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New World Trade Center's Chinese Glass Is Adding to Trade Furor
The Washington Post ^ | 10 Oct 2009 | Peter Whoriskey

Posted on 10/11/2009 9:37:58 AM PDT by BGHater

The new World Trade Center, now under construction, is often considered a symbol of American enterprise. But to some union members and U.S. businesses, it represents what's wrong with the nation's economy.

The contract to manufacture the blast-resistant glass wrapping the main tower's first 20 stories was awarded earlier this year to a Chinese firm that underbid U.S. competitors.

Now the trade tensions between the United States and China that have arisen recently over tires, steel and paper are spreading to glass.

"This new tower is going to be made out of subsidized Chinese glass, putting factory workers out of their jobs in America," said Scott Paul, director of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, a partnership of the United Steelworkers and some manufacturers.

On Thursday, the Alliance sent a letter to U.S. trade officials asking that they address what they see as unfair trade practices. Specifically, the group says that the Chinese government spends billions of dollars subsidizing the glass industry's energy costs.

"Our domestic glass industry is the most efficient in the world, but it cannot compete against production that is heavily subsidized by the Chinese government," according to the letter. "As a result, glass production in the U.S. has suffered in recent years, with plant closings and thousands of lost jobs throughout the country."

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke are slated for trade meetings in Hangzhou, China, later this month.

A Chinese spokesman on trade issues did not respond to requests for comment.

The U.S. glass industry has lost more than 40,000 jobs since 2000, according to Department of Labor figures, even as the Chinese glass industry has experienced explosive growth. Between 2000 and 2008, U.S. imports of Chinese glass have tripled.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; US: New York
KEYWORDS: bhochina; bhotrade; china; communist; economy; freedomtower; glass; onewtc; trade; worldtradecenter; wtc
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To: BGHater

When did FR become a bastion of protectionism?

Get the best quality materials for the best price. If you think you can avoid materials from overseas, you aren’t living in the 21st Century.

The world is a big integrated market today. Protectionism is just jingoism extended to economics.


21 posted on 10/11/2009 10:06:24 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (Communism comes to America: 1/20/2009. Keep your powder dry, folks. Sic semper tyrannis)
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To: BikerJoe

>>I heard he left the business and went into another line work, concrete. He’s mostly in overpasses and on-ramps.<<

I thought he was in stadiums...


22 posted on 10/11/2009 10:07:11 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (Communism comes to America: 1/20/2009. Keep your powder dry, folks. Sic semper tyrannis)
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To: BGHater

NY State and NY City are the most over-regulated, expensive and business un-friendly places in the USA. The State has been run by progressively left-wing Democrats for the last 50 years, and we have paid for it. A declining and rapidly aging population, a loss of most of the manufacturing base, a state-budget totally reliant on Wall Street deficits as far as the eye can see.

It’s a miracle that after 8 years, anything at all is getting built on Ground Zero.

Go ahead and add another regulation, this time about glass for buildings - and watch even more jobs and people dissappear from what is the new Eastern Bloc.


23 posted on 10/11/2009 10:13:39 AM PDT by PGR88
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To: freedumb2003
The world is a big integrated market today. Protectionism is just jingoism extended to economics.

Fine, then some questions need answered:

1) Do we have a national interest in maintaining an independent capability for ANYTHING? (I say yes, 'cause I don't think we can trust 'em, and I don't see much evidence that our importing companies or government is doing much to ensure quality or safety.)

2) Are we to become just another group of 300 million consumers who sell stuff to each other, maybe do some marketing, etc.? Might as well close down our patent office, 'cause WE won't be inventing anything anymore.

3) A big integrated market does NOT equal FAIR trade (as opposed to Free trade). As someone else pointed out, how do we compete against almost slave labor and minimal regulation?
24 posted on 10/11/2009 10:27:16 AM PDT by BikerJoe
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To: freedumb2003

I haven’t seen anyone advocating the protectionism that China enjoys.


25 posted on 10/11/2009 10:27:49 AM PDT by BykrBayb (Somewhere, my flower is there. ~ Þ)
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To: BikerJoe
1) Do we have a national interest in maintaining an independent capability for ANYTHING? (I say yes, 'cause I don't think we can trust 'em, and I don't see much evidence that our importing companies or government is doing much to ensure quality or safety.)

What do you propose?

2) Are we to become just another group of 300 million consumers who sell stuff to each other, maybe do some marketing, etc.? Might as well close down our patent office, 'cause WE won't be inventing anything anymore.

Got hyperbole? The US is still the #1 manufacturer in the world. And you conflate invention with manufacturing.

3) A big integrated market does NOT equal FAIR trade (as opposed to Free trade). As someone else pointed out, how do we compete against almost slave labor and minimal regulation?

Who said life is fair? And, whether you like it or not, the world is a big integrated market and all the kvetching in the world won't change that. Smart people learn to leverage the situation as it is to their advantage. Many smaller operations exist only because they can afford to manufacture their product overseas -- it would be impossible in the USA.

What do you propose to end this evil worldwide economy?

26 posted on 10/11/2009 10:33:35 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (Communism comes to America: 1/20/2009. Keep your powder dry, folks. Sic semper tyrannis)
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To: BGHater
If this puts unions out of work then I am all for it. Let them enjoy their hope and change.

Anyone who loves this country will buy Chinese, or from any other non-union supplier, then give any union any discretionary funds.

