Americans are giving Chinese-made products the cold shoulder...40% will not buy from China

[OnePercenter]

This is actually bad news. Producing goods in China has allowed us to bust many of the unions in America. Bringing those jobs back to America could allow a rebirth of unions in America which would once again allow unions to put a stranglehold on American companies.

I doubt that. Outside of government, unions are gone forever in my opinion. An American company that is unionized still can't compete against an American company that's non-unionized. American consumers will still always be focused on cheeper products, even if they practice a Chinese boycott.

Besides, if China is out of the picture, that doesn't mean companies won't move to other cheap labor countries like Vietnam, Brazil, Mexico just to name a few.

If the trucking company that you work were Union, you'd be making about 50% more pay. Wouldn't that be nice?

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

So much for globalism.

I doubt it. Companies will simply shift production from China to other nations in Asia where they can get dirt cheap labor.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

The U.S. couldn’t crush Vietnam. What makes everybody here think it can crush China?

Now if any of you decides not to buy from China, that’s your right. Same if Trump raises tariffs arbitrarily or with Congress’ support. Nobody can force Americans to buy Chinese products. But then don’t expect to sell American products to their 1.4 billion people, or employ their people’s labor and skills.

And what exactly do you propose to do about others in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America who do wish to trade with China? There’s a lot of big talk here. But not much clear thinking.

Let them trade with China. Would we try to stop them from slitting their own throat?

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

I recently took possession of a wonderful new 20" bicycle, a birthday gift for my Grand-daughter. It cost $325 from REI. Made in China. It is well-designed, well-made, complete in every way, including some extra spare parts and a small tool kit.

Had it been made in the U.S. the cost would have been at least double, and I probably wouldn't have bought it.

This was one of millions of analogous transactions in which Americans buy goods made in China that are dramatically cheaper than they would otherwise have been. The trend before this sea-change was for American stuff to be of really bad quality, and not always complete or correct, which is why the shift to China was so smooth.

These cheaper goods have enriched our lives and left billions in American pockets that wouldn't have been there had Chinese goods not been available.

The accusations of Chinese misconduct in the Corona Virus thing may make some people feel good, but NOBODY in this country saw this coming (other than medical professional doom-sayers), and I have no doubt that the CHinese also had no idea how bad it would get, or exactly how it would get there. To presume that they planned this is neurotic bullshit.

Buy American if you like. I will do likewise, but at least initially we will be paying more than we should for stuff that is lower quality than we are getting now.

People are ignorant. You can depend on it.

So you’d sell your soul for a cheap TV made in some sweatshop. Good to know...

There is no accusation. It’s a fact Beijing is 100% responsible for this virus. The criminal incompetence of the regime knows no bounds.

Buy Korean Samsung.

 

[Dick Foster]

It seems to me that Trump may be setting out to slam China right back into the deep freeze where Nixon found them. For the first half of my life China just didn't exist for all practical purposes in this country except as an obscure topic in history books.

 

[iceberg]

So much for globalism.

I doubt it. Companies will simply shift production from China to other nations in Asia where they can get dirt cheap labor.

oh i more mean so many around the world are now not wanting to buy from a given country. in a "globalist" world, we all harmonize and such things won't matter.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

It seems to me that Trump may be setting out to slam China right back into the deep freeze where Nixon found them. For the first half of my life China just didn't exist for all practical purposes in this country except as an obscure topic in history books.

Unfortunately Trump needs China to help us with supplies and medication to get us through this crisis. After that, who knows. I believe that our relationship will never be the same.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

This is actually bad news. Producing goods in China has allowed us to bust many of the unions in America. Bringing those jobs back to America could allow a rebirth of unions in America which would once again allow unions to put a stranglehold on American companies.

I doubt that. Outside of government, unions are gone forever in my opinion. An American company that is unionized still can't compete against an American company that's non-unionized. American consumers will still always be focused on cheeper products, even if they practice a Chinese boycott.

Besides, if China is out of the picture, that doesn't mean companies won't move to other cheap labor countries like Vietnam, Brazil, Mexico just to name a few.

If the trucking company that you work were Union, you'd be making about 50% more pay. Wouldn't that be nice?

So would a flying car, but I can't get one of those either. Unless an entire industry goes union, all unions would do is close companies down. A union company can't compete with a non-union company. Everybody knows that. It's why the American public began turning their backs on unions when they seen their jobs leave the state or country.

 

[Dick Foster]

It seems to me that Trump may be setting out to slam China right back into the deep freeze where Nixon found them. For the first half of my life China just didn't exist for all practical purposes in this country except as an obscure topic in history books.

Unfortunately Trump needs China to help us with supplies and medication to get us through this crisis. After that, who knows. I believe that our relationship will never be the same.

What supplies do we really need. Afterall the surgical masks are a pure hoax so what else is there really that we just can't do without? We're already making respirators.

 

[OnePercenter]

This is actually bad news. Producing goods in China has allowed us to bust many of the unions in America. Bringing those jobs back to America could allow a rebirth of unions in America which would once again allow unions to put a stranglehold on American companies.

I doubt that. Outside of government, unions are gone forever in my opinion. An American company that is unionized still can't compete against an American company that's non-unionized. American consumers will still always be focused on cheeper products, even if they practice a Chinese boycott.

