WOW! I always knew that our country SOLD OUT GM

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Interesting to see that all those "GOD'S GIFT TO THE MODERN CAR" Toyota dealership began as Chevrolet dealers, thanks to the government doing their best to eliminate our industry.

And to think... Those Japan Inc. guys are just ***SUCH** honest businessmen that their entire existance is founded on screwing over Detroit. REMEMBER: It's GM that buys off analysts and is a threat to our country, RIGHT?!?!?!

BTW: I'm not sure how credible this source is, but it makes perfect sense to me. (i.e. Be prepared for an insider to deny all of this and call GM the devil while praising Toyota...yada, yada, yada, you know the Toyota Corporate PR spiel)

Click the link

[Imaj]

I'm SHOCKED and SPEECHLESS!

Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light,

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and toyota badge, through the perilous fight,

O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?

And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

O say, does that toyota-badged banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

[Newbiewar]

... yea... i was intrigued about the 85% of all the governements revenue came from imported goods... thats intresting...

they ought to go back to that...

[lakefire]

I stopped when I saw that Free Trade is killing America. This is purely rediculous and not even worth the time in the day to read.

[Croc]

I stopped when I saw that Free Trade is killing America.  This is purely rediculous and not even worth the time in the day to read.

[CARBIZ]

Very interesting read. They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions; I dare say this is probably one of those cases.

Washington believes, by weight of having an 11 trillion dollar economy, that it can drag the emerging markets out of their squalor and up to our level of standard of living. Unfortunately, I don't think this is working. It worked to a certain extent with Japan, in that their workers now enjoy a decent standard of living and their labor market isn't really any cheaper than AMerica's; however, Japan Inc does tax their people to help support the economic wars being fought around the globe - import taxes, cheap money for domestic multi-nationals, etc.

One only has to visit any Asian country to realize what we are up against. They do not play by our rules, they do not respect our rules and what they say about the "almond eyes" behind our backs would make even the most PC liberal's eyebrows raise.

[aaaantoine]

At this point, I figure it's only a matter of time before China and Japan dominate EVERY MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY. So just sit back and enjoy the show.

Our cries to the government haven't worked for decades. Do you think they could turn around now and say, "Oh, crap, our economy is dying. Quick, put tariffs on all imported goods!"

They'll work us to a point where we no longer have any US manufacturing companies. And then they'll cut us off.

That'll teach us to force them to surrender in World War 2...

[Flybrian]

Well, China was our ally in World War II. The Nationalist part, anyway. And while the Communists didn't care for us (nor us for them), we all hated the Japanese more - and rightfully so.

[enzl]

At this point, I figure it's only a matter of time before China and Japan dominate EVERY MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY.  So just sit back and enjoy the show.

Our cries to the government haven't worked for decades.  Do you think they could turn around now and say, "Oh, crap, our economy is dying.  Quick, put tariffs on all imported goods!"

They'll work us to a point where we no longer have any US manufacturing companies.  And then they'll cut us off.

That'll teach us to force them to surrender in World War 2...

You wanna build stuff in crummy conditions for low pay? No. Want your kids to? Definitely not.

We're a service economy now...that means our services are sold the world over, and.... US company's crap built in China and elsewhere are sold everywhere too!!

You can't resolve it with tariffs...the world is a Gordian Knot of interests and cannot be unwound. We import more US Branded goods than any other single country's manufactured product, so be careful what you wish for.

And, BTW, China wasn't an enemy in WW2..they were subjugated and slaughtered by the Japanese....Maybe a little history lesson will improve your knowledge of the current events.

Some posters are so desperate to blame other people for our problems that its got to be a cry for help....

Let's help get the General back on track, not xenophobically hurl lame-ass insults at others who take advantage of a system the US basically created and uses to its advantage in many ways....

[aaaantoine]

Perhaps I should have been a little more clear.

The last paragraph only refers to Japan, not China. Do you honestly think that I am under the impression that Japan and China are secretly working together to conquer us? Anyone who's been through grade school knows that they are two strongly-opposed governments, and I thank you for believing I haven't made it past the fifth grade.

The second paragraph was me attempting to say that trying to reimpose tariffs at this point would be dumb and ineffective. I know this. Some others don't. You want to destroy the economy? Make it harder for us to import goods.

The fact remains that our manufacturing industry is nosediving, and there will be a lot of unemployed blue collars out there. The government is taking baby steps to try to improve our economy. All we can do as members of the general population is continue to collect information about this situation, particularly if we feel that it's a major issue.

But false information can be more damaging and influential than the correct stuff. I've stopped believing half the stuff I read, especially on forums like this.

So repeating my original sentiment, just sit back and enjoy the show.

[SingleStylish]

To the both of you...

