BM's Red Class to be dc'ed!

[Robert.B]

if that works for you then yes, its all about covering the ass of you and yours before a foreign country.

 

[Knife Outlet]

If I apply your suggestion to my European situation, do you agree that I should NOT be buying Spydercos, ZTs, Benchmades etc anymore but rather focus all my knife budget on European brands like EKA, Böker, Klötzli, Fontenille-Pataud, FKMD, Maserin etc who after all also make great knives? Because that's the flipside of the protectionist/free trade coin.

\

I didn't say that. What I said was the U.S. should impose import duties where it doesn't and higher ones where it does. The European countries do that, as you know. You should buy whatever you like and pay import duties for it. Americans should do the same.

 

[axtalan0]

I'm sure you're right. I'm not against capitalism and free trade. I'm against low import duties. I'd like to see all or some income tax replaced by import duties. Have all the free trade you want. But free should mean freedom from restriction, not from cost. Our trading partners all charge duties on our exports. We would all benefit from higher import duties. In fact it could possibly save our economy.

I am of two minds on this. Yes, it could replace some of our income tax, but corporations would just end up passing the higher import duties on to the consumer by increasing cost of their products. Either way, we lose. I'm not sure what the right answer is. A global economy will be good in the long run, it just sucks for those generations, like us, who are living through the transition period. But hey, its 100 times more difficult for countless people in less developed nations so... let's count our blessings.

 

[Cisco Kid]

Don't forget that this Country was born from a revolt against taxes and tarifs.

Remember the 60's and 70's? Then, Japan was the source for cheaper stuff with lower quality. "Made in Japan" used to be synonymous with "poor quality." Now China has that "privilege." Who knows how things will be 10 or 20 years from now? Nonetheless, you get what you pay for, and it's nice to have a choice.

US companies that sell Made-in-China products make large profits on those items, possibly more than the Chinese manufacturers make. That's money that is used to pay American salaries and that goes into our economy. Much of it is invested here.

China also owns most of our debt. The intricacies of international trade are vast...

 

[Fort Henry Custom Knives]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think BM will be moving much back from anywhere. They are dc'ing their Red line and I suspect they will also be reducing models within the other lines they offer so I doubt many new jobs will be the result of this decision.

I don't buy BM - have only a couple from years ago but if they have decided they want to play in the same ballpark as William & Henry I say more power to 'em.

I'll stick with Spyderco.

 

[Knife Outlet]

I am of two minds on this. Yes, it could replace some of our income tax, but corporations would just end up passing the higher import duties on to the consumer by increasing cost of their products. Either way, we lose. I'm not sure what the right answer is. A global economy will be good in the long run, it just sucks for those generations, like us, who are living through the transition period. But hey, its 100 times more difficult for countless people in less developed nations so... let's count our blessings.

Yes, of course. It would raise the price of imported goods. That's the whole idea. It would reduce some of the differential between the price of imported and domestic goods. That would make domestic manufacture more competitive. And that would begin to restore the jobs we gave away. That's good for all of us.

Transitions have nothing to do with it. The issue is balanced trade. You need to export something for every something you import or you transfer your wealth somewhere else.

I'm not a protectionist. I don't believe in import quotas. I believe in doing things that will achieve a neutral to positive balance of trade without hampering free trade. It is live or die for our economy, I'm afraid.

 

[Knife Outlet]

Don't forget that this Country was born from a revolt against taxes and tarifs.

Yes and I'm the last person on the planet that would suggest a rise in taxes. My concept is to replace some or all of our income tax with tariffs. I don't want more taxes. If we could replace all of it, then taxes would be optional. Buy an import, pay the tax. Buy domestic and avoid the tax. My hope would be that it would reduce the government's income and spending as well.

Remember the 60's and 70's? Then, Japan was the source for cheaper stuff with lower quality. "Made in Japan" used to be synonymous with "poor quality." Now China has that "privilege." Who knows how things will be 10 or 20 years from now? Nonetheless, you get what you pay for, and it's nice to have a choice.

I'm not suggesting the limitation of choices. I'm just wanting to close some of the gap between domestic and import production before we spend ourselves to the poor house. I just want a price involved in buying the import. You can still have cheaper Chinese goods if that's what you want. I just want them to be not quite so cheap. I'd like to see domestic manufacturing make a comeback.

US companies that sell Made-in-China products make large profits on those items, possibly more than the Chinese manufacturers make. That's money that is used to pay American salaries and that goes into our economy. Much of it in invested here.

You can't separate companies, government and the public into separate economies. We all share the same economy and we are all part of it. Those profits come from the public in the end. They don't come from China or from thin air. The investments are enjoyed by all. It's one economy - not one for business and another for the public.

China also owns most of our debt. The intricacies of international trade are vast...

Yes, and I think they've probably taken all the debt they are going to take. They've figured out that our government is cheapening the dollar so that the debt can be repaid with cheaper dollars. The debt was a bad investment on their part. We're inflating the money and cheapening the currency. Just watch. It will scare you in about a year.

 

[Cisco Kid]

Hey, Knife Outlet, my reply was not specifically directed at your posts (except the part about the tarif). But I understand what you are saying. My comment was more directed at the aversion some have about buying Chinese-made imports, kinda to say that things are not just black and white, there are many shades of grey, if you get my point.

 

[axtalan0]

I'd like to see domestic manufacturing make a comeback.

I hate to sound so pessimistic, but this won't happen in our lifetime, if ever. For the last 20-30 years, the major corporations have bribed and bullied our government, and the governments of developing countries to rewrite trade, tariff and tax laws to make outsourcing VERY profitable for them. When China becomes too expensive in 10-20 years, no problem, they will move on to India. Then Mongolia, etc.

I agree with you, we are committing national economic suicide, but hey those executives need their multi-million dollar stock options, and we Americans just LOVE our $2 t-shirts from WalMart. Money talks. Remember, to the big companies, it is WE who are "the sheeple."

Not to get all political, but anyone who still thinks America is small-business friendly has not been paying attention for the last 50 years!

And now, I will step off my soapbox. So, how 'bout that Benchmade....:foot:

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Yeah, how 'bout that Benchmade ...

Since this thread is no longer about Benchmade but about international economics and politics, I invite you re-open the discussion in the Political Arena. But for the General Knife Discussion forum, this thread is closed.