Mass Hand Pouring

[robalo01]

Well, I would have to disagree that NAFTA is the biggest Amercan screw up. I can probably name a few much bigger ones, but talk about hitting nerves...

Believe it or not, if you exclude oil, Mexico STILL has atrade deficit with the US. More products are brought into Mexico from the US, that exported to the US. I do some work for the Kansas City Southern (rail-road) and one of their problems is that train cars have to be sent back to the USA empty.

The EXACT same arguments made about NAFTA on the part of Americans is being made by the Mexicas. They say they're having trouble competing with big American agricultural congloimerates killing agriculture in Mexico; that more and more farmers are losing their jobs and turning to drug crops because of US subsidies. According to them, it's just not fair that they have to compete with highly efficient, state-of-the-art farming techniques when all they have is a 30-year-old Jonh Dere and a couple of mules. BUT, that's the free market. The people who figure out how to make it cheaper, better, or to the greatet satisfaction of the customer, win the game. Ironic, isn't it?

Another argument being made is that big American corporations come down here, take advantage of the cheap labor, resources and then take ALL the profit back the USA.

Neither are very good arguments, any more than those brought on the State Side. Bottom line -- competition is a killer, and just claiming "but it's not fair," sounds as empty as the Mexican farmer's John Dere and 2 mule argument. Of course it's not fair! And I don't ever want it to be fair. When you study economics, you learn that all enterprise is based on "inefficiencies". You buy in bulk, sell by the piece. Some may say it's not fair that you get a better price just because you are willing to buy in greater volume, but that's how it works, some people take advantage of their particular positions.

Open markets, by their very nature, expose otherwise unpercieved inefficiencies. Competition, in the end, forces innovation, efficiency, and, ultimatly, advances in standards of living for everyone involved; but, this is at the expense of those who had been depending on these inefficiencies artificially prevailing. In the end, more of us bennefit from driving cheap cars than making them expensively.

As a society, we have to define what we can truly do better that any other and compete with that advantage. Frankly, cheap labor is beneath us, or should be. We should be competeing in technology products that require a labor force with our level of education, exposure to knowledge and high-tech equipment.

It is the American ingenuity that will put us back on top of things. We have to, once again, find out WHY we believe are are better than any other country. Just being born there doesn't cut it.

Interesting topic.

[Delw]

you make some good points seriously.

I will throw in another LOL

We send billions in aid to mexico to aid in the drug problems and other things. its kinda a take take take then blame the USA for there problems.

its funny how these countrys work especially third world ones, including were Dave is. they complain about america but are first in line during the check writing phase.

In My opinion they should be kissing our %^% for the money we give them. but I also wouldnt cut a check to any country anyway tahts just me LOL

I have lots of friends in mexico and that goto mexico, I have nothing against that place other than I don't like ILLEGALS, I don't like giving MY tax dollars to other countries to a corrupt governement and I don't like seeing US Manufacturers running to third world countries to take advantage of the cheap labor and other things then call themselfs and American Company.

On a side note. I do applaud the group of business owners down there below texas that are trying to get rid oif the drug catrels. when I read that story I was like WOW its about time people are working to take there country back, they have my utmost respect and those are the type of People I would do business with.

Also Don't get me wrong out US government is the one who gives teh free hand outs and forces american companies to move out of the US. Remember tax the rich help the pour, socialism at its best and we have 4 years of it coming.

Politics suck sorry to get off on a tangent.

Delw

[Vodkaman]

China can KMA and so can Mexico, india and a few other places. if these american companies are moving what was built in US they are not american Companies.

That goes for chevy ford and dodge.

you want money from the GOV. then you make everything HERE otherwise KMA

no one is slamming any other country

Seems pretty clear to me.

There is nothing new going on here, nor is it unique to the USA. The current recession is hitting UK hard, with unemployment reaching record levels. Record numbers of house reposessions. Over zealous credit companies, allowing desperate people to take on credit that they obviously could not afford.