While I agree FREE TRADE is not killing America, some of the outsourcing IS. To a small degree there is still money to be made in America doing manufacturing. It probably isn't a big deal for those jobs to disappear as more service oriented jobs appear from our consumer society. HOWEVER, skilled jobs like engineering, design, and other career fields that require some if not a complete college degree SHOULD NOT be sent overseas. Those jobs are middle to upper middle in our economy and will most certainly make a difference to our national livelhood.

Again... FREE TRADE when practiced globaly if not reciprocately works to everyones favor. I am for that! But, in some cases our products never reach foriegn shores do to foreign government interference.

[Hudson]

Revisionist history and propaganda. Believe what you want.

[enzl]

To the both of you...

While I agree FREE TRADE is not killing America, some of the outsourcing IS.  To a small degree there is still money to be made in America doing manufacturing.  It probably isn't a big deal for those jobs to disappear as more service oriented jobs appear from our consumer society.  HOWEVER, skilled jobs like engineering, design, and other career fields that require some if not a complete college degree SHOULD NOT be sent overseas.  Those jobs are middle to upper middle in our economy and will most certainly make a difference to our national livelhood.

Again... FREE TRADE when practiced globaly if not reciprocately works to everyones favor.  I am for that!  But, in some cases our products never reach foriegn shores do to foreign government interference.

So, skilled jobs like engineering should stay and deep blue collar shouldn't?

How do we work that one out? Where's the dividing line? 2 yr. college or 4 yr. degree? Enforce it by having the gov't read each corporate e-mail???

It's a never ending problem that has gone on for years...I personally think you've got to discourage all outsourcing or none...if its only low skill than you're hurting the very people that need the jobs most....

Free trade has always been a myth. The US used to have a huge advantage and we've squandered it with corporate fat-cat payoffs and convenient compromises....let's not blame those that build a better mousetrap

[evok]

I think some of you should read Tom Friedman's lastest book:

"The World is Flat"

[rkmdogs]

Free trade has always been a myth. The US used to have a huge advantage and we've squandered it with corporate fat-cat payoffs and convenient compromises....let's not blame those that build a better mousetrap

Free trade may be a myth to you, but FAIR TRADE is what we need, and that is

not a reality!....... yet.

It gets further and further away by each interfering step from career government

mouths, who have no idea of what work or industry really are.

They get tangled in their minds with politics!

The best example........ look at some of the critical industries for national defense.

Some we no longer have!

And when committed American defenders in Congress tried to require that... only

65% of all critical materials purchased by the government be made in the USA,

who complained?

Why the generals in the DOD... and their political cronies!

Brings up the question, if the generals are complaining because of the increased cost of making it here, who is minding the store??????

[Sixty8panther]

Free trade may be a myth to you, but FAIR TRADE is what we need...

Exactly!

[evok]

Free trade may be a myth to you, but FAIR TRADE is what we need, and that is

not a reality!....... yet.

It gets further and further away by each interfering step from career government

mouths, who have no idea of what work or industry really are.

They get tangled in their minds with politics!

The best example........ look at some of the critical industries for national defense.

Some we no longer have!

And when committed American defenders in Congress tried to require that... only

65% of all critical materials purchased by the government be made in the USA,

who complained?

Why the generals in the DOD... and their political cronies!

Brings up the question, if the generals are complaining because of the increased cost of making it here, who is minding the store??????

And what about all the subsidies on farmers? And what about the 25% tax on trucks imported in the US. Do you wonder why the Tundra, Titan, X5, M-Class, Tacoma, etc, are build in the US or NAFTA zone.

It goes both ways.

[Hudson]

And what about all the subsidies on farmers?  And what about the 25% tax on trucks imported in the US. Do you wonder why the Tundra, Titan, X5, M-Class, Tacoma, etc,  are build in the US or NAFTA zone.

It goes both ways.

Yes, agreed. But the X5 and M-Class are not included in the "chicken tax." Four-door SUVs have always been excempt as "passenger cars."

[evok]

Yes, agreed. But the X5 and M-Class are not included in the "chicken tax." Four-door SUVs have always been excempt as "passenger cars."

True

[enzl]

Free trade may be a myth to you, but FAIR TRADE is what we need, and that is

not a reality!....... yet.

It gets further and further away by each interfering step from career government

mouths, who have no idea of what work or industry really are.

They get tangled in their minds with politics!

The best example........ look at some of the critical industries for national defense.

Some we no longer have!

And when committed American defenders in Congress tried to require that... only

65% of all critical materials purchased by the government be made in the USA,

who complained?

Why the generals in the DOD... and their political cronies!

Brings up the question, if the generals are complaining because of the increased cost of making it here, who is minding the store??????

So we agree, right?

The DOD may have a legitimate argument, in that some tech is not available or produced in the US and must be purchased from other sources...I'm assuming that these technologies are for our benefit??