Besides, if China is out of the picture, that doesn't mean companies won't move to other cheap labor countries like Vietnam, Brazil, Mexico just to name a few.

If the trucking company that you work were Union, you'd be making about 50% more pay. Wouldn't that be nice?

So would a flying car, but I can't get one of those either. Unless an entire industry goes union, all unions would do is close companies down. A union company can't compete with a non-union company. Everybody knows that. It's why the American public began turning their backs on unions when they seen their jobs leave the state or country.

You've certainly taken the red pill.

 

[OnePercenter]

It seems to me that Trump may be setting out to slam China right back into the deep freeze where Nixon found them. For the first half of my life China just didn't exist for all practical purposes in this country except as an obscure topic in history books.

Unfortunately Trump needs China to help us with supplies and medication to get us through this crisis. After that, who knows. I believe that our relationship will never be the same.

What supplies do we really need. Afterall the surgical masks are a pure hoax so what else is there really that we just can't do without? We're already making respirators.

Masks are so you won't touch your face, how is that a "hoax?"

 

[whitehall]

Skewed assumptions based on polling data is nothing new these days. The the post is based on an editorial in something called "The Star" by someone named Brendan Murray. You could say that polling data based on 1,012 phone calls is meaningless and the fact than less than half of the respondents (40%) who claim they won't buy products made in China makes the post meaningless.

 

[mamooth]

Some 40 per cent of Americans said they won’t buy products from China,

Yet they will, they instant they see it's less expensive.

 

[basquebromance]

China has always dreamed of being tianxia or "all under heaven"

that's why they did the corona, my friends!

 

[basquebromance]

when the Chinese realized that their empire was not the fixed immovable center of human affairs, but only a mere satellite of an even more powerful constellation of powers, it cut the very heart out of the Chinese national dreamscape

 

[FA_Q2]

Correction, 40% SAY they will not buy from China. I am willing to bet that the vast majority of people have no idea where the crap they buy comes from. How many of those 40% own a cell phone or will buy one in the next year? Yes, they are going to get it from China.

We do need to seriously halt trade with China though the virus is not even a remotely core reason to do so even if it has brought it to the public's attention. China is a brutal dictatorship now and the idea that bringing them into the fold through economic inclusion has been an utter abject failure. Unfortunately, this is something that can only happen in a top down fashion in out current society that values price more than anything else and I do not see the political will to do so. Particularly in an environment where each side does the opposite of the other for no other reason than to oppose the other side.

 

[Hellbilly]

Too long overdue. Communism must be crushed...

WHY?

 

[FA_Q2]

Americans aren’t going to stop buying Chinese made products. You can just forget about that.

Wanna bet on that...

Yes.

 

[Unkotare]

I recently took possession of a wonderful new 20" bicycle, a birthday gift for my Grand-daughter. It cost $325 from REI. Made in China. It is well-designed, well-made, complete in every way, including some extra spare parts and a small tool kit.

Had it been made in the U.S. the cost would have been at least double, and I probably wouldn't have bought it.

This was one of millions of analogous transactions in which Americans buy goods made in China that are dramatically cheaper than they would otherwise have been. The trend before this sea-change was for American stuff to be of really bad quality, and not always complete or correct, which is why the shift to China was so smooth.

These cheaper goods have enriched our lives and left billions in American pockets that wouldn't have been there had Chinese goods not been available.

The accusations of Chinese misconduct in the Corona Virus thing may make some people feel good, but NOBODY in this country saw this coming (other than medical professional doom-sayers), and I have no doubt that the CHinese also had no idea how bad it would get, or exactly how it would get there. To presume that they planned this is neurotic bullshit.

Buy American if you like. I will do likewise, but at least initially we will be paying more than we should for stuff that is lower quality than we are getting now.

People are ignorant. You can depend on it.

So you’d sell your soul for a cheap TV made in some sweatshop. Good to know...

There is no accusation. It’s a fact Beijing is 100% responsible for this virus. The criminal incompetence of the regime knows no bounds.

Buy Korean Samsung.

Where do you think Samsung gets its labor?

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Correction, 40% SAY they will not buy from China. I am willing to bet that the vast majority of people have no idea where the crap they buy comes from. How many of those 40% own a cell phone or will buy one in the next year? Yes, they are going to get it from China.

We do need to seriously halt trade with China though the virus is not even a remotely core reason to do so even if it has brought it to the public's attention. China is a brutal dictatorship now and the idea that bringing them into the fold through economic inclusion has been an utter abject failure. Unfortunately, this is something that can only happen in a top down fashion in out current society that values price more than anything else and I do not see the political will to do so. Particularly in an environment where each side does the opposite of the other for no other reason than to oppose the other side.

The problem is that China knows government stopping trade is political. They can retaliate politically as well. Plus we have elections every two years, and our leadership goes back and forth. They simply have to wait for more favorable leadership.

If the people are pissed off enough to stop buying their products, that changes the ballgame. Vendors will not carry products their customers refuse to buy. There is nothing or little China can do to us in such a situation. Even if they kiss our ass with propaganda how great the American people are, it would take quite a long time before people would forget about this virus for vendors to try and bring those products back.

Will that happen? I doubt it. Should it happen? Yes.