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To boost flagging economy, U.S. wants to import more shoppers
Washington Post ^

Posted on 10/03/2011 3:44:22 PM PDT by AfricanChristian

The United States has long imported its food and fuel, its cars and clothes. Now the faltering economy has sparked a push for another type of import: shoppers.

For the first time, lawmakers, businesses and even White House officials are courting consumers from cash-rich countries such as China, India and Brazil to fill the nation’s shopping malls and pick up the slack for penny-pinching Americans. They are wooing travelers with enticements such as coupons, beauty pageants and promises of visa reform. The payoff, they say, could be significant: 1.3 million new jobs and an $859 billion shot in the arm for the economy over the next decade.

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


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: us; whitehouse
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To: AfricanChristian

It is a no brainer to have more tourists. Can’t see a down side to that.


21 posted on 10/03/2011 4:09:06 PM PDT by Eternal_Bear
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To: Eternal_Bear

...keep lookin’.


22 posted on 10/03/2011 4:17:01 PM PDT by de.rm ('Most people never believe anything you tell them unless it isn't true."-Groucho Marx)
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To: Da Coyote

How about if the ATF supplies the Sinaloa with machine-guns & grenades, then the State Dept. supplies the Zetas —and then we’ll start a MAJOR CIVIL WAR IN MEXICO..!!!

And then your average Mexican living there will simply relocate to FreeTuitionLand..!!

Oh, wait...


23 posted on 10/03/2011 4:18:25 PM PDT by gaijin
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To: Eternal_Bear

Tourists are fine and I go out of my way to be as friendly and welcoming as possible to tourists I encounter but I’m not so sure this is what they’re talking about.

My “republican” governor seems to think we need immigrants to come start businesses but doesn’t seem to realize that there’s a reason Americans aren’t starting businesses.


24 posted on 10/03/2011 4:20:45 PM PDT by cripplecreek (MLB Playoff thread http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2786167/posts)
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To: AfricanChristian

Orlando is attracting many tourists from Brazil. When they are here they flock to the malls. Some tourist groups organize bus shopping tours to local Walmarts.

Read the September artcle from the Orlando Sentinel:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-cfb-cover-international-travel-0905-20110904,0,6863911.story


25 posted on 10/03/2011 4:22:07 PM PDT by ruralvoter
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To: ruralvoter

Northern Michigan attracts a lot of Japanese tourists for everything from hiking to hunting and fishing. The say they can’t really do a lot of hiking without crowds at home and hunting is pretty much out of the question.

If it weren’t for all the regulation and liability I’ve considered trying to start a hunting guide business with a twist of hunting southern Michigan farmland where the big deer roam.


26 posted on 10/03/2011 4:32:53 PM PDT by cripplecreek (MLB Playoff thread http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2786167/posts)
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To: Sacajaweau

Ah... you fail to grasp the underlying reason for this “brainstorm.”

This is the latest attempt to fix the huge trade deficits with various countries. If their consumers (eg, China, India, Japan, etc) shop here, then we effectively reduce (by only a wee little bit) our current account deficit with those countries.

The trade deficit with China is now so large, it is warping international capital flows. The Chinese have so much of our wealth that they can’t piss it away on silly projects fast enough to divest themselves of dollars which are declining in value vs. tangible commodities. Rather than actually fix the problems of the currency peg which allows this to continue (and grow), policymakers come up with goofy ideas like this one.


27 posted on 10/03/2011 7:25:21 PM PDT by NVDave
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To: AfricanChristian
Shopping junket vacations with a little casino action on the side. We're turning into Bermuda or the Bahamas.
28 posted on 10/03/2011 7:57:35 PM PDT by Ciexyz
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To: AfricanChristian

“They are wooing travelers with ...... promises of visa reform.”

When amnesty can’t be forced on the American public the Treason Lobby finds a new group to sponsor.


29 posted on 10/03/2011 9:05:10 PM PDT by Pelham (The U.S.A., the next Latin American country.)
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To: de.rm

Where does it mention immigrants? It is clearly about bringing in tourists to buy things here. Yes, visas are necessary for tourists from many countries.


30 posted on 10/04/2011 12:45:42 AM PDT by Eternal_Bear
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To: Pelham

I needed a visa to visit japan. Lot of foreign tourists need a visa even to visit and shop in the US.


31 posted on 10/04/2011 12:48:05 AM PDT by Eternal_Bear
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To: AfricanChristian

1.)Why would the Chinese want to come to America to buy the carp they make in China?
2.) We already have enough foreigners here without Visas.
3.) This administration makes Paris Hilton look scholarly.


32 posted on 10/04/2011 12:55:21 AM PDT by liberalh8ter
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