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Soundwave on 15 August 2016
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fatslob-:O said:
Soundwave said:

He's an idiot on free trade in general. 

American companies have come out on top of free trade like Michael Phelps dominating the Olympics ... look at companies like Apple, Facebook, Nike, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Disney, Microsoft, Exxon Mobil, these are some of the biggest companies in the world and they all rely heavily on the global market and they're all American. 

Free trade and countries working together to produce goods IMO in the overall scheme of things is a net positive because it prevents human stupidity (a natural flaw of our species) from drifting into stupid war mongering, like World War II (borne out of old European nationalist conflicts) or the Cold War which came to the brink of destroying human civilization perhaps. 

Greed while having unfortunate effects does have one powerful redeeming value -- it can create cooperation. A global connected world with globally connected markets that relies on each other is the best defence against another stupid World War. No one is willing to the start a war if it hurts their wallet. 

Some do come on top but free trade hurts the US when we keep having trading deficits with the rest of the world so Trump is on to something there ... 

No again, it's stupidity sold to people who have very minimal understanding of business or finance. 

Americans buy a ton of SHIT. Of course they are going to have a trade deficet with a country like China, the average Chinese person can't buy two cars, four TVs, three game consoles, four phones, three closets full of clothes, per household etc. etc. etc. The average Chinese person makes less than $5000 *for an entire year* and they work themselves damn near to death in conditions that most Americans would pass out in after 15 minutes. 

It's natural the US would have a trade deficet there and with anyone, they are the largest consumer market in the world which means they consume the most products. 

Also it's not as if a product made in China goes to "The Chinese Money Pile". The bulk of the money made from an iPhone made in China goes to APPLE, an American company which then pays out stock dividends to its investors or increases their share price thus making their investors richer (the majority of whom are in America). Apple also employs several thousand people in America. 

American companies, products, celebrities, music, cinema, culture, dominate the world, this is like someone saying America is doing terrible at the Olympic Games because they're not winning in every event even though they are winning the most medals. There's "American exceptionalism" and then there's just being a blow hard insecure prick.