I always thought that the United States and other Western nations would finally realize how utterly stupid and foolish is our dependence on Asia for so much of our material goods, if a war broke out- a global conflict or a war with China. It's bad enough that American industries have been severely degraded and in some cases, completely eliminated, and American jobs have gone overseas, for the sake of ultra cheap trinkets we don't really need. But, now, we don't even get to shoot at the bastards. No, the chickens are coming home to roost because of the global panic over the boogie man of our times- COVID (speaking of things which have been "manufactured" )

I'm speaking, of course, about China beginning to close factories and ports.

The icing on the cake is that we have a presidential administration which is utterly incompetent and in completely over its head. Genuine imbeciles, these people are, but they think they are the cat's meow. Leftists are automatically smarter than everyone else, you see, because they adhere to the dogma of their commie religion- the centrally-controlled, freedom rejecting state. They can't be wrong, because their religion cannot be wrong, and as long as they adhere in lock-step to their beliefs, they are infallible. So, this spring, when we really get the chance to experience shortages of goods (and services which are dependent upon the import of foreign goods), the Biden administration will scratch its collective head and find no solution.

But, just as with a war, if we the people can get through this crisis, we will probably find ourselves better off as a nation, because we're going to have to start manufacturing goods again. On top of that, we will find that we really don't need most of that cheap Chinese crap you find everywhere you go in America these days.

Please, Dear God, don't take me any time soon. I want to be here to see this country snap out of its trance and begin to become something at least resembling the mighty nation we once were.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: parabellum,

Hear! Hear!

This is our country's biggest weakness. We rely on them for medicine, electronics, rare earth minerals, and cheap consumables amongst a crap ton of other things. If the spigot got turned off the great depression would seem like a picnic.

We sold out to China in the 90's and 00's. We traded cheap products for giving away our technology and looking the other way while they stole what what we didn't hand to them.

If we don't bring production back, specifically things important to national security like medicine, raw resources, steel production, and technology then we will see the day we regret it.

Glass half full: The shipping backlog might get solved.

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because we're going to have to start manufacturing goods again. On top of that

I'm really looking forward to seeing excitement about this hit people. We've got a bunch of aimless mofos wandering around these days, so the pool of potential manufacturers seems to me to be pretty deep. We've got a number of towns where a couple of small employers might have a pretty substantial impact on how well people there do. And it's about time we switched from focusing on silicon and digital goods as the only market worthy of our efforts to innovate - I'd love to see some of that creativity redirected to other products.

Now we just have to hope enough people see this is a great domestic play, rather than a simple matter of swapping Chinese imports for Vietnamese or Mexican imports.

I hope for what you hope.

But I'm worried that Biden will give PRC the kitchen sink if necessary.

I just can't believe how many times we can be burned with the "you build joint factories here if you want to sell things here" shit.

They steal IP and content from us, give us hazardous shit and fake goods back. And our gov and big biz are just fine with it.

It's like the nickname for our country is Ben Dover. It pissed me off to no end when we opened the doors to PRC. And it still pisses me off.

I've never understood the idea that we need to impose strict manufacturing rules here to save the planet, only to ship it overseas to a country that doesn't give a shit about our ecology that's on the same planet.
From patriot to hippie and those in between, who's idea was this?
It has to be from the same retards that think their electric vehicle energy is free from pollution.

For years I have tried as IO can to not buy China crap. I blame corporations (Walmart) for sending jobs overseas in order to make higher profits. I am a capitalist, but believe in America first. I also blame this stupid throw away culture. When I was growing up you bought items that were good enough you repaired them if they broke.

Defeating the globalists isn’t going to be quick and easy. Is it?
But we shall overcome.

Amen!

Well stated Para. This won't come about quickly or easily, but it must come. Enough people need to really wake the hell up and realize what got us to this point.

Certainly time for the pendulum to swing the other way.

“But, but I want cheap led shop lights!”


Swear to the Almighty that I will pay 400-600% more for American made and high-quality.


Canceled Amazon Prime last year.

Yes, you buy fewer things and of higher quality, because we don't need even half the shit we buy.

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Originally posted by Il Cattivo:

quote:

because we're going to have to start manufacturing goods again. On top of that

I'm really looking forward to seeing excitement about this hit people. We've got a bunch of aimless mofos wandering around these days, so the pool of potential manufacturers seems to me to be pretty deep. We've got a number of towns where a couple of small employers might have a pretty substantial impact on how well people there do. And it's about time we switched from focusing on silicon and digital goods as the only market worthy of our efforts to innovate - I'd love to see some of that creativity redirected to other products.

Now we just have to hope enough people see this is a great domestic play, rather than a simple matter of swapping Chinese imports for Vietnamese or Mexican imports.

The people just have purchase power but big business is in charge of bringing here cheap 3rd world made products. The new generation of young folk are missing out and hunt for what they purchase on line. Oh...how Americans love to click that buy button on Amazon. Get the cheapest they can and now. Ive been watching vids of many companies baling out of chinas belt and road scheme. I hope china feels the pinch for 100 years to come.

In 2020, China implemented a strategy dubbed " Dual circulation," which will create domestic supply chains with the goal to rely less on foreign imports. This is what the USA should be doing. As someone else stated on this thread, they are a capitalist. I am too but at some point do we want government action to reduce the US oligopolies that have moved so much production out of our country? It's been driving inflation while reducing US manufacturing. We are losing this war. It's a perfect time to point out the enemy amid CPI hitting 7% this month. Too bad our current administration has no sack to address this and get our country back on the right track. Bunch of snowflakes.

I will add that I am all for fair trade, we sell things we make and buy things other counties make. But China was allowed to be predatory and was allowed to cheat. Fair trade is free trade.

I’m eating vanilla ice cream out of my US made Fiestaware bowl right now. Cheers.

And boy, China jumped right on the oortunity to be a world manufacturing and distribution center. They want to be commie capitalists!

Maybe this is a good lesson for those woke Americans. We ain’t down yet & comin’ back stronger.

Since I have the thread about the electric snowblower I thought I would offer my thoughts on this:

I agree. Just today I was challenging my students to google "lithium mining" and see where it leads? How long will it last? What happens when we run out?

Yes, coal and oil are finite resources as well. But total dependence on China for lithium?

Were screwed.

But sometimes finding an alternative for USA is not realistic. Even the Kohler Carb I bought for my John Deere was not made in Korea or Japan, it was made in China. This is what my John Deere dealership sold me for $300. I can buy the same china made carb on Amazon for $28.

Factor in silicon manufacturing for CPUs and Memory? Almost none are made anywhere else. We farmed most of this out to Asia and shut the American plants down 30 years ago.

Semiconductor manufacturing can be quite cyclic.


Further, we had our issues with Japan in the 1980s and turned that around (with great prejudice) only to face the 300 mm wafer issue… and then it went offshore (Taiwan and Korea)

I think that we may see fabs being built here again. It’s critical infrastructure.