I have the solution to the China/Trade imbalance question

[Lefty48197]

I have the solution to the problem of our trade imbalance with China.

Wise people already know that our trade imbalance with China grows with each passing year. Every day thousands of cargo containers from China are unloaded in American ports and then returned to China empty where they're again refilled and sent back to America.

As the trade imbalance grows, our national wealth streams to China along with our jobs and our economic stability. The phrase "Made in America" may soon disappear from our lexicon. It should be clear to everbody that our China trade policy is screwing us. Now that the Chinese government has bought up our national debt, they "have us by the balls" and we can't even enforce a fair trade policy without fear of economic reprisal that could cripple our bond market.

However, it's not just the Chinese government that prevents us from demanding a rational trade policy. There are vested interests that profit from the trade imbalance. Walmart and most of the retail industry come to mind.

In fact, some people in this country are jamming money in their pockets due to our Chinese trade policy, while the trade imbalance threatens to bankrupt the rest of us.

I have a sure-fire solution to the Chinese trade imbalance problem.

We need to cut-out the retail industry as the "middle men" in transactions regarding Chinese products. They profit heavily from China's low wages, and that's why the retailers continue to buy more and more products from China. Cut corporate America out of the profit picture and they'll soon sit up and take notice. They would shift their buying back to local suppliers and then push for legislation to ban imports from China.

The obvious way to cut Walmart out of the picture is for consumers to use the internet to buy products directly from brokers and retailers in China.

Instead of going to Walmart and buying a TV made in China, you order the exact same TV from a catalog. You'll probably get it at a better price anyway. Instead of going to Walmart and buying shoes, kitchen wares, toys or any of the billions of Chinese manufactured goods they sell, you simply buy those items over the internet. The goods are then shipped directly to your front door.

Once Walmart and the retail industry are cut out of the profit picture, they'll discover that products made right here in North America are pretty darned good afterall. Legislation requiring product safety and workers rights will soon regulate any product that somebody wants to import from China.

Ending the flow of our national wealth to China has got to have a positive effect on our economy.

What do you think? Will the plan work? Can it work?

[exboyfil]

1. The falacy in your argument is remembering what Wal-Mart

really is. It is an incredibly well managed logistics company getting a variety of goods within driving distance for you to purchase. They have sophisticated systems to manage this activity. They bring in many trucks full of varied goods to meet demands on a daily basis.

What happens when you order a TV is that particular TV is placed in a shipping box and shipped to on a common carrier of some sort. No way this approach can compete with the one noted above.

I do agree with your sentiment. It is called the "China Price" in industry, and it is everywhere.

I have a few suggestions which may or may not work. We currently have a huge Navy that, while also ensuring the flow of oil, also serves to ensure that these cargo ships get to our shores. I am for reducing our fleet by a half. We need to think in terms of being a regional superpower. Global imperialism will kill us.

After that all I have would be bilateral negotiations. The Chinese do buy alot from us as well (not nearly enough though). We need to avoid upsetting the apple cart while working towards more parity in trade.

Popular opinion about getting mad at the situation may help as well. It has not worked in the past, but this economic near death experience (hopefully it is near death) may be a wake up call to individuals to take Buy American seriously.

[ConcernedCanuk]

2. I'll agree with the previous poster, and add my own thoughts - short answer, no - won't work

.
.
.

Catalog shopping is pretty well dead

People like to see and touch what they buy,

BEFORE they buy it

and now they can go to the mega stores like WalMart, Staples, Canadian Tire, Zellers, and so on in almost every community -or a least within reasonable driving distance,

That "shopping" is an event, a social function . . .

I live in a small town of 2500 - no real large stores other than the FreshMart, Home Hardware and a couple of others -

But I park my truck at one of our local gas stations, and WALK all around town from store to store

Just for the social interaction with friends I meet on the street that I would never have if I just drove from A to B

And

The few miles I'll walk is good for my health from what I've heard!