Got caught with our knickers down!
 

How did the greatest country in the world become dependent on China, 90% of our medication, medical masks, and ventilators. Granted, a pandemic doesn't occur frequently, thank God. Sure hope this problem will be quickly solved.

Unfortunately, this happened (IMHO) because people want cheap. Remember all the outcry when more American-made was proposed about how EXPENSIVE everything would become?

Need more
 

We need more of this 'thinking'.

First 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee commercial - YouTube

I've always been a "buy American" girl, but hard to do when that industry doesn't exist. Guess I need to change it to "build American"

China also owns Billions of American Treasury bonds. If they called them in, it would cause a huge economic disaster. Our dependency upon these products (made in cheap labor sweat shops) has been known for years. It may be too late to do something about it due to the global economy we now live in. This problem is above most of our pay grades.

Since we got out of high school the trend has been to improve our lifestyle by passing work and environmental laws that encourage (maybe force) businesses to outsource in order to remain competitive. Unfortunately we do not always think of unintended consequences for our actions.

To me the lesson about China or any other country is that we need each other. Good reason why not to alienate anyone unnecessarily. Each country could produce what it is most efficient at and then trade for what they need.

Self sufficiency is a great ideal but in practice we could probably do better if there was cooperation internationally. We could pull together as people just like we can do it as Villagers.

You would make a good NATO ambassador.

Does capitalism have a national strategy? No. Successful capitalism means customer satisfaction, max quality at a competitive cost. Once a competitor has found a cost advantage, the other competitors must adapt or adopt, or they die.

If you look at 60 years of inflation history, you will find that inflation means too many dollars chasing too few goods. In the 70's we were the world's manufacturing center, which brought in tons of the worlds' currencies for our products, and inflation went out of control. Then the crook went to china to open it for US goods, and it backfired, China saw the opportunity to become the world's dominate manufacturer with its centralized planning and authoritarian government. So the next 40 years that was there goal, no matter how they could get there.

No centralized strategy means everyone can choose their own, so review the rules of capitalism above. Also, from friends who lived in the Soviet Union, under communism/authoritarian governments, one fears the government. Under democracy and freedom, you fear each other.

The capitalistic strategy of the US is the customer/consumer comes first, and they are the prize to capture, and when everything becomes a commodity, meaning very little pricing power, cost cutting is the only way to increase profitability. or you go out of business.

So that's my explanation, having watched it and looked at the data over those last 50 years. Others may disagree, but I use the data and economic theory from experience to understand.

sportsguy

Simple answer is cheap labor and lack of regulations. Longer answer is environmental restrictions, labor unions, an always increasing minimum wage, and people very much liking buying stuff for as little as possible.

We didn't get caught.....we welcomed it!
Steve

Since this all started with China not giving information about the spread of this virus for months after they knew it was out there, we should charge China whatever cost it will be to the US to fight it. Just deduct the amount it cost us from the debt we owe them.

Because our government is stupid and bought off by lobbyists. The NIH gives huge sums of money to big pharma, but requires little of them. All we would have to do is stipulate that if you want NIH government money you have to manufacture at least enough in the U.S. to supply the U.S. market. How hard is that?

Once upon a time, I needed a prototype part made out of aluminum. It took me months to find someone who could and would make the part for me. They wanted $450 for a single piece. I went online to China and had several parts made to my specifications delivered to my home within 2 weeks for a total cost of $4.50. Believe me, I understand our desire to rely on China.

We need to bring jobs back to our country. Sounds good, but.

I worked for Westinghouse in Pittsburgh, we were encouraged by the government to share technology with China. At the time never thought it was bad. Then one day we had no jobs. China took over the production of what we made. Everyone lost their jobs. The air may be cleaner in Pittsburgh today because of it, but maybe someday there will be no one there to enjoy it. I believe this happened across the United States.

Greed

We love cheap stuff!
 

Simple answer is that Everyone wants stuff to be as cheap (less expensive) as possible. No one makes it cheaper than China! I say NO food or drugs should ever come from China. Did you know that Congress passed legislation so that packages of food do longer have to list the country of origin! You need to contact your Congressman!

Remember NAFTA? Ross Perot warned us about a sucking sound caused by jobs leaving the U.S. George Bush Sr. set up NAFTA and then passed it on to Bill Clinton for his signature.

big business flocked to China because we all wanted cheaper prices

that old saying "be careful what you wish for" certainly rings true

I try to buy American whenever I can. Sometimes it works but there are many things simply not made here. Let this be a wake up call, especially with meds.

Yep.

A lot of people will give lip service and exhibit faux outrage about how much product/services China now supplies us and the world, but will then turn around (when no one is looking) and buy...based purely on lowest price.

If you want to know how we got in the position of being so dependent on China (and other countries paying workers $5 a day), in the last several decades...just look in the mirror. :ohdear:

Globalization and specialization is the answer. And for good reason - economics. The Law of Comparative Advantage (Ricardo) around 1820 explains it. China is now helping Europe with medical equipment and masks and such ... while the USA is closing up. Who will Europe turn to as an ally when this is over? Hmmmm.

Greed

80 % of the IV bags and solutions come from Puerto Rico. Did we not ever think that a Hurricane Maria could occur. Would we ever have Russia, China, Iran manufacture our munitions, weapons etc?

It’s all about the money! Corporate greed!

We were sold out by our politicians years ago for self gain, and it continues on a regular basis!

Oh yes
 

I agree with you 100 %
The American People did all this to themselves. Yeah, yeah China....hmmmm
Now you got it !

It helped beat the UNIONS.

Yeah much better to have all the polluted, undrinkable water and toxic cancer-causing soil poisons right here in the USA, so that we can save money and pay better wages.

Your logic is faulty. And so is corporate logic. The corporations COULD have complied, and raised prices. The consumer and the stock holders are the ones that rejected the notion and forced corporations to rely on outsourcing.

The American mentality at the time was "cheap is better than clean."

And now, we are paying the price.

100 %
 

Need to bring jobs back to our country. This happens when you give them away.
Now we are dependent on China ! Good Luck

That is not completely true. Certain packaged goods still need to include country of origin. You can read about it right on the USDA government website:
Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) | Agricultural Marketing Service

Did you know that beef from cows born, raised, and slaughtered in the USA, can be labeled as such? AND did you know that if it says Made in the USA, it doesn't necessarily mean the materials are American?

I absolutely agree.. How in the heck did we get in this position?

Chinese goods are cheap, everyone wants cheap, and not a good quality item made to last. This is a throwaway society.... Americans would not suffer the Chinese regime of work..accepted... but somewhere there is a medium for bringing back mfg to the USA. Support us first then export the rest. We are being held to ransom now.

I totally agree. China demands you turn over intellectual property to them (the "secret sauce" of your technology) in order to manufacture in China (and manufacturing in China is so cheap). But that intellectual property is now in the hands of the Chinese government. They develop a product to compete with the product from the US. It's as good as the US product and it's cheaper. It's been going on for years. Unfortunately few people will pay more to buy American.

And what if China decides to stop supplying europe>>>>the alternative?

Agreed, greed a sad byproduct of capitalism, but it’s time for the world to hold China responsible. If China wants to play on the world stage then it has to play by the world’s rules.

YEP! :ohdear:

I may be wrong in what I think, but remember why one football team is named "Pittsburgh Steelers"?

I agree, I cannot believe we cannot get a couple N95 masks (75 cents), gloves, or hand sanitizers for our families.