The Final Stage in the Deindustrialization of America

anotherhawkeye · Apr 6, 2009

Nothing I didn't know before, but its a good read.

http://www.economicpopulist.org/?q=content/final-stage-deindustrialization-america

Here are some excerpts:

The pro-globalization, pro-free trade crowd was very clear. If we lowered our trade barriers to cheap foreign imports, while we retrained our workforce, other nations would do the hard, manual work of producing goods while we would do the do the mental stuff of high-tech goods and services.
It was an appeal to our egos. They tried to manipulate us with false pride, and it worked to some extent.

We were supposed to keep the "thinking" jobs, and the American workers did their part. All major advances in computers were pioneered by American workers.
But it turned out that "thinking" jobs were exportable too. Our computers are now made overseas, as are our call centers. It didn't matter what our thinking could invent. The only thing that mattered was that the work could be done cheaper overseas.

The free-market fundamentalist crowd told us that globalization was inevitable, there was no stopping it. If that was true then why did we need to pass NAFTA and CAFTA and China's MFN status? Why did globalization have to be helped along if nothing was going to stop it anyway?
Was it just another lie?
The fact that the gutting of our industrial base happened right around the time of massive deregulation and free trade agreements point to "yes".

The theory of the pro-globalization, pro-free trade crowd was that the people in these towns would migrate into jobs in new industries. Those industries never came.
So the hardworking people that lived in these cities left for new cities in the sunbelt, where everything was supposed to be better...except that it wasn't.
More...

Oh America, will you ever revolt against the lies ? I don't think so. We are too big and too diverse to revolt. We will never elect a non-mainstream politician either as president. Even if we do, the crooks in Congress will not let the president make sweeping moves.

Can anything be done to save America from its eventual destruction, until its too late ? America is the 21st century version of 20th century UK. Once proud, now begging to IMF. Atleast UK had us as partner in times of need. We have no 'wealthy' friends in the world who will help us in our time of need. China will suck our blood dry if it can help it. Its almost at a stage where it doesn't need us anymore to survive.

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The Final Stage in the Deindustrialization of America

anotherhawkeye