"I heard there was a time when American products were good quality and exported...

[Skidmore]

Saddest statement I've heard in along time. A young (20something) caller to the Washington Journal said this as he was asking a question of the guest economist. Said he didn't know, but he had heard this. The economist came back with some gobbledygook about the wonders of free trade, didn't address the quality issue at all, and proceeded onto do some supply side, trickledown gymnastics to address the other very good questions the young man asked. America, land of trinkets and a quick dollar. America, where prosperity is synonymous with flimflamming. Yep, we have much to thank the last several congresses and presidents for.

[demnan]

1. I remember when this started happening

back in the 60's. My Dad had an electronics business. He sold and repaired TVs. He had a small shop back then and made a good living. There was one excellent electronics company, Zenith, who made the best TVs. My dad sold American electronics.

That was the time that Japan first came out with the transitor radio. My parents, who bought us anything we wanted, bought me one. I remember bopping to little Stevie Wonder with that thing when I was around 6 years old. Little did I know at the time that that was the beginning of the end of the American dominance of electronics.

In a few years the Japanese had taken over the industry. American companies did not invest enough in R&D to compete with the Japanese on the transitor. That was the fault of American industry, not the government at the time (The government was too busy getting us involved in Vietnam).

Later repairing T.V.s ceased to be a profitable business and TVs became a throwaway item, like so much in our culture.

[napi21]

2. Of course our leadership is partly at foult, but so are we.

We are all guilty of insisting on lower prices on everything and buying a whole lot of shit we really don't need! I watched a program a few days ago where the guest was talking about capitalism being corrupt. They spend billions convincing us we HAVE TO HAVE a lot of stuff we don't need! It could be very successful by creating things we and the world NEED.

I don't mean to let the politicians off the hook, but don't you think they are only doing what WE are asking for?

[dysfunctional press]

3. speak for yourself.

i don't ever remember "insisting on lower prices on everything".

[newportdadde]

4. We still export something... the dollar! Here everyone buy our greenbacks!

Sure we don't sell anything anymore besides haircuts and hamburgers to each other but things are fine.

Did you know that credit card debt is up 64% in the in the past 10 years. Heard that on NBC nightly news last night.

Nothing to see here folks.. hey did you hear the Patriots might go undefeated?