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Palm Bay, Florida has cracked open Pandora's box by considering a motion that would prohibit the city from purchasing goods from China if the same goods are available from a U.S. source for no more than 150% of the price. The measure defines a Chinese good as one with 50% or more of its parts made in China, and does not include purchases under $50. The effect of such a move on our balance of trade would be negligible, but it is sure to ratchet up what I think will become a torrid political issue as we approach the 2008 elections. If our economy continues to meander toward recession, look for more and more fingers to point to the east as the cause of our economic woes. Of course, this argument is as clueless as the claim that Afghanistan and Columbia are responsible for our country's drug problem. In both cases, we the American public have voted with our dollars about what we really want, like it or not. We want blow and cheap goods, even if they come at the expense of our fellow Americans' jobs.So what is the Palm Bay government saying to its residents? I believe the message is something like this: although you have proven by your personal buying habits that you are in favor of getting the most for your money, we're going to take your tax dollars and ignore that preference by spending up to 150% more than we have to for the products needed to run the city.
Can they really be so clueless as to believe that voters will reward them for squandering money on an empty and futile gesture? Until we consumers are willing to change our personal buying habits to favor domestically-produced goods that are usually more expensive, grandstanding like this is a waste of time and money. And dangerous. Remember the Opium Wars?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-24-2007 @ 1:05PM
Budo said...
Just another reason I am trying desperately to get out of here and from the state of Florida in general Six and a half years here are WAY more than enough. Not even a third world country!
10-30-2007 @ 5:19PM
Robert Goode said...
John Mazziotti should stick to mismanaging Palm Bay and stay away from opining on international matters. His recent letter to President Bush regarding the local loss of jobs to China will be read with derision if read at all. Mazziotti is evidently woefully ignorant of how Palm Bay has benefited from Chinese trade and financial assistance in terms of job growth. China has invested almost $1.2 trillion in US Treasury Notes, which allows for deficit financing of the war in Iraq, which in turn has created many high paying defense-related jobs in Palm Bay. Without this investment, the war would grind to a halt resulting in the loss of many high paying local jobs. Additionally, two thirds of the everyday-low-priced goods that the Palm Bay Wal-Mart sells are produced by China. Does Mazziotti propose closing this store and sending the Palm Bay residents who work there to the unemployment line and the rest of us to pay higher prices at other stores?
This is another example of Palm Bay politicians meddling in issues for which they have no knowledge or jurisdiction while they ignore issues for which they are elected to resolve e.g. crime, drainage, sewers, and over- development. Accordingly, I agree with a recent Florida Today editorial urging people to vote and endorsing local candidates for city council who will deal with the myriad of local problems in Palm Bay.
10-30-2007 @ 5:18PM
Robert Goode said...
John Mazziotti should stick to mismanaging Palm Bay and stay away from opining on international matters. His recent letter to President Bush regarding the local loss of jobs to China will be read with derision if read at all. Mazziotti is evidently woefully ignorant of how Palm Bay has benefited from Chinese trade and financial assistance in terms of job growth. China has invested almost $1.2 trillion in US Treasury Notes, which allows for deficit financing of the war in Iraq, which in turn has created many high paying defense-related jobs in Palm Bay. Without this investment, the war would grind to a halt resulting in the loss of many high paying local jobs. Additionally, two thirds of the everyday-low-priced goods that the Palm Bay Wal-Mart sells are produced by China. Does Mazziotti propose closing this store and sending the Palm Bay residents who work there to the unemployment line and the rest of us to pay higher prices at other stores?
This is another example of Palm Bay politicians meddling in issues for which they have no knowledge or jurisdiction while they ignore issues for which they are elected to resolve e.g. crime, drainage, sewers, and over- development. Accordingly, I agree with a recent Florida Today editorial urging people to vote and endorsing local candidates for city council who will deal with the myriad of local problems in Palm Bay.