I will grant you that Obama's bailouts and his nationalization of car companies contains elements of fascism, but this is where Obama and I diverge in our beliefs. I'm with you on this McFly, and I feel that those companies should have just been allowed to fail.
I know the dictionary definition of fascism is an 'unusual' way of interpretation, but yes, by bailing out, and taking controls over various corporations and industries IS the shifting of America from this crony capitalist democratic republic into a much simpler system : fascism. As the president (Obama at present, but just like how Obama took what Bush did and ran with it, the next president will likely do the same), the more government claims control over the corporations and states of america, the more america will become an actual fascist state.
America right now is a sinking ship... and while there are people that are bailing the water out, there are these interests that bailing water INTO the boat.
Something that lasts a lifetime won't do me any good if I can't afford to buy it.
Ok... fair, but this is such a vague statement to start. There's problems on ALL ends of this that would need to be addressed.
Ok, we get 'cheap' products... like the iPads that have about a 500-700% markup from production to point of sale. What will happen if the chinese all of a sudden successfully unionize and get a proper 'living wage'?? Say that production of the iPad goes from 20$ to 150$ because of a fair pay system... by the time it makes it to america, instead of paying 500$ for an iPod, you'll be 900$ for that ipad because the rule is that the costs are 'social' (in this example, re: passed on to the consumer) the profits are private.
You're disagreeing with an argument I never made. I understand perfectly well that we do not have a "free market". I was merely commenting on the theoretical aspects of Smith's economic philosophy, which Guy labeled as "irrelevant dogma".
I was simply pointing out that if your making an economic analysis as though we actually lived in a free market system, it's going to be flawed... I don't know what those historical economists were saying, per se... but unless they take into account the level of cronyism that we now see, it's more or less irrellevant.
We need jobs to have a healthy economy? Really?
That's not the point I was making... my point was that we can't just look at one facet of a fix... we need a proper fix that will deal with all aspects of our economy; production, services, industries, academia, etc...
1. Not everyone can afford to pay $75,000 for a gas-guzzling, steel monster.
2. Not everyone who can afford such a car even wants one.
3. Many of the cheap foreign models you're deriding are very reliable and cost-effective.
Sorry, I got a little carried away...
Ultimately I can't make a proper argument because what is a dollar 'worth' today?? I mean, prior to the 70's the currency was tied to a value in gold... now, it's not tied to anything, and it takes over 1200$ to buy an ounce gold coin. Just to show how messed up the economy is,
That said, not all american made cars would necessarily be the steel, gas guzzling beasts.... there would be cars made for people of all economic status, and I was being excessively harsh on foreign made cars... I was more trying to illustrate my point rather then deride foreign products and services.
Why do you keep telling me things I already know? I understand that competition is necessary. It's a point I've made continually by highlighting the prohibitive cost of American labor.
Apologies...
As it stands, our standard of living is bloated and our labor is overpriced. Both of these factors serve to undermine our global competitiveness, and protectionist/populist economic policies will only exacerbate the situation.
It used to be called 'conspiracy theory' when I said that globalization would lead to a lowering the first world to the second world status, more then it would raise the world to the first world status as it was sold when people were discussing NAFTA / GATT etc.
Globalization is going to teach us Americans are very harsh lesson in the coming decades. We've become too soft and complacent. The emerging middle classes of India, China, and Brazil are going to crush us unless we lower taxes and relax our labor laws.
No... F the rest of the world and globalization. They can trade with us once we fix our issues at home and return to a state of self-suffinciency... rather then easy credit and easy living.
I hate to think of what the world would be like if the government of the world was run as a corporation... which, not sure if that's your intention, but what it sounds like you are proposing.
How would they become cheaper when the labor premium is built into the cost of production?
In short, because with more effective means of production, the labour premium would be spread out over a greater number of units of production, since all the high efficient factories and industries have been shipped overseas, there would be a need for alot of 'starting over'.
Lower taxes and relaxed labor laws; less government. That's the solution.
Lower taxes, YES...
Relaxed labour laws... I hesitate on this one...really depends on HOW these laws are relaxed.
Less goverment : YES!!!
I would also add ensuring equal enforcement of our laws... there are SO MANY monopolies / duopolies that off the top of my head I could think of about 10 anti-trust lawsuits that could be looked into.
