From: underdog@leland.Stanford.EDU (Dwight Joe)
Subject: Re: Strike at Saturn?
Organization: Miners for a Heart of Gold
Distribution: na
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 92 19:33:47 GMT

In article <1992Aug30.093351.21772@news.cs.indiana.edu> "Amy Young Leith"
<alyoung@kiwi.ucs.indiana.edu> writes:
>In article <1992Aug30.072311.8708@leland.Stanford.EDU>
>underdog@leland.Stanford.EDU (Dwight Joe) writes:
>>Get real, Mr. Sahul.  Here's another bub who does not criticize
>>an unfair system in Japan.
>...
>Same reason I don't buy American cars.  I'm not going to throw my
>money away on a product that's not the best.  If the UAW started
>churning out econonical, sporty, dependable cars, I'd buy one in a
>second.  However, I'm not going to support a twisted industry because
>of pity if they can't survive in the realities of supply and demand.
>If they aren't selling as many cars as the foreign people, THIS SHOULD
>TELL THEM SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR PRODUCT AND THEY SHOULD MAKE CHANGES
>ACCORDINGLY. 

Would Ms. Leigth frigging wake up and please listen to what the
hell I'm saying?

I am not arguing that the American cars are adequate in quality.
I'm saying nothing about the quality or desirability of American
cars.  No where did I say one damn thing about whether an American
car is good or not.

What I am saying is that it is unfair for the Japanese to
jack up the price of an American car by 100% over the price
in the USA..

Ms. Leigth argument reminds me of what Japanese legislators say
when the USA demands opening of the Japanese rice market.  Opening
the rice market may actually help Thai farmers much more than
American farmers.  But that's beside the point.  The issue is that
it is _not_ appropriate to close one's markets.

In rebuttal, the Japanese legislators start talking about
something altogether different.  For example, they say that
rice farming in Japan is part of the soul of Japan and must
be preserved.

>>All factors held constant, except the price of American
>>cars in Japan being made the same as the price in the USA,
>>the number of vehicles sold in Japan _will_ _increase_.  That
>>extra 1 million dollars, for example, in income will be useful
>>for the survival of the companies.
>
>How do you know it would increase significantly?

No one knows how much.  That's why I said, "for example."

But what is certain is that there will be an increase.  I would
suggest that Ms. Leith take an economics course.  When _all_
_frigging_ _factors_ _are_ _held_ _constant_, with the
exception that the price is decreased, demand for the product
goes up.

>...
>>What's really stupid is that although no where in my post do I
>>say that the American companies are faultless, Mr. Sahul decides
>>to go on this tangent.
>You heavly imply that regardless, Americans should buy American, as if
>this will solve all problems.

B*llsh*t.

I implied nothing.  I only said that the system of pricing in Japan
is unfair.

I never made a comment about American quality or whether Americans
should buy American.

>> <sarcasm on>
>> ...
>> <sarcasm off>
>And so what is he is "a foreigner?"  I find your "sarcasm" quite
>offensive. 

Really?  But apparently, you aren't offended enough by the Japanese
pricing system.

Let's do a mental exercise.  What do you think that the Japanese would
think if the system was reversed?  Namely, let's say that Americans had
the Japanese import restrictions but that Japan was an open market.

answer:  The Japanese would be pissed.

But I do agree with some Japanese on one thing.  If Americans thought
like you, then they are _really_ stupid.  And there are quite a few
Japanese who think that Americans are 3rd world people, at least
in intellect.

It's amazing that people like you, Ms. Leith, will twist what I say
to defend the Japanese pricing system.  At no point have I argued
that Americans should buy American or anything else.  I only pointed
out that the Japanese have severe import restrictions.  This is 
fundamentally unfair.

This has to be dealt with immediately.  I know the Japanese mentality.
If the shoe were on the other foot, i.e. America restricting
Japanese imports with Japan being an open market, then the Japanese
would be demanding that something be done about the inequity.
Unlike some stupid Americans, the Japanese are very analytical
and are quite aware of reality.

<sarcasm on>

Well, if the Japanese can hoodwink Americans to defend their import
restrictions, then maybe Americans deserve to be beaten over the
head for their stupidity.

<sarcasm off>

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Seikatsu no imi wa nan desu ka.            \|  |`      | Don't buy from Toyota;
Shitte itara oshiete kuremasen ka.          | -+-      | especially, don't buy
                                           /| / \      | from Capitol Toyota in
Copyright 1992.                                        | San Jose, California.
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Newsgroups: rec.autos