I'm a moderate, don't care what you think, and it's why I oppose nonsensical protectionism. That you messiah is a terrible ruler that must be opposed on every bone headed decision is beyond the point.
That's exactly the issue that you just dismissed. Congratulations, you eventually got there even though you have not noticed. As I said countless times, I care about issues. Come up with grand ideas how to counter China's illegal tech transfers and IP theft. Unless you provide your own suggestions or ideas your bitching about current suggestions under consideration means nothing and is not counted nor heard.
Well actually except American cars, the majority of American-made products are high quality. This has nothing to do with political agenda or whatever; it's just the truth. And it used to be affordable by Americans. And the reason why it's no longer affordable to Americans is due to the unfair trade terms between USA and China with the US government willing to not impose any tariffs or duties on imports from China that are produced at 1/10 of the cost of American manufacturing costs while China imposes 10 times the tariffs and duties on goods imported from America so while China becomes richer by making money on all the cheap exports that they sell abroad, Americans became poorer because they are not making any money on the value-added manufactured products that they sell to China to the point that they can't even afford to buy their own Made-In-USA products and had to shop in dollar stores and Walmart to pick up the cheap knock-off's. Meanwhile the American manufacturers have no choice but to stoop to the level of the quality of cheap imports if they want to remain open in America so everything just becomes a vicious cycle with Americans become poorer and poorer and Chinese become richer and richer at the expense of both the American manufacturers and the consumers. I used to think using barriers to trade to achieve trade balance in international trade for economic revival is voodoo economics now I realize it's not. It's only voodoo economics if everybody is engaging in free trade with no barriers to trade purely out of comparative advantage but if your trading partner is putting up tariffs and duties on your exports and you are the only one who is engaging in free trade or putting up less barriers to trade then you are the one who's going to get screwed and your trading partner will get richer at your expense which is what happened. Trump's got the right idea in putting in tariffs which is long overdue looking from hindsight right now to put America on equal footing with China. It was China who was "begging thy neighbour" all those time for the last 20 years, it's time that things turn around a little bit for America whether China likes it or not. And honestly unless we start trading with aliens, every single country on this planet is going to be "begging thy neighbour" at one time or another. That's just something that every country has to live with.
I can't agree that most other products aside cars were top notch. Almost all household items were and still are in quality a lot worse than German or Japanese household items. Vacuum cleaners, bath tubs, toilets, irons, refrigerators, TVs, washing machines, dryers, kitchen design, bath room technology. There are notable exceptions but the majority of American household items just do not match the quality standards in Japan or Germany. Not 30 years ago and not today. I am sure I am missing many other categories where American products match or exceed foreign brands in terms of quality. Perhaps you can give some suggestions I agree full heartedly with your other points.
I can but I am not going to hijack my own thread to discussion of American products. America does produce high quality, durable long lasting products. Whenever people want to buy things, American products are always among the top choices along with products from Japan and Germany. You don't agree? That's your prerogative.
Evern when U.S. has the best products, they choose to make then overseas rather than in the U.S. due to costs and lack of quality control at a reasonable price. You cannot tell me that Ford cars are superior to Hondas and Toyotas. U.S. does not put the effort into the cars and relies on fleet sales and trucks to lead the way. U.S. televisions? I can buy a 43" everything Samsung TV for $300, U.S. cannot even make a black and white that cheap. Made in the U.S. means less overseas and in the U.S. than it did for high end products. iPhones and Dell and other top tech is produced outside the U.S. You think it is 100% cost reason but not only that, it can be made faster and more efficient overseas too.
We tax the hell out of the American citizens and drive up the cost of doing business with unionized labor, and said citizens are then forced to buy cheep shit because of said taxes, and then complain when the cost of the cheep shit goes up because of tariffs. Vicious cycle. Cake, meet not the fork, but the trash can. We can't have it and eat it, too.