in America.

Its that simple (and that sad).

[dennisw]

Aw c'mon, take the next step. Only the government can save us, right?

Anyone with a brain rattling about in his noggin can see the Democrats will exploit and sell this very idea. That a John Kerry administration will save their jobs from being outsourced and wages slashed. When people feel betrayed by big business they run to government for shelter from the storm.

Ignore this at your own peril!

[1rudeboy]

But above that circle there are still people with choices who are making bad ones and contributing to the problem.

How do you propose preventing people from making bad choices?

[Esther Ruth]

Two kinds of people in the world, what can I do for me folks, and the what can I do for others today folks. Free trade, global economy, exporting capitalism is Good, Right, Loving, Unselfish, and something Jesus would want us to do and I believe He commands us to do. Get real you idiot isolationists - how selfish you are lamenting your or our losses while there is a world out there that can and should be reached - with money, health, education and you scream like little selfish punks, "mine mine, it's all mine, and I don't want to share it". We will answer to God - He gives us things to share with others - the good samaritan is not only suppose to share with those in our own country but everywhere!! I love talking to people in India from MSN etc, they are kind, polite, articulate, and very intelligent etc. I love America so much I want to share all we have with the rest of the world, all we have.

[1rudeboy]

Why bring the Democrats into this? This thread is about Mr. Buchanan trying to "exploit and sell this very idea."

[palmer]

Like I said to Poohbah, getting on the soapbox and pointing out the false dichotomy of free trade and protectionism. A country can voluntarily choose to be protectionist without any government intervention. My personal approach is to look at my neighbors and figure out what I can do to make them more productive. Sometimes that means I go out and buy them better tools in trade for their help.

[metesky]

I bet there are more. Do they count the educrats as government employees? I bet not. Firemen? Cops? All the various NGO "support groups"?

I'd say at least 1/3 work for government when you count all those who recieve their check after being funneled through various agencies, not the 1/6 the article claims.

[LowCountryJoe]

...That's how Japan has run a trade surplus for three decades...

Read this! It's a short explanation on how "net exports" equal "net capital outflow". The author's parting shot is this, "Increasing our rate of saving will reduce the need for capital imports and, correspondingly, will have a positive effect on our trade balance." The whole page is short in length and quite informative.

[chris1]

One thing I 100% agree with in this article is the fact that there is way tooooooooooo much growth in all levels of govt. and those who work for it. There is something very screwed up when the best paying jobs are al found in the goverment agencies and related work. It is killing the taxpayer and making us go broke.

[Happy2BMe]

The future of America:

"Airplanes aside, the United States has the export profile of an agricultural colony."

Correction: A queer, godless agricultural colony with AIDS and the highest abortion rate in the world after China.

MAJOR IMPORTS: Marijuna, cocaine, heroine, AIDS, Mad Cow Disease, Bird Flu, and migrant workers and terrorism.

[1rudeboy]

I've always be tempted to write this, but never here. If you don't like it, why not leave?

[dagnabbit]

I love talking to people in India from MSN etc, they are kind, polite, articulate, and very intelligent etc. I love America so much I want to share all we have with the rest of the world, all we have.

Share your own kids' future with the third world please. Leave ours out of your strange wishes.

[Happy2BMe]

This article is RIGHT ON.

Can you think of anything but FOOD you have bought in terms of consumer goods (with few exceptions) that has NOT been IMPORTED?