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President Obama to water down 'Buy American' plan after EU trade war threat

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posted on Feb, 5 2009 @ 10:19 PM
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reply to post by Chance321
 


Well... isn't that kind of counter intuitive? No, there's nothing in the bill, which states you can't trade for foreign goods... however, why would use those foreign goods if you are required to purchase a certain quota of domestically manufactured steel, for example? Say it's a requirement to purchase $100 billion dollars worth of U.S. steel (I'm not sure what the package says specifically). You aren't going to purchase an additional $100 billion dollars of Canadian steel just to be nice, or to honor trade agreements, or to perpetuate the fluidity of free trade in general. This will totally eliminate the incentive of U.S. corporations, and government infrastructural programs, to acquire steel from any source other than the U.S., as they are required to maintain their quotas as specified by law.

In the best case scenario, the international community will settle for shifting its production possibilities, pumping up totally different industries to alleviate economic pressures caused by exceptional losses. Unfortunately for them, select industries (those indicated in the Stimulus bill) are definitely going to take a hit. Canada's steel industry, in particular, will suffer dramatically. There really is nothing the world can do about certain industries when these "tariffs" are raised. But they can definitely adjust. However, this will require their own command style tactics. There just aren't very many viable, pure market solutions.

These measures for the first time in a long while will raise the issue of the integrity of the free market enterprise system. Why endorse freedom of production when certain countries are pigeon-holed into developing particularly ineffectual industries just to save their asses?

You can expect to see a lot of government subsidization of varying random industries across the globe, just to keep up with these artificial losses. This will mean taxpayers will feel the pinch. When taxes increase, people will have to work harder and longer to sustain their current living conditions, food and other common items will become more expensive relatively. Basically everyone outside of the USA is screwed, right down to the income and household level. Our governments will vote on retaliatory measures because we get fed up with the higher taxes and then everything gets worse from there. Then you just hope that a foreign government with a negative political inclination to the U.S. isn't on the butt end of one of these economic tariffs, because that's when you get agitation and armed conflict.

[edit on 5-2-2009 by cognoscente]



posted on Feb, 6 2009 @ 12:27 AM
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reply to post by Illusionsaregrander
 


Being in Bed with big business is a neccesity of politics. If your not, you don't win, its pretty simple. Unfortunatley this is the reality of the western world. Although there is hopw, things are on the change, but perhaps to little too late. But always good to stay informed....


thecircleoftruth.blogspot.com...



posted on Feb, 6 2009 @ 07:08 PM
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It is sad to see that in this time and age, the human race still see themselves in the difference of country if not by colour of their skin. Yet the truth is this planet is our only home, we now have the means in terms of technology and money (created from nothing) to allow everyone here on earth to have a home over their heads, and no need to work as hard as majority of us should, and would still be able to have a good life. What we are lacking is just our WILL, the will to love and to share.

At present, most of our precious resources are wasted to enrich only 5% of the very wealthy, and because of this, our manufacturing and transportation also polluting the only home we all have just to keep this so call 'false' economy going. In one breath we all worries about global warming, in another we refuse to let go of our bad habit of never ceasing want and 'greed' on not sharing for the greater good of mankind.

We must not only to blame the one's in charge of our politics and the running of our world, every single one of us is RESPONSIBLE too in the way we think. We are share the same frequency, and we are intrinsically linked, so what we think DO affect all. The problem is lodged in every single one of us, so we should start the change with ourself.

We all have the same DNA as the creator of the universe, hence we have the power to create the world that we live in now. This makes us all GODS, and we should treasure and make good use of this POWER for good and not for self destruction.

It is this FREE WILL that gives us the freedom to decide and change our future.



posted on Feb, 6 2009 @ 07:35 PM
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posted on Feb, 6 2009 @ 08:46 PM
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After living in this foaming, seething, stinking cesspit called Europe for the past 3+ years and seeing and smelling the reek of their hypocrisy first hand, seeing crap like this makes me realize my opinions are justified.

Do any of my fellow Americans have any idea how disgustingly protectionist the Euros are? Hell, they get pissy about importing things from other EU countries, let alone from outside the EU.

Obama makes me sick if he caves into this "threat". Trade war? Bring it on! About the only thing Europe has been producing for export lately is terrorism, socialist eliteism, and alot of snivelling. We need to for get about these has beens and turn our attention and efforts to places that have a future, like Asia.

Trust me, we will be better off. But it doesn't surprise me that Obama is selling us out to make his stink infested elitist friends on the other side of the pond happy.

Sell out.



posted on Feb, 7 2009 @ 06:35 AM
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reply to post by Frankidealist35
 


Europeans didn't forget history and where saving banks and industries, market closures etc leads to. e.g. they try for all of us not to hit our heads on the same wall twice.

As for america's monetary problems, own fault....
Bush started with the biggest surplus ever and created the biggest deficit ever in just a few years, how is that any other persons fault then bush and the people who voted for him...

