From: rvkl60@aus18a25.sps.mot.com (Tom Mathes)
Subject: Re: DOES AMERICA SAY YES TO JAPAN? - Off track!!
Organization: Motorola Inc, Austin, Texas
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 20:51:08 GMT

In article <1992Dec16.014403.2407@cirrus.com> dhesi@cirrus.com (Rahul Dhesi) writes:
>In <1992Dec15.214210.19181@oakhill.sps.mot.com>
>rvkl60@aus18a25.sps.mot.com (Tom Mathes) writes:
>
>>Let's get this discussion back on the REAL message of the
>>original post: the Japanese coordinated attack on industry
>                   ^alleged
>>in the US, and the mercantilistic trading practices of Japan.
>
>Do you know when the US will get back on track?  When it stops blaming
>Japan.

We will get back on track when we upgrade our educational system,
invest for the long term, and retaliate with a vengence against
unfair trading practices.  I hope under Clinton we will not see
the wholesale destruction of US industries by foreign concerns,
like the Japanese cartel of TV makers did to the US TV makers.

We should not be patsies on trade issues anymore.  Bush set
a good precident in retaliating against European subsides in 
seed oil.  Too bad he didn't use the same tactics to open the
Japanese market.

>The US owes Japan a lot.  Why do Americans buy Japanese products?
>Because they are inexpensive and work well.  This means that consumers
>in the US have to spend less to buy the same thing, or they can spend
>the same and get better quality.  This means that consumers in the US
>have more money to invest, and they can invest more in industry in
>their own country.  The low price of Japanese products HELPS consumers
>in the US spend less and save and invest more.

Japan owes the US alot too.  Giving them military protection for
over 40 years ain't cheap.  Not to mention, the technology we
transfered to them for a song (like VCRs, TVs, automobile mass
production, flat panel displays, etc.)

You say that consumers are better off, but there are lots of people
with former good jobs out of work.  If the US had the same trade 
policies as Japan, then you wouldn't see any Japanese TVs, VCRs, 
autos, etc. that you see now.  Free trade is great, when both sides
play by the same rules.

Don't ever forget that "consumers" are also "workers".  Folks
out of a job make lousy consumers.

Why don't Japanese consumers buy American products?  Often, they
don't have a chance.  Excessive regulation blocking foreign goods,
encouraged by domestic companies, locks them out.  Just ask Cray
Research why they have trouble selling computers to the government
there.  Or why US semiconductor makers, who are successful abroad,
have a fit selling in Japan.

>And they would have a LOT to save and invest if they were not paying
>around 60% of their earnings in taxes.  THAT is a real problem.

Americans, by international standards, have the lowest taxes in
the industrialized world.  Some areas of the US do tax more than
others; I'd dare say my taxes here in Texas are lower than one
who lives in NY, the DC area, California, or Mass.

Japan says that we cannot sell them rice since it's "national
security".  Okay, the US auto industry is also vital to the
industrial and economic security of this country.  Several
key industries depend on auto production, such as steel,
rubber, chemicals, textiles, machine tools, electronics,
etc.  By the same argument, Japan should be locked out of 
the US market.

Saying it's all America's fault is like blaming the victim
for the crime.  We should stop whining in the US and just
act when we are right.  For starters, no more US defense of
any country as wealthy as Japan or western European countries.
Time they paid with their own money and lives to defend their
soil and interests.  Also, short warning for unfair trade, then
stiff retaliation.  I think the old Teddy Roosevelt addage of
"speak softly and carry a big stick" should be followed by 
Americans again.

Tom Mathes                                e-mail : rvkl60@email.sps.mot.com
Motorola Inc. / MOS Memory Products Div.  phone  : (512) 928-7627
Austin, Texas
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan,soc.culture.asian.america,alt.sex,soc.culture.usa,soc.culture.african.american,sci.electronics,misc.consumers,misc.education,misc.entrepreneurs