This would require massive intervention in the market. How would it work?
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Are you ok?
What do you think caused it?
A new Buy American Act?
I would have no problem with one tailored to cover strategically critical products and resources.
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LOL…you have no idea.
Depends on how. I’m just as concerned with being cut off from domestic suppliers as foreign ones. I’m fine with getting microchips from Kentucky, for example, as long as my ability to get them from abroad is not negatively impacted in any way.
He didn’t say what you think he said.
He did say what you think he said.
Awesome. But naive.
To enact such a program will result in privation and hardship. Politicians and partisans on your side AND my side will look to harness the resulting discontent for short term gain. Nevermind the competing economic philosophies championed by either side.
Consider manufacturing: suppose we bring microchips home from Taiwan. The contract will go to a capitalist who needs to also make a profit. The government helps him build the factory. Great.
He will need to attract employees. Can he pay a reasonable wage? Can that employee make a decent living? Have a family? Buy a house? All of these demands quickly drive the profit margin down to level where it is once again cheaper to manufacture overseas.
So now what? If you want American citizens to buy into this America First sort of philosophy, you must make it worth their while. The only answer I can see* is a robust safety net to fill in the gaps left by the employer. Are you willing to accept that?
*unless we nationalize essential industries.
How did Nixon sell you out?
Subsidies instead of loans.
Yes he said exactly what I thought he said.
Self sufficiency is unrealistic and self defeating.
I would absolutely and resolutely oppose any and all policies that would be necessary to force self sufficiency.
And it would require pretty draconian policies to achieve the desired level of self sufficiency.
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Well…I don’t know if massive intervention in the market, but I do predict that massive governmental intervention will be required. The wage shortfall between second world nations and ours will require governmental assistance to address shortfalls in things like medical care and child care.
This actually seems like a great place for minimum income intervention. Alas, our friends on the right will never agree to that.
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Then why would you want us to farm out our critical resources to the extent that an opposition country could cut us off and leave us defenseless? That doesn’t sound like a good plan to me.
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Okay. When Safiel speaks, attention must be paid.
Suppose instead of full self sufficiency, we agreed to farm some production out to countries such as Canada, Mexico, and the EU?
Whatever it takes. If we are going to stand up critical industries, we must be flexible.
But I take your point. The “gold rush” after the fall of the Soviet Union must be instructive.
Actually, and I am being deadly serious.
Given the ■■■■■■■ crap our domestic shipyards have foisted on us in recent years. I suggest we farm out construction of the new class of frigates to Great Britain, Italy, Spain, etc.
Give our domestic shipyards some actual competition and maybe they will stop turning out total crap.
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To clarify, yes, I meant massive government intervention. But I’m not so sure anymore, re: conservatives and “free markets.” Lots of threads here (including this one and any oil threads) make me wonder: Did they ever think any of this through in the first place?
Unfortunately, populist ideals have supplanted conservative ideals in some crowds. A true conservative would not be promoting the massive government interference necessary to achieve self sufficiency.
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