General Discussion

Zalatix

(8,994 posts)

83. It is an old smokescreen tactic, and a half-truth at that.

Wed Jul 18, 2012, 02:26 PM

Jul 2012

1) Employed people can afford a $8 shirt better than unemployed people can afford a $5 shirt.

2) Wal Mart is NOT going to close down over a price increase from $5 to $8.

3) Hiring Americans to produce shirts for America means lower unemployment and higher wages.

4) People are still going to buy shirts, they're not going to go out naked.

5) This is the one that none of you seem to want to address. In order to keep $5 shirts from becoming $8 shirts, we have to keep foreign wages down. Historical case in point: Haiti's Government recently proposed a major increase in minimum wages. The United States stepped in, because such an increase would mean Haitian-made textiles would become more expensive for Americans. In other words, your dreaded $5 shirts becoming $8 shirts. The United States fought the increase in the Haitian minimum wage in order to keep their wages down and keep their people poor so that selfish Americans could keep their shirts at $5.

You wouldn't happen to be one of those selfish Americans who wants $5 shirts even if it means holding down foreigners' wages... would you?

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

97 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

'Made In America' Policies Hugely Popular, Survey Shows. Free traders, CAN YOU HEAR US NOW??? [View all] Zalatix Jul 2012 OP

every time I read "Free Trader" I think, "Free Traitor" fascisthunter Jul 2012 #1

Same here n/t OhioChick Jul 2012 #4

+1,000 Scuba Jul 2012 #8

Well I'm voting for a pro-NAFTA guy in November. Nye Bevan Jul 2012 #13

Which one? Dragonfli Jul 2012 #19

I know I'm going out on a limb here compared with most of DU, Nye Bevan Jul 2012 #22

History has proven Al Gore wrong. That's easy to see, with hindsight, and Al won't mention NAFTA, Romulox Jul 2012 #24

Yeah. The "giant sucking sound" sure has sucked a lot of jobs out of amandabeech Jul 2012 #33

yes, Obama.... but free trade still sucks fascisthunter Jul 2012 #68

It is no accident that the free trade apologists woo me with science Jul 2012 #20

What if one is pro-trade but anti-"indefinite detention, warrantless surveillance, attacks on Occupy pampango Jul 2012 #21

Anyone who reads DU *and* the news on a regular basis woo me with science Jul 2012 #30

As you have been told previously, FDR reversed course.. girl gone mad Jul 2012 #67

Absolutely. They all seem to go hand-in-hand. Marr Jul 2012 #32

they are right wingers as far as I am concerned fascisthunter Jul 2012 #69

Others might call them Kool-aid drinkers, since it sounds hughee99 Jul 2012 #74

when he backs right leaning policies fascisthunter Jul 2012 #86

Yes, but if Obama switched positions on all of the above, hughee99 Jul 2012 #87

Well said. I think you have articulated what a lot of people have sabrina 1 Jul 2012 #92

And not just manufacturing jobs! arcane1 Jul 2012 #2

Thanks for posting Omaha Steve Jul 2012 #3

1890 orpupilofnature57 Jul 2012 #5

'Hugely popular' in theory. But the reality is that people don't buy American in great numbers. randome Jul 2012 #6

This is why you need policies to support domestic industry - otherwise it's a race to the bottom. reformist2 Jul 2012 #9

Lack of alternatives. Zalatix Jul 2012 #10

They sell out at fast as we get them in stock. xmas74 Jul 2012 #65

We always look at country of origin, and if there IS a "made in America" option, we buy it. peacebird Jul 2012 #11

No one has enough money to vote with their wallet. nt Comrade_McKenzie Jul 2012 #14

that's what national policy is for. you enact policies that make it cheaper for domestic producers HiPointDem Jul 2012 #18

I agree with what you guys are saying about setting the right policy. randome Jul 2012 #25

AFL-CIO and labor groups are providing Made in America Lists jtown1123 Jul 2012 #66

You were saying? Zalatix Jul 2012 #97

If the TPP is enacted "Buy American" will be illegal Vincardog Jul 2012 #7

Both of my family's vehicles were made in America. Nye Bevan Jul 2012 #12

I don't want it all "Made in America". raouldukelives Jul 2012 #15

Well That Eliminates Ford, GM, Chrysler, MicroSoft, Apple, Nike.... momsadem Jul 2012 #16

Time to reopen those domestic factories. Zalatix Jul 2012 #23

I would prefer to concentrate on opening high skilled high tech production here and leave grantcart Jul 2012 #27

No. Not just no, but HELL no. Zalatix Jul 2012 #31

Not me. If I'm buying "high tech" goods, the LAST thing I want to see is "Made in Mississippi". Romulox Jul 2012 #35

Many Ford and GM vehicles are assembled in the US and have many US made parts. amandabeech Jul 2012 #34

This post is 100% nonsense. It's just what Toyota drivers tell themselves to feel better. nt Romulox Jul 2012 #36