I have just done the executor to the estate of a family member who died recently. $30,000 in credit card debts! His wife and daughter lost the house and now they live with her mother. This is a typical case, not unusual.

These are hard times and it will get worse before it gets better. Zero cheap imports is a utopian idea, the American public demands cheap imports, as does UK, europe etc. They may not shout it out loud, but the wallet speaks loud enough.

Dave

Robalo01, eloquently put.

[robalo01]

Well, since the topic has changed to foriegn aide, I suppose the free trade argument is settled. Good debate.

[Pitbull Baits]

Not Yet I blame Wal-Mart and the banks for our down fall.

[Romeo D]

Interesting read.....

And now higher taxes are coming.... I wonder if more big corporations will get lured elsewhere to escape our rising taxes. They say the top 2 percent pay 65-70 percent of the taxes.

[loco]

id like to see real statistics on that ratio. i find it hard to beleive that 2% would pay more taxes than 98%. i think that is retoric being put out there by those that have to pay more. we all know that everything posted on the internet is true.....lol

[robalo01]

I think that particular statistic is skewed a bit. It refers to only income tax. So many people don't pay income tax due to deductions, low income, unemployed, or they simply skip it, that those who do pay disproportionately. I would think if you factor in payroll tax (there is a cap on that, so I would assume it would have to afect the stat), excsize tax(nobody is exempt from this) gasoline, sales, property, etc, the number would be very different.

However, the entities that pay the most taxes are businesses, because they are easy targets. No one feels sorry for them, you can raise and raise the rates whiout much uproar from the public or politicians getting voted out of office. In many circles raising taxes on business is "looking out for liittle guy".

The people on the board are smart enough to know that businesses don't really pay taxes at all. They either raises their prices and pass the cost on to the consumer, cut costs in a way that inevitably results in job loss, reduce investment that leads to less growth, or simply get taxed out of business.

The biggest difference between a business and an individual is that we as persons have a survival instinct. We long to live and are willing to keep working under any condition in order to keep out family fed. Businesses can simply fold and sink into our memories. And businesses don't vote.

[Romeo D]

I found a "share of federal tax liabilities" report but only as recent as 2005 from the congressional budget office.

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/88xx/doc8885/12-11-HistoricalTaxRates.pdf#page=6

You need to be able to decode the information there and come up with your conclusions, a degree in statistics may help as well. I personally do not know how they come up with the top 2 percent. Maybe it is a total of all taxes combined? A large majority of the population that file, do not pay any individual income taxes. Reading the CBO report for 2005, 40% if you look at the bottom 2 quintile that filed from my understanding. That elimates a big chunk of the population. Top 1% paid 38.8 percent of the "individual" income taxes, Top 5% paid 60.7 percent of the "individual" income taxes and top 10 percent paid 72.7 percent of the "individual" income taxes.

[robalo01]

Yes. The top 10% paying 72% sounds more reasonable than top 2% paying 98%. It's still high though. I know I pay my part.

You think matbe high profile people (the very rich) are targeted more by the IRS more and would be less likely to get away with flying under the radar?

[GB GONE]

Guys...

There are several companies in Mexico that pour for American companies. Many larger swimbaits are poured there at one company.... CA swimbabes is a great example. All made in Mexico.

I have spoken with the owner of such a company. I doubt he uses a system like this with the big swims but he does import and export back to the US. I suppose the bait companies that paint do the final touches here.

I will ask him about the process but am sure that a trade secret such as this would not be divulged. I have used a similar process though with larger swimbait molds. You can pour the tails over and use a razor blade to just trim the end of the bait flat. Works perfectly every time in an aluminum mold.

We could go on and on over the politics, tariffs, etc. but we are all joined here at TU because we are creators and do-ers. Guys like us and other like minded folks will pull our respective countries out of our problems if our governments would just get out of the way and let us do our thing!

Jim