27 posted on 10/11/2009 10:35:49 AM PDT by pnh102 (Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. - Me)
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To: bornred
i.e. bogged down for 8 years by idiot lawyers, politicians, and unions.

No kidding, and it took 7 years to build both of the original towers. It never ceases to amaze me how useless to society most lawyers, all politicians and all unions are. They have done nothing but hold the USA back.

28 posted on 10/11/2009 10:38:29 AM PDT by pnh102 (Regarding liberalism, always attribute to malice what you think can be explained by stupidity. - Me)
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To: BGHater
Obama promised to save jobs, he just didn't mention it was Chinese jobs.
29 posted on 10/11/2009 10:41:12 AM PDT by TexasFreeper2009 (Obama lied, the economy died)
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To: BGHater

What a stupid thing to do.


30 posted on 10/11/2009 10:48:50 AM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: BGHater
Weapon of choice for trade warriors:


31 posted on 10/11/2009 10:51:55 AM PDT by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: freedumb2003
1) Do we have a national interest in maintaining an independent capability for ANYTHING? (I say yes, 'cause I don't think we can trust 'em, and I don't see much evidence that our importing companies or government is doing much to ensure quality or safety.)

What do you propose?


As to the independent capability, I don't know what the answer is. If we subsidize it, it's inefficient and backward. Competition would be needed. I didn't say I had the answer, but my eyes are open enough to know that a problem exists.

Smart people learn to leverage the situation as it is to their advantage. Many smaller operations exist only because they can afford to manufacture their product overseas -- it would be impossible in the USA.

They're short-term smart, but long term, they may find the domestic market disappear because no-one can afford their product. And I hope the small operation getting things manufactured overseas have the intellectual property locked up and are testing everything here. It would be double-bad if the overseas manufacturer starts copying the thing and selling it everywhere but here (which is why the Germans are quietly pulling out of China) or the products start killing people (oh, we thought you'd LIKE the melamine we put in it...)

Tariffs financed the Federal Government for more than half our history. Maybe it's time to try again. ...and don't bring up Smoot-Hawley, their are just as many studies that show it DIDN'T have an effect on the depression.
32 posted on 10/11/2009 10:53:16 AM PDT by BikerJoe
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To: BGHater

It’s not the jobs, it’s the experience we are losing.
That knowledge gained from years on the job will be lost.
Even if new jobs were somehow created, the people who
fill them will be inexperienced.
We are allowing our industry to be destroyed in a stealth
trade war. When real war comes, as it most certainly will,
we will be without the means of production needed to
secure our own defense.


33 posted on 10/11/2009 10:57:49 AM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: freedumb2003
Protectionism is just jingoism extended to economics

Good. "Jingoism" was a derisive term invented by a 19th century Secular Atheist who promoted neo-Socialism against the interests of the British nation. In other words, a Leftist radical.

And you're one too, spud.

34 posted on 10/11/2009 11:17:51 AM PDT by Regulator (Welcome to Zimbabwe! Now hand over your property....)
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To: Regulator

>>And you’re one too, spud.<<

Hey, you can be a protectionist all you want — who are they? How about UNION members.

So, spudlet, you are a Union-supporter, which makes you way to the left af anyone who understands global economics.


35 posted on 10/11/2009 11:21:10 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (Communism comes to America: 1/20/2009. Keep your powder dry, folks. Sic semper tyrannis)
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To: BGHater

This article is written by Peter Whoriskey?

Where’s the pun squad?


36 posted on 10/11/2009 11:22:17 AM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: freedumb2003
anyone who understands global economics

Uh-huh. Like yourself, right?

You got it all covered. The Hubris of the Liberal.

Be movin' to Shanghai real soon? I'm sure they'll just luv ya there. Maybe the mindset there would suit you better there, but I hate to tell ya....the Chinese are really racist, and if you happen to be non-Chinese, you won't get far at all.

Take lots of little green pieces of paper, maybe you can buy some "friends".

37 posted on 10/11/2009 11:41:43 AM PDT by Regulator (Welcome to Zimbabwe! Now hand over your property....)
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To: BGHater

That’s like telling a guy who was just robbed of $1 trillion dollars, that he should shut up because he still has $1 trillion left.

Yes, there’s still manufacturing in the United States. And of course the nation would be terrible damaged by doing most of our manufacturing here, right?

Running $0.8 trillion dollars worth of trade deficits isn’t a problem at all, and who needs tens of trillions in multiplier effect dollars bouncing around in our thriving economy today? Right?

I literally hate clueless free-traitor bastards.


38 posted on 10/11/2009 12:44:49 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Deficit spending, trade deficits, unsecure mortages, worthless paper... ... not a problem. Oh yeah?)
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To: freedumb2003
Get the best quality materials for the best price.

Absolutely. But when you look at the price, remember to consider the hidden costs. If you buy from someone local, they are more likely than someone remote to take some of that money and turn around and buy your product, so the local product might be a little bit better deal than it looks. I'm absolutely NOT saying always buy American, but consider more than just the price on the invoice in your purchasing decisions.

39 posted on 10/11/2009 1:04:47 PM PDT by Darth Reardon
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To: freedumb2003

When the next big war comes, and we can’t get foreign-supplied gas or oil spare parts for our foreign-made aircraft and weapons, and our foreign-grown food supplies are cut off, and our foreign-built and foreign-ported merchant ships won’t carry our troops, I hope someone is still around to remind you of your love for the big integrated world market.


40 posted on 10/11/2009 2:08:26 PM PDT by B-Chan (Catholic. Monarchist. Texan. Any questions?)
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