Topic: Craftsman tools now made in China

[Rgconner]

Aircraft.

Although I might tend to agree, some would find this debate-able.

Firearms.

Also highly debate-able and subjective as well. I like Ruger revolvers. And you could probably say that an AR-15 is the best 5.56 "assault" rifle. But pistols? High power "assault" rifles? Shotguns even? Hmmm. I don't know.

Here's some things that are more indisputable (but probably not 100% in all cases)

Operating Systems
Cinema
Soft Drinks
Bourbon (by default)
Guitars

Nothing comes even close to the f-22 and b-2 bombers.

Best firearms: 50cal,1911 .45, colt peacemaker,and Springfield 1901. Can throw in m1 in there.

(ok, that list is debatable, I agree, but the sheer number of really good firearms is amazing. All of the above are in production today, except maybe the M1)

Tanks.

Insinkarators!

[BeSeeingYou]

OK This is the second post today i saw bashing China.

Id say they got their #$%* together. The own all of our debt (if they dumped our treasuries onto the open market this country would be over.), they are producing goods, wether or not they are quality is under debate, but they are affordable and most of America is broke.  I work for Honda Auto, they have been getting supplies from china for years, are Honda's know for being unreliable?

HOMEWORK:  1 go home and pick up 5 items at random i bet two were made in china,
                     2. Name on thing you would go out and buy that America makes the best of (porn does not count)

Despite what you hear from the talking radio heads and such the vast majority of the U.S. debt is held by Americans along with our government and banking/investment institutions.  China I believe holds around 8 percent and is the largest foreign holder followed by Japan in the number 4 position. 

The country would not "be over" if China dumped our debt ( an unlikely scenario).  A little knowledge goes a long way.

I agree, but your stats are way off. I spent 15 years of my life working for Smith Barney In the institutional investement department.
Russia and China hold a very large portion of our debt. Corprate and National. Believe me if you dumped the 8% onto the market it wouls set the markets reeling. My point was that people are bashing Chineese goods, but as a country they are buying the United States on a corprate level and national. Do research on Goldman Sachs Jp Morgan and Bank of America see were they have got cash in- jections.
 

I think my stats where fairly accurate.  Total U.S. debt of around 15 trillion.  4.5 trillion owned by foreign entities.  China holds around 1+ trillion with Japan a close second.  Russia about 10th down the list at around 100 billion.  I am just putting out rough numbers and they may be off by a few billion but who's counting.   No doubt if China dumped it's holdings it would cause trouble for our economy but then just say that instead inaccurate statements like China owning ALL our debt and how the "country would be over".  It just overshadows your other points which are valid.

[tlbranth]

I believe we'll never get out of this fiscal mess we're in until we start making stuff again. jwarriner listed some things we still do well but we need to build more and consume less. Otherwise we're #$%*ed.

[BobbyR]

I believe we'll never get out of this fiscal mess we're in until we start making stuff again. jwarriner listed some things we still do well but we need to build more and consume less. Otherwise we're #$%*ed.

Actually you are close. We have to build more, export more, and with more people working we need to consume more. Money needs to circulate changing hands for goods and services.