11-21-2016, 12:07 PM
The OP described a tedious bigotry that the world would be a great deal better without. Really, usa, I'd be finding a whole lot of more interesting and enlightened people to talk to.
Having said that, there is something to be said for buying locally—American in your case, USA; Australian in mine. And there is something to be said for some form of modest protection. Australia has now closed out pretty much its entire motor vehicle manufacturing industry. Given that the two so-called local cars were owned by GM and Ford, there was nothing startlingly original about them, but they were pretty good.
The problem, it seems to me, is that we've allowed a fixation with free trade and getting consumers the best possible prices to wipe out a significant chunk of manufacturing capacity. The vehicles are no loss; the ability to design and manufacture them is.
The automotive industry is but one example of lost capacity in the Brave New World that is modern Australia. The economy is not the only thing in life that's important.
/endrant
Having said that, there is something to be said for buying locally—American in your case, USA; Australian in mine. And there is something to be said for some form of modest protection. Australia has now closed out pretty much its entire motor vehicle manufacturing industry. Given that the two so-called local cars were owned by GM and Ford, there was nothing startlingly original about them, but they were pretty good.
The problem, it seems to me, is that we've allowed a fixation with free trade and getting consumers the best possible prices to wipe out a significant chunk of manufacturing capacity. The vehicles are no loss; the ability to design and manufacture them is.
The automotive industry is but one example of lost capacity in the Brave New World that is modern Australia. The economy is not the only thing in life that's important.
/endrant