Comments on: Could "Buy American" Rule Spark Trade War?

Some Businesses Fear Clause In Economic Stimulus Package Could Hurt Their Exports

[maxwell511]

My comment goes to the steel worker who was making $87,000 a year and now complains of making half of that while they "don''t go out to eat no more" and have to eat "peanut butter and jelly and ham sandwiches for lunch" rather than turkey. First, there are millions of workers who were making a fraction of $87,000 who worry about having anything at all to feed their families and a have place to live. Second, $87,000 a year puts this man in the top 11% of family income, not just individual income, even when times were good. Third, he is apparently too ignorant to realize that 55% of $87,000 is a pretty good income for someone apparently without a college degree in the present economy. Fourth, he apparently did not open a saving account. Though I completely disagree with trade policies of countries who "dump" products, perhaps part of the US steel industry''s difficulty in competing is that steel workers here get paid $87,000 a year to begin with. Apparently the buy American clause means that we will spend tax dollars to overinflate the incomes of some at the expense of all.

[barbaram99]

I am a white cane user..I bought a cane made in Canada. It is far better than the American made of today. Years ago they made Ameican canes that were well bult in the 70s. We made just about made every thing we used then. Today it is not so. Not to hurt Ameica but what ever we find made in America today is mostly junk. It is so cheapyly made. i AM POOR

[tomar62]

We tried this in the 70s and 80s. The line between US and foreign built is so thin we can''t walk it anymore. I remember a story where a CT town paid more for a loader and backhoe that they thought was American Made. It turns both the expensive loader and a cheaper foreign made one were made from similar amounts of foreign made parts and assemble here in the US. Taxpayers footed the bill for more money and the US workers benefited very little. The only one to gain were Company executives and stock holders.
You might also note that US companies and executives will profit where ever it is made in most cases

[tomar62]

We tried this in the 70s and 80s. The line between US and foreign built is so thin we can''t walk it anymore. I remember a story where a CT town paid more for a loader and backhoe that they thought was American Made. It turns both the expensive loader and a cheaper foreign made one were made from similar amounts of foreign made parts and assemble here in the US. Taxpayers footed the bill for more money and the US workers benefited very little. The only one to gain were Company executives and stock holders.
You might also note that US companies and executives will profit where ever it is made in most cases

[lewiston14]

Nucor would be purchasing Cat product made in America rather than Daewoo product at a fraction of the cost.

Posted by bourmb

Good catch bourmb!
Now we should contact necor and ask them about that woops.

[bourmb]

Nucor can''t have it''s cake and eat it too. As far as I am concerned, the CEO''s comments on "Buy American" mean very little. During the video presentation showing a Nucor site, a Korean Daewoo excavator with a grapple was shown moving scrap steel. If he was so into "Buy American", Nucor would be purchasing Cat product made in America rather than Daewoo product at a fraction of the cost.

[marbru-2009]

I would love to buy American, BUT I can''t find anything "made in America"!

[oleander8]

How can you "buy American" when nothing is made here anymore?

I was surprised how upset Leslie Stahl got about free trade. The press has been sidung with "free trade" for years. We (America) do have free trade, but not fair trade. Our steel companies have had to fight reverse tarrifs from most foreign countries. Reverse tarrifs are where governments subsidize their industries instead of taxing imports. These subsidies allow other countries industries to undercut our prices and steal American business and sales. When our tax dollars are being used for economic recovery, we should try to buy American. It is not protectionism, it is good economics. American''s working in industry provide more jobs for others at a rate of about 10 to 1. That will help our economy. A good segment for 60 minutes would be Leslie Staul investigating "free trade" to learn it doesn''t exist. American''s want "Fair trade",

[maggie1953]

NEVER APOLOGIZE for self-preservation! These liberal news programs would love to have all Americans programmed to take food out of the mouths of our children to give to China and the Global community--because that is exactly what they ask us to do with Globalism! You want your job back? Go to China and India to get it. Vote your politicians out of office!The working-class American has been sold into poverty. This is only the beginning of our sorrows!
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We started buying Chinese steel at the insistance
of Ronald Reagan. He broke that tie back then. Liberals would support the eco-friendly method that
this innovative man is proposing. We HATE NAFTA. I
know a lot of liberals who are still FURIOUS that Clinton signed it and Bush expanded it. Globalism
is not a liberal concept. The Repbulicans in Congress
(paid for by PAC funds) created the tax cut for
US businesses that ship jobs out of our country.
Thank John Boehner and his cronies for that one too.