No Romulex, you're wrong. It's not "Nonsense" momsadem Jul 2012 #37

Way to walk it back! Just upthread, you said: "Well That Eliminates Ford, GM, Chrysler". Nonsense. Romulox Jul 2012 #61

kr. HiPointDem Jul 2012 #17

Nonsense. Well over 50% of the cars sold in this country are foreign nameplates. Romulox Jul 2012 #26

Made in the USA for American markets by either foreign or domestic companies, not a problem. Zalatix Jul 2012 #42

Union? Whatever (I guess???)! Romulox Jul 2012 #60

Why not? Unions rock. Zalatix Jul 2012 #71

Not a single of foreign car companies that assemble in the US are unionized. Hard to spin that. Romulox Jul 2012 #72

True. It's better than assembling them in Mexico or China. Zalatix Jul 2012 #75

Plenty of cars made in the USA by UAW workers. It's hard to justify a scab car, period. nt Romulox Jul 2012 #77

I was saying they also need to make the car parts here. Zalatix Jul 2012 #78

They should have done this long ago Marrah_G Jul 2012 #28

Hint, hint.... Lionessa Jul 2012 #29

Buy American won't be popular SickOfTheOnePct Jul 2012 #38

Post removed Post removed Jul 2012 #40

You know SickOfTheOnePct Jul 2012 #43

And we're sick of your US Chamber of Commerce-approved arguments. Zalatix Jul 2012 #46

It's not Chamber of Commerce to state the fact that U.S goods are often more expensive SickOfTheOnePct Jul 2012 #48

It is a US Chamber of Commerce argument because it is a half-truth at best. Zalatix Jul 2012 #51

Buy American is popular because people have seen the horrible cost of NOT hiring Americans. Zalatix Jul 2012 #41

My response to Odin2005 applies to you as well SickOfTheOnePct Jul 2012 #44

Your hackneyed and horribly inaccurate arguments are getting old. So, again, we are even. Zalatix Jul 2012 #47

Show me where I made a pro-offshoring statement SickOfTheOnePct Jul 2012 #50

You said it right here, twice. Zalatix Jul 2012 #52

It's amazing how many times you can be wrong in one thread SickOfTheOnePct Jul 2012 #53

It's amazing how many times you can refuse to own up to what you said. Zalatix Jul 2012 #55

You're wrong again, but keep on tryiing SickOfTheOnePct Jul 2012 #56

You're still in denial. And now you're being dishonest. Zalatix Jul 2012 #57

What is old about $8 is more than $5? treestar Jul 2012 #80

It is an old smokescreen tactic, and a half-truth at that. Zalatix Jul 2012 #83

Are you in agreement with point 5? treestar Jul 2012 #90

Do you really have to ask if I approve of what happened in #5? Really? Zalatix Jul 2012 #91

At this point you're agreeing with me treestar Jul 2012 #93

It doesn't bother me if we're agreeing on some things. Zalatix Jul 2012 #94

Rec Sea-Dog Jul 2012 #70

China and others already have tariffs against us. Plus they devalue their currency. Zalatix Jul 2012 #73

btw your saying its ok for trade barriers not us Sea-Dog Jul 2012 #95

Trade barriers have happened. Zalatix Jul 2012 #96

The Free Traders will do what they usually do, scream "racist" and "xenophobe". Odin2005 Jul 2012 #39

A little hyper-sensitive there. I see the accusation of the use of "racist" and "xenophobe" by pampango Jul 2012 #49

So you deny that free traders have used that accusation? Really? Zalatix Jul 2012 #54

Uh, you are one of the Free Traders who imply that Protectionism is xenophobic. Odin2005 Jul 2012 #59

What's funny? NOBODY mentioned you, but you still managed to appear to take offense. Romulox Jul 2012 #63

Like someone else here once said, throw a tennis ball into a pack of dogs Zalatix Jul 2012 #79

that depends on how it is expressed treestar Jul 2012 #81

Again, Obama not clean. But Mr. Clean when compared to alternative. Zax2me Jul 2012 #45

He needs to summon the ghosts of Teddy Roosevelt and FDR. Zalatix Jul 2012 #58

The Obama admin gave HALF A BILLION $$$ to Fisker to make cars in Finland. Romulox Jul 2012 #62

Fair Trade please. ananda Jul 2012 #64

It only works if we actually buy American. aquart Jul 2012 #76

It's damn near impossible, too treestar Jul 2012 #82

Catch-22. People lose jobs because of outsourcing. Can't afford to buy American because too costly. Tierra_y_Libertad Jul 2012 #84

This is also why the Government fights wage increases for foreigners. Zalatix Jul 2012 #85

"Workers of the WORLD unite" is still something to strive for. Tierra_y_Libertad Jul 2012 #88

Hard to do when the free traders are saying "but things will cost more if we do that!" Zalatix Jul 2012 #89