Patriotism means removing bad leaders from office amongst other things.
(patriotism = love of the country not love for it's leader.)



posted on Feb, 7 2009 @ 07:25 AM
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Originally posted by Skadi_the_Evil_Elf
After living in this foaming, seething, stinking cesspit called Europe for the past 3+ years and seeing and smelling the reek of their hypocrisy first hand, seeing crap like this makes me realize my opinions are justified.


Firstly, if you find Europe such a bad place, then what the hell are you doing here, go back to your beloved US of A. It's really pathetic to classify an entire continent a 'cesspit'. It makes me think you are suffering from severe psychological problems.

Yes, the EU is hypocrite, but the US is no different. Just google for trade relations between Australia and the US. If we want to avoid total depression, we must cooperate. If you still think that the US can manage it all themselves you are very wrong. I don't have to elaborate as the billions of US debts held by foreign countries is already enough evidence.

Secondly, you have ZERO knowledge about economics, that's very obvious. I suggest you to read the article I posted on page 4 to find out that a trade war would have significant severe consequences not helpful at all to anyone.



Do any of my fellow Americans have any idea how disgustingly protectionist the Euros are? Hell, they get pissy about importing things from other EU countries, let alone from outside the EU.


I wonder whether you can come up with any examples...



Obama makes me sick if he caves into this "threat". Trade war? Bring it on! About the only thing Europe has been producing for export lately is terrorism, socialist eliteism, and alot of snivelling. We need to for get about these has beens and turn our attention and efforts to places that have a future, like Asia.


If there's one country that has exported terrorism it is the US. Guantanamo, torturing, war on terrorism are all American products, so I'd advise to stop talking crap. Asia has a future, so does Europe, although I'm sure you are too blinded by your nationalism to see that. I sincerely doubt there's a future for the US and for your kind of people full of cocky arrogance, I don't feel sorry. Bear one thing in mind: European countries have been dominant powers for thousands of years while America has been a superpower for 70 years and I would be surprised if there's gonna be another 70 years of US supremacy.



Trust me, we will be better off. But it doesn't surprise me that Obama is selling us out to make his stink infested elitist friends on the other side of the pond happy.

Sell out.


Once again you have no clue about economics, it's good to know there are more capable people in charge of US trade policies.



posted on Feb, 7 2009 @ 01:56 PM
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reply to post by marg6043
 


I had to join you in saying, "We the people own this country." I think our government has forgotten that they work for us and not the other way around. As for the EU, China and other countries too many to name here...sad to say but we owe China so much money if they ever call for a settlement America is done for. So said that is where that last stimules money came from, China. Remember, when each household received so much money? You have to stop and think, if we are as broke as our own government tells us we are...then where is all that money coming from? And like many of you...I wonder just how long we are going to allow what is going on before the people rise up and say, enough is enough!



posted on Feb, 7 2009 @ 08:04 PM
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reply to post by happydancin
 


We have been already doing it, we have been telling congress that we are fed up, we have e-mail them, phone them, jam their lines, voted one party over the other and still they don't listen because they don't want to listen, they have been oblivious of we the people for far too long.



posted on Feb, 7 2009 @ 08:14 PM
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Screw Europe. I saw the backlash on TV over the "Buy American" clause. This is OUR money Europe. We do what we WANT to do with it. You can go screw yourselves.



posted on Feb, 8 2009 @ 05:55 PM
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reply to post by racegunz
 


Exactly my thoughts. Now we know for certain who really runs America, apparently foreign bankers. They are outraged that they can't continue to keep raping what's left of the American treasury.

To HE double hockey sticks with them.

Please note, Obama worshippers, your man has no balls. He can't stand up for the least of American interests. No doubt they will let GM shutter more US factories and build new ones in Brazil with bailout money, as previously planned.



posted on Feb, 10 2009 @ 04:10 AM
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reply to post by SevenThunders
 


Will you fools deny some ignorance, PLEASE?

Not everything is a shadowy conspiracy of some kind with all roads leading back to a secret NWO with greedy global elite bankers with reptilian ancestry dating back to some ancient sun god 50,000 years ago. My god...and if such were the case, then we have already lost, alright?

Please, use some common sense, think critically, and take responsibility sometime!



posted on Feb, 24 2009 @ 08:28 AM
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A good reason why we need to reinvest in this country and revamp taxes, budget, etc...



How many zeros in a billion?

The next time you hear a politician use the
Word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about
Whether you want the 'politicians' spending
YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend,
But one advertising agency did a good job of
Putting that figure into some perspective in
One of it's releases.

A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.
B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain...
let's take a look at New Orleans ....
It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.

Louisiana Senator,
Mary Landrieu is presently asking Congress for 250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans . Interesting number...What does it mean?

A. Well... If you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans
(every man, woman, and child) you each get $516,528.

B. Or... If you have one of the 188,251 homes in
New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.

C. Or... If you are a family of four...Your family gets $2,066,012.

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Tax
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service charge taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax (Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Tax
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago...
And our nation was the most prosperous in the world.

We had absolutely no national debt..
We had the largest middle class in the world...

What happened?

Press '1' for English.



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