Here's an interesting grassroots (I assume) movement going around the internet. My sister Irene passed it on to me. The chest thumping "American" jingoism is off putting for me, but I like that people keep trying to make a difference on various issues no matter where they're coming from:
"Are we Americans as dumb as we appear --- or --- is it that we just do not think?
While the Chinese, knowingly and intentionally, export inferior products and dangerous toys and goods to be sold in American markets, the media wrings its hands and criticizes the Bush Administration for perceived errors.
Yet 70% of Americans believe that the trading privileges afforded to the Chinese should be suspended.
Well, duh…why do you need the government to suspend trading privileges?
SIMPLY DO IT YOURSELF, AMERICA!!
Simply look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says 'Made in China ' or 'PRC' (and that now includes Hong Kong ) simply choose another product or none at all. You will be amazed at how dependent you are on Chinese products; however you will be equally amazed at what you can do without. Who needs plastic eggs to celebrate Easter?
If you must have eggs, use real ones and benefit some American farmer. Easter is just an example, the point is…do not wait for the government to act.
Just go ahead and assume control on your own.
THINK ABOUT THIS: If 200 million Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese goods, that's a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our favor...fast!!
The downside? Some American businesses will feel a temporary pinch from having foreign stockpiles of inventory. Wahhhhhhhhhhhh
** Downside??
The solution
Let's give them fair warning and send our own message. Most of the people who have been reading about this matter are planning on implementing this on June 4, and continue it until July 4.
That is only one month of trading losses, but it will hit the Chinese for 1/12th of the total, or 8%, of their American exports. Then they will at least have to ask themselves if the benefits of their arrogance and lawlessness were worth it.
Remember, June 4 to July 4.
EVEN BETTER. . . START NOW.
Send this to everybody you know.
Show them we are Americans and NOBODY can take us for granted.
If we can't live without cheap Chinese goods for one month out of our lives, WE DESERVE WHAT WE GET!
Pass it on America- and stay out of the $0.99 cent store for the month."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
My husband & I found your blog after a connect-the-dots search. He read your name in the NY Times when you attended the post opening of celebration with Karen Allen after the new Raiders film. And he recognized your name... we attend UI from '67 to '74 where he got his PhD in Sociology. So, now you're on our Google Reader. Love your posts, and especially this one. I'll be passing this along.
Thanks and keep at it!
Dan & Barb
My goodness. Sounds like Reagan telling us to buy American in the 80's.
We should have learned with the lead paint on toys or the antifreeze in the toothpaste.
I wish we could blame all the trade imbalance on Bush but we can't. NAFTA has assured that if we do not buy China we then end up buying Mexico or some other country.
Ford just shafted US workers by planning their fuel eficient line of cars to be made just outside Mexico City.
The multi national owners of corporate America are removing job after job while eliminating our ability to produce goods.
Soon there will not be a dairy if any for 100 miles. Produce will be shipped from Asia or Latin America (until African countries can stabilize). Plastic containers will replace cans because they have a shorter shelf life.
I thought France was mad at us for not winning back Indo China for them. The money they lost in Iraq because of the invasion has them and the EU bankers out to ruin us.
Boycott all imports in order to keep your job, your neighbor's job and the jobs of all non-importing services.
Buy USA
I'm with you, or with the basic intent of whoever wrote this post. I also look on the bottom of everything I buy and if it says China, I won't buy it.
To buy it buys into human slavery, suppression of Tibet, organ harvesting, murder of schoolchildren throughout China through shoddy building practices, and evil itself.
I'd prefer to pay a little more for a product that didn't dehumanize its maker.
Thanks for this post.
Well, here's another thought, if China decided to "disinvest" in the USA as some countries tried to do to South Africa during the apartheid era (they own a good portion of our debt), the US economy would tank even more rapidly and deeply than parts of it already have unfortunately. One of the main reasons that hasn't happened so far is they still need us as large importers of their goods. So, a little more complicated than at first glance.
diversified responsibility ...
Debt is a double edged sword.
Lincoln was the last president to cancel the national debt. As a nation, we borrowed money from European bankers to pay for our navy and expeditions in Texas and Mexico. When the European bankers chose to finance the South, Lincoln cancelled the debt owed to them.
China knows this history so the debt is now an albatross. Should they not act in a fashion that we consider in our interests, whomever is president may just find reason to again cancel the debt owed.
It looks like the high cost of energy is already impacting China's competivness. The following is from MoneyNews.com. I suspect this will have a much greater and lasting effect than a boycott.
"Indeed, oil price rises have already driven up shipping costs so much that Chinese imports are now high-cost and losing market share, a new CIBC research report shows."
Story continues below . . .
Post a Comment