Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Why are American jobs going to a communist country?

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (Through 2005) Donate to DU
 
Snellius Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 03:48 PM
Original message
Why are American jobs going to a communist country?
American corporations never seem to see any irony in the fact that so many American jobs and trade dollars are being outsourced to a communist country, China. Some will say it has nothing to do with its system of government. It's because wages are so cheap. But did they ever consider that the reason the Chinese are so competitive is because the two social problems that are dragging down American companies, namely health care and retirement pensions, are already taken care of. Businesses are free to hire and fire without regard to longterm obligations. Workers are free to move from job to job without fear of risking their insurance or old age.

So it's odd, as it turns out, that the most productive and competitive players in the global captialist economy may turn out to be socialists. Moral: universal health care and social security are good for business.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
WhoCountsTheVotes Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 03:50 PM
Response to Original message
1. Because Republicans (and GOP-Lites) love commies
What's not to like? A totalitarian, authoritarian government that rules by blunt force, and makes sure no unions get in the way of corporate/government profits. As long as the commies let US corporations run the economy, Republicans (and way too many Democrats) think commies are just great.

I mean, is the PATRIOT Act any different than how the commies ran their countries?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
loudnclear Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 05:10 PM
Response to Reply #1
20. Because communisim is sustainable and capitalism is not unless
it is subsidized and subsidies go to businesses not people.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Zero Gravitas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 03:53 PM
Response to Original message
2. Because wealthy corporate owners
can get even richer at the expense of hard working ordinary people.

If people get rich doing something it must be OK, right? Thats capitalism and the Free market for you.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Kolesar Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 03:53 PM
Response to Original message
3. Do Chinese employees have the right to organize?
You would think that they would have rights to organize and pursue collective bargaining in "the workers' paradise". /sarcasm
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
el_gato Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 03:54 PM
Response to Original message
4. capitalism and communism are two sides of the same coin
the result is the same:
all economic control in the hands of a small elite group
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
WhoCountsTheVotes Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 03:58 PM
Response to Reply #4
6. absolutely!
I agree 100%
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Zuni Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 03:59 PM
Response to Reply #4
7. well said
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
denverbill Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 03:55 PM
Response to Original message
5. Actually, China isn't communist anymore.
They are still one-party authoritarian, but they now allow capitalism. They have progressed from communism to fascism.

Republicans love fascists because they protect the moneyed class.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
MrPrax Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 04:00 PM
Response to Original message
8. More than just jobs to China...Tech as well
October 25, 2003
US Workers Charge Treason
Outsourcing US Missile Technology to China
By JEFFREY ST. CLAIR

"Magnequench is an Indianapolis-based company. It specializes in the obscure field of sintered magnetics. Essentially, it makes tiny, high-tech magnets from rare-earth minerals ground down into a fine powder. The magnets are highly prized by electronics and aviation companies. But Magnequench's biggest client has been the Pentagon...
<snip>
"But the Pentagon may soon be sending its orders for these parts to China, instead of Indiana. On September 15, Magnequench shuttered its last plant in Indiana, fired its 450 workers and began shipping its machine tools to a new plant in China. "We're handing over to the Chinese both our defense technology and our jobs in the midst of a deep recession," says Rep. Peter Visclosky, a Democrat from northern Indiana.

It gets stranger. Magnequench is not only moving its defense plants to China, it's actually owned by Chinese companies with close ties to the Chinese government. "
http://www.counterpunch.org/stclair10252003.html
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
number six Donating Member (244 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 04:01 PM
Response to Original message
9. It's always funny. They won't touch Cuba, but China...
This wouldn't have anything to do with Cuba's major resources being sugar, and China's being very cheap labour would it? Pretty massive hypocrisy.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
bleedingheart Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 04:02 PM
Response to Original message
10. Ah the IRONY....
life's funny ain't it... the same big wigs are on tv calling liberal's commies but they are more than ready to deal with Red China...
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Zuni Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 04:02 PM
Response to Original message
11. the GOP would outsource defense contractors to the USSR
if it made them money.
The GOP policy is more money, all the time. They will put all our industry in the hands of potential enemies like China if they could profit. They will deal with Saudi Arabia, and they will have barbecues with Saudi Royals even though they know damn well where Al-Q gets it's money.

They are not the party of security. they are the party of $$$$. Security to them is staying rich.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
shepard Donating Member (63 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 04:12 PM
Response to Original message
12. It is
Because of Labor Unions.With the amount of pay it takes to pay a Union Members we cant compete with the countries where they are willing to work for trivial amounts.It is just economics,and I am not anti Union just stating the simple facts,whenever we shop for something, we want to get the best quality at the lowest price.Ahe'ee Nehemah
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
el_gato Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 04:26 PM
Response to Reply #12
14. bullshit

It isn't competition it is greed for more money in the pockets
of the corporate elite rather than the willingness to let that
money flow to the people who actually do the work.

Just economics my ass!


Wal-mart for example could afford to pay a living wage and still make a profit but then the scum who run it might have to share a little of that wealth and that is antithetical to the world view of the predatory class.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
shepard Donating Member (63 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 04:52 PM
Response to Reply #14
16. Moasi
Maybe I didnt express myself correctly
Labor Unions require more pay for the workers which equal less money in the pockets of the companies
Communist countries are cheap labor which equals more money for the companies.That is what I meant by simple economics.Ahe'ee Nehemah
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
TreasonousBastard Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 04:22 PM
Response to Original message
13. That's Europe.
China's not all that big on health care, pensions, or any other security nets.

They just make stuff cheap. Like Mexico, Malaysia, India, Taiwan, the Philippines, Viet Nam, Haiti...

You can have a happy, expensive, productive population like Europe's with social planning. You can also have an unhappy, inexpensive, productive population like China's of you screw the workers.


Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Some Moran Donating Member (675 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 04:54 PM
Response to Reply #13
17. Taiwan?
Maybe they'd have been in this group 10 or 15 years ago.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
camero Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 04:40 PM
Response to Original message
15. There is some evidence
That the Chinese are not enforcing thier labor and wage laws in order to attract foriegn investment. Plus they are manipulating the yuan in order to make thier exports cheaper.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Some Moran Donating Member (675 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 04:55 PM
Response to Original message
18. China is left-wing?!?!?!
Edited on Thu Oct-30-03 04:56 PM by Some Moran
Gay-bashing China?

Anti-worker China?

Undemocratic China?

Anti-religious freedom China?

I may be as far left as Trudeau, but I'm sure not as gullible.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Tinoire Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Oct-30-03 05:05 PM
Response to Original message
19. Because of all those ANSWER rallies
:shrug:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Tue Apr 30th 2024, 10:18 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (Through 2005) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC