Current Event #17:
China’s Valentine’s Date in Washington
Due: Friday, February 17, 2012
China’s Valentine’s Date in Washington
It has been well documented that the governments of the United States and China have engaged in numerous business ventures that has resulted in America’s economic trade deficit, job loss, intellectual property issues, etc. The United States have been able to import cheaper products made in China and other countries including Canada and Mexico. Estimates state that for every dollar spent on an item purchased from China, about $.55 cents go to services produced in the United States. That $.55 cents goes to the companies that transport the goods and the U.S. retailers that sell them.
China is poised to be well on its way of becoming the largest economy within the next 10 years and surpassing the US in 2016. After Canada and Mexico, China is the US third largest exporter of goods and products. China is the US second biggest creditor after the Federal Reserve, due to a massive surplus through trade.
Your thoughts: China and the United States Relationship
What You Will Do:
Read the following CNN Money article found at http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/13/news/economy/china_us_relations/index.htm?iid=GM
You will answer the following three questions in thoughtful, well-organized, detailed paragraphs at length. Your responses should include paragraphs consisting of 7-10 lines each in order to provide a good explanation of your take on each subject matter. Be sure to include quotes from the article, if desired or needed.
1. 1. Do you think America should be so dependent upon foreign trade and maintaining the continuance of outsourcing employment?
In2. In his State of the Union address in January, President Obama spoke about China. He shared that he wants to level the playing field for trade. What would you advise President Obama to share with China's Vice President Xi Jinping regarding this issue?
3. 3. Other topics that will more than likely be discussed between the two leaders will include: the currency issue, human rights, intellectual property violations, barriers to foreign investment, and China's opposition to U.S. sanctions on Iran. Discuss any two or all of these issues to express your thoughts concerning U.S./China relations and how you think things should be resolved.
Tommy Billman
ReplyDeleteP.1
2/13/12
I think that America should work towards becoming independent. We became so focused on our workers that we forgot about our companies as a whole. I think that Obama needs to pass laws that tighten the noose of outsourcing labor. In the event that China surpasses the United States we should not be proud. America needs to cut taxes and help the middle class. We are no longer the land of the free and the home of the brave. Anyone with any sense already outsourced to China. Companies flock to profit like bugs to a light. Recently we have been dimming. We need to look back to the time where the United States was strong. We need to fix our education system that is still modeled off of the Industrial Revolution. We are producing children in batches when we should use the amazing technology around us to our advantage. Here I am sitting in a hospital listening to Pandora doing my own thing without someone breathing down my back. I think after elementary school kids should pursue the kind of career they want. Kids have more sense than you think. I have known my whole life I want to research or be around researchers. If we just invested in online programs for kids that could literally be set up in a month we could back on top with people fresh out of high school that are already skilled laborers. Honestly I can memorize songs that have hundreds of words in about an hour. Yet after hours of studying my peers can not memorize an easily organized list of 20 obscure words. I think that we should create downloadable podcasts that kids have to listen to on their iPods.
I think we should have a world-wide currency. Therefore there would be no conversions. Honestly the world is in more debt than it is worth. So the whole world needs to forgive each other and every single person gets $10,000 and all jobs are paid based on proficiency and desirability. So if you are a great sewage worker you would get paid a lot. If you are a bad teacher you won't get paid a lot. Because many people want to be teachers but I can not think of one person I know who wants to be a sewage worker.
In the end the whole world needs to forgive and forget and start off with a clean slate.
Sadie Frank
ReplyDelete1st Period
I don't think that being dependent on foreign trade is necessarily all good or all bad. What matters is your level of dependence. Participating in foreign trade makes good sense in many situations, and it betters our relationships with many different countries. However, when a nation such as the United States, which is capable of producing its own goods, is as dependent on China as we are now, nothing good can come of it. China's economy is as important to us as our own. That shouldn't be how it is. People speak of the 50s and 60s as the golden age, because nearly everything was manufactured and sold in America. It wouldn't hurt us to go back to that time.
I agree with Obama's plan to level the playing field in regards to trade with China, and of course he'll have to work with the Chinese officials on that front. He'll have to make sure that there are no hard feelings at the end of the day, because China is a huge superpower in the world right now and we can't exactly afford to enfuriate them.
All of those issues are important, as is the issue of the dependence that the US has on China. Everything is relevant and important, and we need to think about the repercussions of our actions before we take them.
Huibo Qi
ReplyDeleteP-2
If America is very dependent upon foreign trade, then their fate is intertwined with the other countries; the imports and exports keeps our economy growing but it can also harms us. Relying on foreign trade can benefit us, but if the other countries turn on the U.S., it can severely wound us in the end. Decline in employment is common, but the cheaper products are welcomed. I think America should keep depending on foreign trade, but at the same time, help the economy prosper.
The difference in the currency is a prominent problem. The more money China gets, the more industrialized they can be; America, on the other hand, loses money as they accept imports because of the currency difference. Obama needs to be cautious in his venture to make things right. Having China turn against us will leave a devastating effect. He must not be hasty in his decision, but I am confident he will make things better.
At this time, China and America need to work together if they want to keep their environment stable. They are joined at the hip economically; if one is affected, than the latter is too. Currency is a big problem. Money guides our life, but many different currencies are active. If everyone had the same currency, then many problems will dissolve.
As a nation you would want full responsibility of your money. America has always held its sense of independence in great honor. When immigrants hear the word 'America', independence is probably the first thing that pops up in their minds. When American rely too much on foreign countries for their expense, they endanger their sense of independence. Relying on other countries is essentially being dependent on them, which completely strips the title of independent away. Financial independence should be a priority to a country, you don't want other countries to bail you out and you don't have to be heavily indebted to them. It is very uncomfortable to owe debt to another country.
ReplyDeleteTo curtail unemployment, academics should be priority. Research has shown that people with higher education tend to find work much easier and faster, as opposed to people who have only finished high school. Colleges should lower the tuition rates so everybody has the same opportunity.
A country does well when foreign exchange is a source of income. In order to make money you have to produce and export, instead of import. When we import from China, we end up making less of a profit because we have to pay them. If we manufactured in the USA we wouldn't have to worry about paying foreign countries. There is also a currency difference between dollars and the yuan, which is more in favor of the latter, so America loses money whenever they import from China. This is what President Obama means by a level playing field. When President Obama talks to Xi Jinping he should make it clear that America is at a disadvantage with the currency difference, without hurting any feelings. This is a very sensitive issue and I believe President Obama will handle it properly.
One topic that will most likely arise in their conversation is America's opposition towards the violations of human rights in China.Tibetans are being oppressed, there is a lack of speech, and the media is under stringent control. China is a communist government, which America has always been against. They should also discuss about the currency issue. America does rely on China for many things, but the relationship is two way. China relies on America for a major source of income. China has a trade surplus because it exports so much to America. It is essentially a mutual relationship, however it is in the favor of China as of now, and President Obama should address this imbalance in his conversation.
Dilay Uras 5th-pd
ReplyDeleteI do not think that the U.S should become dependent on foreign countries; because the countries themselves have their own problems they need to deal with. Having such a big country fall onto the shoulders of another will make us look bad. For help, sure we can ask for help. But other than that I do not think we should trust anyone else.
If Obama wants to level the "playing fields" with China's Vice President Xi Jinping, than all I can say to him is that he needs to play it "cool" and not make it look like we need China's support
for anything else.
I would like to make a general comment on all of the topics (because it is hard to choose between any of them, because they all fall under the same idea). I think that the ideas: currency issue, human rights, intellectual property violations, barriers to foreign investment, and China's opposition to U.S. sanctions on Iran, should not be discussed with other Presidents/Vice presidents. They
will think it is a weak point, and because America is in debt, the forgein countries will take this moment to "attack".
I believe that if the United States is very dependent upon foreign trade, then our fate will be connected with other countries. Our imports and exports help our economy but at the same time, it can also harm us. Relying on foreign trade can be beneficial, but if the other countries were to suddenly choose not to trade with us, it could put the US in another major crisis. Decline in employment is common, but the cheaper products are welcomed. I think that the US should stay somewhat dependent on foreign trade, but at the same time, help the economy prosper in our own country as well.
ReplyDeleteThe difference in the currency can also be a major problem. The more income China makes, the more industrialized they will become. For the United States, we will lose money as we accept imports because of the currency difference. I think that Obama must be careful in his mission in improving the economy. If China were to turn their back to us, it could potentially be devestating. However, I do believe that Obama will be able to help bring this nation's economy back.
At this time point in time, both China and US need to work together to keep their economies stable. If one is affected, the other will be as well. Currency is a big problem. Money guides our life, but many different currencies are active. I believe that if the world had the same currency, many problems could disappear.
Everett Dang
ReplyDelete2nd period
I do not think it is good to completely depend on other countries or outsourcing too many jobs. For starters, we are losing many jobs that could be brought home to American citizens. We also comstantly lose money as we buy everything from other countries. On the other hand being completely independent can also be bad. Spending all our resources on selling our own goods feels like it will hinder progress for our country. I think we need a healthy mix of both independence and dependence. We could provide other countries goods while also purchasing goods. It is a jolly good plan if I do say so myself. We need to find a way to continuously make a profit while also giving citizens jobs and opportunities. The only problem is that the only way to make money is for someone else to lose money.
If Obama wants to become as big as China is in industry, he should do what he needs to do. He should not care about anything the Chinese president because their ideas could conflict. Obama does not need anyone else's advice to help his country grow. He should just work on the fundamentals and work with companies to produce more supplies. He should do whatever he wants and help our country and do anything to help us out. Building relationships is a good idea as well. This can help us export and stuff and good for country and stuff.
I think the idea of exchanging different ideas to help the overall quality of life for everyone is a good idea. They are discussing things that can improve and help people in America to people in China and even to people in Iran who have been oppressed and have suffered from the war. I think if there was a common currency then trading talks could be much easier. However if we were to merge into one common currency than many countries would gain overall money and many would lose money. It is very difficult to determine an answer to any of these topics. I don't think it is fair to have only two country leaders making decisions on these topics without consulting other countries.
Kat Westover
ReplyDeletePeriod 1
I believe that America should focus on insourcing more. We need the jobs for all of the unemployed people that are in the United States. It is getting harder for the middle class to stay the middle class. Without jobs, people can’t make money and outsourcing will become even more popular. In order for America to become more independent, President Obama needs to stop outsourcing. If you bring jobs back to America, then more people will be able to afford things and our economy will get better. We should not be proud that China’s economy is expected to overcome ours. America should be trying to fix our own country before dealing with others.
I would suggest Obama talk about the currency issue. Since the currencies are so different, it is hard to make a deal without one of the countries being in debut. Obama should talk about how to stop counterfeiting for both countries. Paying money for fake items is a problem for us, and a lot of money gets wasted. I agree with Obama’s statement about leveling the playing field for trade. America really needs it right now.
I think that a world currency should be created. It is hard to keep converting different currencies. It would make much more sense for there to be a universal currency for everyone to use. It would save countries money in the long run. It would probably make countries more open as well, if they didn’t have to worry about a miscalculation in the difference of the currencies. America and China need to talk about the US sanctions in Iran. It is very dangerous for two world superpowers to have a disagreement about something like this. If war was to break out, it is possible for America and China to be on two different sides, and many more lives would be wasted because of it.
Peter Williams
ReplyDeletePeriod 5
WH current event
I really don't think America should as dependent on other countries as it is now. If China stopped trading and importing things today things would get bad very quickly. We should also try to bring as many jobs as possible back to America from foreign countries, as President Obama said in his Address.
He should talk to the Chinese leader about America trading more with other countries so we don't rely so heavily on just one foreign country. He can ask if they can slow down their imports into America.
I think they should start to come up with a plan to that help to seriously lower our debt to China.
If we don't make a plan soon that help a lot the debt will get worse and worse. China doesn't want the U.S. in Iran but I don't think we should listen to them just because they tell us not to go there. Many of the problems with China can be solved by disscussion or creating long-term plans.
Jacob Guskiewicz
ReplyDeletePeriod 2
I think that America should try to stay away from being dependent on other countries. They should focus on being independent for a while and look towards their own natural resources. The US has gotten must of their manufactured goods from China. In my opinion they should make a goal to work on making their own. Getting into trading with other countries can cause confusion and that is why I find it better for us to be independent. The United States does need jobs so independent resources could help with jobs.
I would advise President Obama that we need to focus on our own supplies. I feel that we don’t have to go into more trading and maybe put out some jobs with manufacturing in the US. The United States has been running low on jobs for a few years now. China is a big trading company and I feel that for the next few years they need to look for a different country to do most of their trading with.
The Iran issue will be an important topic to talk about between President Obama and China’s Vice President. Iran is currently making nuclear weapons and it seems like a war threat. It is scaring many countries and I feel that President Obama and Xi need to look into this issue more because lots of counties are threatened by this development.
Melissa Turner
ReplyDelete2nd period
2-15-12
I think that America shouldn't be dependant on other countries, because that is what got us into the major debt crisis. We should be independant and focus on providing resources for ourselves. We should manufcture our own goods. I think that America is slowly becoming less of a superior country because she are constently taking from other countries. We also have a job crisis, but if we start making natural resources that would provide jobs as well. I feel like instead of the US staying more independant that we should stay close to China but not take from them. If China and the US join forces, they could easily stop Iran from becoming a threat with their nuclear weapons. I think that joining forces is good, but trading with China is putting America in a very unstabble place.
David Batson
ReplyDeleteP: 2
I believe that america is ensuring its own demise by trading so many of our jobs and so much of our labor to china. We are destroying our own economy while china is booming at our expense. We need to stop all of our foreign trade dependencies and get back to what it was like before china came into the picture. I think that american businesses should move their workers back to america and start exporting more and importing less. If we continue on the path we are on we will soon drop out of the picture as a major world power due to our large sum of debt. We need to export to china and not have most products imported from them. There have been products that have been major hits made in america the last few years, which proves we could start making more of our own stuff again. We have made cars in detroit (Ford, GM and Chrysler) and we have also made cars in tennesee as well (nissan leaf). I believe that we can make our own goods.
I would advise him to talk with the Vice president of china about leveling the trading field. I think that if we could get china to help us with this we would be much more effective in making our own goods. I am not completely sure that china would want to help us with this issue but if they felt it would help us pay back our debt I am sure they would do everything they could. No country can afford to have a customer 1.1 Trillion dollars shy of what they owe for very long. I agree that we have made some progress in the last five years, but I do not think that its enough. I think we need to get china’s help however embarassed that would make the US. If we can do anything to help us get out of the grave we have dug ourselves, I am positive that the government would make a unanimous decision to do it right away.
I think that a common currency should be made throughout the world so that we can easily determine the amount owed between countries and not have to awkwardly deal with different money. Having a common currency would make it easier for international trade to occur because amounts in one part of the world would mean the exact same thing in another part of the world. The issue of human rights should definetely come up in this meeting beause of all the child labor, low pay and abuse going on in underground sweatshops and even city factories in china right now. It is wrong to have children making shoes for us in sweatshops when they should be in school or enjoying any or all of the freedom american children expericence at any given time. They should not have to work because their parents get paid such low wages and they should not be abused at word because they make a simple mistake. Child labor laws and overall human rights are at stake currently in china and we need to take steps to help stop this from happening and prevent it from happening in the future.
America's economy has taken several hits in the past few years, but before that the system was already in place for China's economic domination. The United States has an incredibly large market, and China has an incredibly large, cheap workforce. As long as there is demand, there will be supply - only fools would risk not turning a profit. Jobs are outsourced because it's cheaper to build an iPad or an Xbox in a China (37% cheaper, to be exact), and we still buy them even though we know that the workers are treated horribly.
ReplyDeleteWe as a nation need to ensure that corporations want to build things domestically, not in China, India, Indonesia, or Uz-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan, in the words of a man who might have been President.
Parker Larson
ReplyDeletePeriod 5
First of all, this question is ridiculous. Asking if we should decrease our dependency is like asking if 1+1=2. A question that would only go one way, with one answer. Of course we want to decrease our dependency but another question we might ask is if any American wants to work for two dollars a day? Maybe it’s a good sign our country is over manufacturing cheap things for other people. We wont get over our dependency by just asking china to pay its workers more. What we could do is increase either manufacturing of high priced goods here such as medicinal things, or maybe vehicles.
I suppose it is kind of oxymoronic to ask for level ground in the “trading” field. You must go along with what they offer. If china’s citizens are fine with working in sweatshops and factories for low wages, then America will ever get a level playing field. I’m glad that we have gone beyond paying our people low salaries for their hard work.
Obama my try to talk to china about human rights, but nothing will get across. In some cases, you can invade to give foreign aid, but this is not one of them. China may not want the US in Iran but I think we need to make sure an instable country does not get nukes.
Ye Htet
ReplyDelete2nd period
I really don't think the U.S. should be really dependent on China or any other foreign countries too much. What the U.S. has been doing is like feeding someone else and starving. Now the U.S. owes a lot of debt to China so I really don't think w should rely on foreign goods too much. It's not good to have no contact at all either or else we'll be left behind in the advancements of the world.I really think America should export more instead of importing everything from other countries. We can also come back up with American products. Like Obama said at the State of Union address, companies should start calling back workers and giving more jobs to the people of the United States.
President Obama wanting to level the playing field, I think he should play cool and not let both sides go home more tensed up and instead be satisfied. I feel as though we cannot pay all our debts just by doing it all by ourselves. Obama should try to gain assistance from China too. China probably wouldn't want to help but if they want the money we owe then they'll have to figure out a way the U.S. can pay back too. Making the U.S. increase debts isn't going to help them either because they might not get the money back until a very long time.
I think money shouldn't be valued more or less in different countries, a common currency should be placed. People will think that countries are cheating each other out in trade and it'll make trade much easier because we'll have the same currency. Human rights in China isn't all great because of Tibet. There have been many protests to make Tibet it's own country yet China refuses. China censors these acts on the media are not giving Tibet to the Tibetans. It's like someone comes to your home and locks you out and says this is my house. It's not right so I think maybe the U.S. should try pressuring China towards making Tibet it's own country.
Heather Fowler
ReplyDelete2nd period
Firstly, I don’t think America should rely so heavily on foreign trade, especially to one country. There are pros to having relations to other countries, but I think we need to work on bringing jobs back to the United States. Everyone talks about how unemployment is such a prominent issue, and if we were more independent as a country, we wouldn’t have that problem. Relationships with other countries can be helpful, but we’re way too dependent on China’s exports.
I agree with the President when he says the playing field should be evened. For a happy relationship, we must give China the same amount of resources they give us. I think it’s also important for the President to be honest to the Vice President when they meet. It shouldn’t cause any trouble if Obama tells him that he should be expecting an equal amount of imports as well as exports.
This will really be a test for America and China to see if we can get along functionally. Teamwork is important, because if one of us takes a hit, the other one does as well. Besides relying heavily on China for foreign trade, I think currency is a major issue all around the world. If we all had the same currency it would make things a lot easier, thus resulting in more problems being resolved. America has always been against the communist government of China, and it will be interesting to see if this changes or if America can put this behind them. The more the two countries agree the better relations we will have.
Elijah Moore
ReplyDelete2nd period
I believe that the United States should trade with other countries to promote global peace. However the United States should not be completely dependent on the resources and products supplied by other nations. Call it American nationalism but I think that we should be the head supplier of products to other countries. I stand by what I said last week and believe that the U.S should be focusing more on Technological advances instead of focusing so much on politics and the media. Over the past presidencies there has not been a president that has done anything groundbreaking with the policies they have put out. If we focus more on technology I think that the exportation rate in the U.S will increase.
I dont think Obama should say anything to the Chinese vice President. If he asks for help it is a sign of weakness. If he tells anything about the stats of America, the vice president will have info regarding America's "core." Honestly I just think that Obama should not say anything to Xi Jinping just in case something where to arouse him to take action on the problems we are having and act in - from our point view - negative solution. I don't know about my peers but I would like to live through my lifetime without getting into a war with China.
About a year ago I was apart of a debate team called "We The People." Basically all it is is most of the judges in Virginia ask multiple private schools and abundance of questions. Every We the People class is divided into six different groups, each with a different topic of interest. Each group gets a total of six questions. One of the questions my had to answer was "How has the United States influenced other countries?". There was poll by the Program on International Policy Attitudes that concluded that the United States has a 34 percent positive and a 55 percent negative percent negative effect on other countries. A government report for the future "Global trend 2025" says that the strength of the United States will be one of the lowest in the world. I have no idea how these issues could be resolved. I'm sure that anything that i think of has already been thought of by officials and have all been proven flawed.
Jeremy werden
ReplyDelete1st period
The US was the most sucessful when we were the worlds leading exporter. Now we are moving aside and letting china become the largest economy in the world. In the next ten years chinas economy will surpass our own as the ring bearer for the World. China is capitilizing on their cheap goods. While us americains keep buying.
Personally I beleive the larger china gets the more expensive their services will become. The thing is they expect that to happen too and are well prepared. They have invested in many things, but mostly in america. We owe china over a trillion dollars that the lent us. We need to pay this off instead of allowing it to get larger.
Caroline Liu
ReplyDelete5th period
I don’t think the United States government should be so dependent on China. If the Chinese importing, for some reason, stops, we would be in big trouble. Also, outsourcing jobs to Chinese people for much lower wages causes us to lose jobs here in America. We are always talking about creating new jobs; this is a very good way to start. To do this, Obama should make it so companies are charged extra for outsourcing jobs in countries like China, and local businesses and those like Masterlock that keep jobs here in the United States get tax cuts or other benefits.
As for presenting this matter to Vice President Xi Jinping, I think President Obama should suggest changes and be persistent but not force the issue. I know China is already aware of the problems between its policies and those of America. So, the president should be stubborn but not to such a degree to demand change. China is a very large and powerful country that we do not want to mess with.
Concerning US/China relations, I think the whole thing would be much better off if the United States government would just keep its nose out of other peoples’ business. On a topic like human rights, the US cannot simply force China to change its view on how to treat its citizens. Yes, I believe China should be less restricting on their people but if they are a totalitarian government, it is very unlikely that they will change their minds. Reminding them of their flaws will just cause tension, especially if China does not have the state of mind to change.
Becca White
ReplyDelete2nd period
I feel that the United States depends on foreign trade. Our imports and exports help our economy but at the same time, it can also harm us and a major effect.Like, how we rely on foreign trade is good for the US, but if all of the sudden the other countries choose not to trade with us, the US now has another problem to deal with. I think that the US continues to be dependent on foreign trade, but at the same time, start making products here in the US then, I think this could help the economy.I think that Obama must be careful in his steps towards improving the economy. However, I don't think that Obama will be able to help bring this nation's economy back. Just with the progress and effort that has been made.
Mookho Paw
ReplyDelete2ed Period
Honestly, I do not think that the United States should rely so much on trades and exports from other countries. Since unemployment is such a huge issue here in the U.S, we should figure out ways to be less dependent and more independent. Although working with China has its pros, there are also many cons to it. I think that if we were more independent, we would have much less problems. We are way too independent on other nations export. It seems that many of the materials I own are "Made in China" or "Made in Mexico". It would be nice to see more things "Made in the U.S" America should move all the workers in China, Mexico or any other countries back to the U.S. Right now the U.S owes China so much money that instead of trying to owe more money, we should focus on paying them back.
Secondly, I do not think that President Obama should say anything to the Vice President from China. Stating something to the Vice President from China could cause conflict. Also,Xi Jinping could take advantage of us, seeing that we are in an economic crisis. But also if this was not the case, the two presidents could have a truthful conversation that may us. Either way something has to be done before everything gets too out of hand. And I think President Obama is doing a fantastic job, trying hard to help his country.
Currency is a very big deal with the situation that we are in. Since China and the U.S have very different currencies, it is difficult to solve the problem. It would be so much easier on us as well as other countries if we all had the same currency. The leaders should focus about these important topics and make changes that will be effective, beneficial and fair to every country. Though it may be hard, they should try. We all need to get along well and learn how to make fair deals.
1st period
ReplyDeleteThe US can not keep depending on foriegn products from China. First of all it takes away from jobs that people could be doing over here in the US. The more we keep buying from China more jobs will be moved there. Also, some of these products aren't necessarily safe. China takes all sorts of shortcuts to make things as cheap as possible. There's really no benefit to buying goods from China. The only people it benefits are the CEO's of the corporations outsourcing the jobs.
President Obama really can't say anything to the vice president. China knows what it's doing and nothing Obama can say will change there mind. They have a goal to become the best economy in the world and they're gonna do it. Now if they level the playing field they probably would not be able to do that. At this point if Obama tried to say anything the vice president would laugh in his face.
China's human rights are horrible and I think the US needs to focus on this issue because I think it's one of the only things we might be able to improve. China doesn't have any law forbidding things like sweatshops and such. They also have nothing like minimum wage in place. No workers unions. nothing.
America shouldn't be relying solely on foreign trade and outsourcing. While there should be some reliance on foreign goods, some jobs should also be moved back home. As of now, our reliance on foreign goods is such that if something catastrophic were to happen to one of those countries, or they got in a bad relationship with America, then a big portion of our imports would be lost. Moving jobs back would decrease reliance as well as lowering the unemployment rate.
ReplyDeleteThe main thing that Obama should talk about with China's vice president Xi Jinping to "level the playing field" is that he would like for the countries to have a more even import/export relationship. As it is, America is importing so many products, but exporting little. Of course, he should do this in a persuasive and not be forceful about it, as that could strain our relationship with each other.
The currency issue is a big deal in the situation that we are in. Since both currencies are very different, it's sometimes hard to get a fair price for things. China and America should work towards getting similar currencies. Another thing that should be discussed is China's human rights. In comparison with most other countries, they're pretty terrible. Obama should try to work out a basic rights code for all people living in China.
Sophie Kahn
ReplyDelete2/15/12
Period Five
America should become more independent and not depend so much on foreign trade. If our country depends a good deal on others, then we can get ourselves tied into a mess. What happens if something arises in the other country, and they can’t supply to our needs? Having relationships with other countries is good to an extent, but it puts us in a bad position at times. Another downfall at being at the mercy of other countries is that we have to trust them to give us what we need. How are we to rely on other countries and be able to be absolutely positive that we get a fair trade? We have to make sure that we have something they need as well, so that we can keep it equal between our needs.
I think that if President Obama wishes to level the playing field, then he needs to share this with Xi Jinping. If he does this, he will have to do it cautiously, but be firm on his beliefs. If anything is going to level out the trade, it will have to be communicated between our countries.
If we were to create a common currency, I think that trading would be a lot easier. It would make more sense and you would be able to compare the amount of money each country intakes more simply. However, this would be hard to make happen. If they decide this might be a good decision, they should discuss with other world leaders, and make a global decision. I also think that if America and China worked together we could help with each other’s economy problems, which could then help people in both our countries. Obama and Xi Jinping could exchange ideas and maybe come up with a solution that could benefit both countries.
EMERY HARWELL
ReplyDeleteFIFTH PERIOD
should america be so dependent on foreign trade and outsourced jobs? is that a question? are you serious? why, why on earth would the us ever not want to stimulate OUR economy. over here. in AMERICA. not india, not china, not thailand. the US should never have gotten this far into foreign dependency. now, we're kind of stuck. now of course inporting so much of our STUFF is cheap, and outsourcing jobs is cheap, in the long run, it is really no good. because now... we're 14 trillion dollars in debt, and how much of that belongs to china? like five or six trillion? of course everyone would love to see that number come down, and see the unemployment rate in america come down too. the question is though... if all of these outsourced jobs were brought back home, would americans take them? would they be willing to work in FACTORIES and CALLCENTERS. god forbid they do something acctually laborious, or even minutely unenjoyable. so for now, until americans wuit being fat and lazy, maybe all these out sourced jobs isnt sooo bad.
the next prompt i have a tough time adressing. of course, obama, we want other countries to balance the inport/export area... maybe to make us look better, maybe to acctually help the global economy. right now though, if we are not even remotely close to balanced, dont you think we should back of china until we are? just saying... we do owe them a fair sum of money. not that they really have that against us though.
the last prompt, well... i suggest obama just avoid this all together. we all want to be friends, and a good way to do that is help eachother out economicaly! but lay off socialy, because if we start telling china how to run their country, they might not want to be buds anymore. and wouldnt that be unfortunate?! where would we get all of our toys?! and baseballs!? and american flags!?
Vatsal Parikh
ReplyDelete2nd period
I think that because America was so dependent on other countries for manufacturing and trade, it is one of the largest reasons that the economy has dropped so much. Whenever I hear the news or hear other people talking about the issue, they are always saying that we need to stop depending on China. I know that we depend on China for a fact because almost every time that I look at a product, I look at the bottom to see where it was manufactured, it almost always says 'Made in China". I also hear all the politicians saying how they want to create jobs and how Americans are losing jobs because the jobs are being outsourced to other countries such as China.
I don't think President Obama should say too much to the president of China. I think that he should take actions towards his goal and eventually China will realize and they will take necessary steps for them to be successful. Then if both countries get what they want, then it will be a win-win situation.
I think that in the past before the recession, the American economy was doing well. So I don't think that it would be a good idea to create a common currency because then new problems will arise. I think though that it is a good idea for America and China to still be allies because they are too very strong countries and world peace would be harder to achieve if the two very powerful countries were not allied or not cooperating together.
Kristin Thompson <3
ReplyDelete1st period
I think that America should be dependent when it comes to foreign trade. As a country you would want to be fully in charge of the money. I think that America’s fate should not be in the hands of another country. In America a big thing is independenence we should not rely on other countries, a big step for America would be becoming more independent. In a way foreign trade can be a good but if all of a sudden another country wants to turn on us we are going to be in a world of trouble.
I think that the statement made by president Obama was good; we need to step up the playing field with china. I think that we need to like gradually ease of china and make it not look so obvious that we need there help all the time.
I think by doing this it will really be a test for America and China to see if we could have good team work. Relying so heavily on China for foreign trade is not a good thing, I think currency is a major issue not only for America and China but all around the world. If we all had the same currency it would make things a lot easier which would resolve a lot of the problems this we go through.
Daniel Fernandez
ReplyDelete2/16/12
I think that the USA should become more independence because, we owe China a lot of money and the amount of money we owe them is a really big number that nothing can count. And if china wanted to they can just come to the USA and say we owe this now because of the money you owe us. So i think the USA should make more stuff in the USA it will cost more but we wont keep making our debt with china grow even bigger.
I agree with obama leveling the playing fields with china. But when we do we should make sure nothing fishy is going on because, china could be come sensitive and want to attack us back and we do not need this right now.
All these topics are very important and we need to think our movements well before we react because this is not a random weak country it is china we owe them a lot of money and they could fight back if we mess up.
Grace Gollmar
ReplyDelete2/16/12
1st Pd.
In my opinion, having economic independence is a good thing for our country since depending completely or even mostly on foreign trade ties our economy to the economies of other countries. Having the ability to trade with other countries may help boost our economy, but it can also cause problems of debt and outsourcing of jobs that could be more beneficial to us if they were on American ground. One of the things that President Obama must do now is make sure that we have a balance between maintaining a good relationship with China and becoming more economically independent as a country. This means that although insourcing our jobs could be beneficial to us, we must still try to do so in a way that is mutually beneficial and will not cause conflict between the U.S. and China.
Another topic that I would like to see discussed is the possibility for implementing a common currency between our countries in order to help with trade. This would make trade between the U.S. and China easier and more transparent, which could in turn help to improve relations between the two countries despite the ongoing moral dissonances between them. I think that the current system is causing a lack of trust between the U.S. and China, especially with the human rights restrictions that the Chinese government currently enforces, and that the best solution for now is to improve our relations from an economic standpoint rather than try to enforce our views on a country that is out of our control.
Daniel Ferreira 5th Period
ReplyDeleteThere is absolutely no question that the USA needs to stop depending on foreign trade and outsourcing. The reason China is soon to be a greater economic force than we are is because they are exporting more and pay their workers much less. If we rely on foreign trade, we will never rebuild our economy. We need to create domestic jobs and and make sure we get back on top of exporting. Apple has more many than our United States Treasury at the moment. Although Apple was founded in America, one of its most well known factories is Foxconn located in China. The United States is losing many with every citizen we outsource and every product we buy from China and other countries. The only way to boost our economy is to start creating jobs right here at home.
If Obama wants to level the playing field of trade, he needs to start rewarding companies that create more work opportunities in America. If we have a great company and then they decide to create job opportunities elsewhere, it will hurt us. Obama mentioned this in his Sate of the Union Address and would give a penalty to those companies outsourcing. He needs to make sure to start creating more domestic opportunities for work, so then we can have people outside the US want to be outsourced here. If Obama can do this, not only will it help our economy, but it will make sure that China won't beat us out to the top.
A topic Obama should be talking about with China's vice president is human rights. The minimum wage for China is set locally according to standards by the central government. The working conditions in China are also much worse than in America. There have been many stories about the hazardous chemicals produced in Foxconn , a factory that creates Apple products. These two factors contribute to China's growing economy. Companies don't have to pay their workers as well as in America, therefore they can create more products. The currency issue is also something Obama should talk about with Xi Jinping. A price you agree with a foreign supplier may change the next day depending on the change of exchange rates. This is something that should be looked into and fixed, which could benefit many more countries than just the USA and China.
Emilee Taxman
ReplyDelete2nd Period
I think that we are being crippled as a country by relying so heavily on other countries. We are losing money that is going to other countries. If we are so close, if China starts to hurt, we’ll feel the decline too. I agree that we should stop the outsourcing because the more companies we lose the worse. We are not only missing out on the money from the goods and the company but we are also missing the chance for many new American jobs to be made. In our current condition, not only can we not afford it, but our economy will stay hurt for longer.
I think that we should share with China that we are suffering and that lowering our economy could be a death sentence. Since they are deeply entwined with us and our pain is some of their pain. We need those jobs because our economy is in a decline. He needs to tell them about the future we could have without a stable economy. We need the jobs from the companies to fix our economy and help our country. They need to understand that the gap between their earnings and ours would begin to hurt their country as well as ours. Until they can understand that, we can’t make any changes to our country, or theirs.
The fact that their money is worth less than ours is a big problem. It makes trading, transferring, and business a lot harder. We do a lot of those things so the money gap will continue to make things a lot harder. If China doesn’t fix this, it will make trading a lot harder in the future when we will continue to need it a lot. I think it should be resolved by raising the value of the Chinese money not lowering ours as that would cause even more problems than before. It’s not good that they were opposed to us in Iraq since we need them on our side. Many people here were also opposed to Iraq but we did go so that is their impression of us. We should resolve this by showing how many were against it here too and that we’re working to leave now.
William Bukowski
ReplyDelete5th period
2-15-12
I think that it is a good thing that the U.S imports some things, but there is a limit for how much to import. American companies should not have to outsource their whole entire company to be able to stay in business. The reasons they have for outsourcing to places is money, they can work people longer and harder with no health benefits and make tons of money. So the way that we can fix it is by raising taxes on companies that have over some percent of its products made in other countries.
I would advise Obama to request that China should have an identical benefits system as we do in the U.S. The main reason people have for outsourcing is the money, and if one country forces them to have benefits for workers and another country doesn't, than they will most likely choose the path to more money, the no benefits country. Another thing we should do with China is figure out some way for us to pay the trillions of dollars of debt we are in with china. I have no idea how we can do that, but they should formulatye some plan.
So like I touched on earlier one of the major problems we have right now is currency. We are in trillions of dollars of debt, We are in more debt that there is money circulating right now between the U.S. and china. There are not many solutions to this huge prblem, all we could relly do is nibble at the debt and hope with time that we will be able to create a stable economy in which we pay off our debt. Another idea , but which is insane and china would have to be very nice to do is to wipe our debt with them clean and start over. Some problems we have at home are the welfare suckers that take all the welfare checks and have no work and sit at home not working.
Alex Haggis
ReplyDeletefirst period
1. It isn't bad to be involved in trade with other countries, in fact it's necessary. However, trade should be fair and mutually beneficial to both parties involved. It's true that in the short term trading with china would help us, but it isn't a healthy practice for us to be so dependent on any nation. Saudi Arabia for instance, is a country that is responsible for a huge percentage of the world's oil reserves. We spend a tremendous amount of our federal income on their oil although we have a lot of recourses within our borders that could be used. We do this because it's much easier to buy from a foreign country for a low price than to take the time to invest in job creating alternatives; and it is especially ironic when that country is one of the major sponsors of world terrorism.
2. The truth of the matter is that the reason that this is such a big problem is because of the fact that China's low labor costs and low taxes allow this sort of thing. It isn't like they are subverting the law, so it's hard for governments to stop this since there are a lot of gray areas and unique situations. The best thing to do is make life better for the chinese proletariate by raising the minimum wage and legalizing unions and that type of thing.
3. Human rights is a big issue concerning these high population eastern countries. An international minimum wage would be good but also if China were to just raise their preexisting one it would be sufficient. There needs to be stricter regulation of copyright laws and more rights for the working class.
Brian Thornton
ReplyDeletePeriod 2
After reading this article I don't think that being dependent on foreign trade is good or bad. What matters is your level of dependence. Being involved in foreign trade makes sense in many, and it makes our relationship better with many different countries. When a country such as the United States, which is capable of producing its own goods, is as dependent on China as we are now, nothing good can come of it. China's economy is as important to us as our own. That shouldn't happen. People speak of the 50s and 60s as the golden age, because nearly everything was manufactured and sold in America.
I would think that Obama would talk about the currency issue. Since the currencies are so different, it is hard for the U.S to make a deal without us being in debut. Obama should talk about how to stop counterfeiting for both countries. Paying money for fake items is a problem, and a lot of money gets wasted. I agree with Obama’s statement about leveling the playing field for trade. America really needs it right now. The more imports we take from china the more money we lose.
China's human rights are horrible and I think the US can improve the human rights laws of china. China doesn't have any law forbidding things like sweatshops and such. They also have nothing like minimum wage in place. No workers unions. A lot of people work hard labor and get paid less than minimum wage and that’s unfair to many people who are going through this.
Carolyn Deutsch
ReplyDelete2nd period
I think that doing business with other countries can be a good or a bad thing. We could become very dependent on other countries and that could be bad for our economy. Also if something happened to the other country then it could effect our country as well, or another country could suddenly decide not to trade with us and then we could be put into a major crisis. Although it is also a good thing because our imports and our exports help our countries economy. I think that we should keep up trading with other countries, but we should also make sure that our economy is not relying on any other countries.
I think that Obama should talk about the currency issue. Almost always one of the countries is left in debt after a trade, so I think he needs to address that issue. Also I think that Obama just needs to do what he thinks is right to help our country.
I think that a world currency could be a good idea, it would make trade a lot more easy and travel. I think that we need to listen to China more, for instance about Iran, I think that Obama needs to discuss things with China and create a long term plan.
Bryan Zhang
ReplyDelete5th period
I don’t it’s good to depend only on other countries or outsourcing too many jobs. We are losing many jobs that could be brought home to American citizens. We also are constantly losing money as we buy everything from other countries. On the other hand, being completely independent can also be bad. Spending all our resources on selling our own goods feels like it will hinder progress for our country. I think we need a healthy mix of both independence and dependence. We could provide other countries goods while also purchasing goods. The only problem is that the only way to make money is for someone else to lose money.
If Obama wants to become as big as China in its industry, he should do what he needs to do. He should not care about anything the Chinese president because their ideas could conflict. Obama does not need anyone else's advice to help his country grow. He should just work on the basics and comprend with companies to produce more supplies. He should do whatever he wants to help our country. Building relationships is a good idea as well. This can help us export goods. I think the idea of exchanging different ideas to help the overall quality of life for everyone is a great idea. They are discussing things that can improve and help people in America to people in China. I think if there was a common currency, then trading talks could be much easier. However if we were to merge into one common currency than many countries would gain overall money and many would lose money. It is very difficult to determine an answer to any of these topics. I do not think it is fair to have only two country leaders making decisions on these topics without consulting with other countries.
Jeanie Stouffer
ReplyDelete5th
2/16/12
I think that the United States should stop the outsourcing to other countries because people really need jobs. The United States does not need China. We can do the job ourselves. People are losing jobs because companies are moving to places like China. If companies put their jobs back in the United States, everything is going to cost more money. But if people have those jobs, that means they can buy more of the company’s products.
I would tell Obama to tell him that Obama would like to make a plan with the Vice President that he would like equalize trade and then eventually decrease trade with China. We are taking advantage of Chinese people making our products because we just get them at the store while they have little kids working in factories and dying. We need to place these kids in school instead of working in factories for the United States. They deserved better care then what they get.
I think the Chinese yuan needs to value less. Also Obama needs to tell him about the dangers people are going through in China. Like what I said in the paragraph before, kids are in dangerous conditions in factories and do not get paid enough. If the Chinese still want child labor, they need to make the kids work in safer conditions and work less so they can have a life instead of dying in factories. Also, China is overpopulated. I would tell him to also create more farms because the people in China do not get enough food. Millions of people are starved. If they start more farms, more people will have jobs and more citizens would have food.
I’m going to really enjoy this....
ReplyDeleteKefu Zhu
Period 5
Because I am “anti-American”, I will write this from two different points of view. Foreign trade is a good thing. It promotes cooperation, and improves relations. That said, at this point, America is not only dependent on foreign trade, it’s OVER dependent on foreign trade. When I was little, I tried to find a toy at the PTA that wasn’t made in China. It took me about half an hour. It’s really sad when things have reached a point that hiring someone overseas to make a product and shipping it halfway across the world is cheaper than hiring the guy at home to do it for you. Good job. You know how the national debt is at around 15 trillion dollars right now? It’s going to go higher at this rate. Obama was right to try to do something about that. America was once an industrial superpower, during World War II. What happened?
For China, this is great. We get to become a superpower, while you people lose money and inhale lead. Nice job. Also, about the intellectual property concerns: I hope that you realize that the largest offender of copyrights and such is not in china. It’s in SWEDEN. The Pirate Bay. Heard of it? As far as human rights though, China needs to fix some things, including the aforementioned lead problem, and the working conditions, and child labor.
Jonathan Jang
ReplyDelete1st Period
2-13-12
I think that America should stop depending on other countries for their products and start to become independent. We have become so focused on our workers and the fact that people need to find jobs. But the sad thing is that people are still jobless and it is because they do not have the education to get jobs. Additionally the U.S has forgotten about its companies as a whole. So relying on foreign trade can be beneficial, but if the other countries were to suddenly choose not to trade with us, it could put the US in another major crisis. Decline in employment is common, but the cheaper products are welcomed. I think that the US should stay somewhat dependent on foreign trade, but at the same time, help the economy prosper in our own country as well.
I think that President Obama should definitely go for what he wants with China because I think that Obama is really trying to help our bad economy. If Obama wants to become as big as China economically, then he should do what he needs to do. He should not care about anything the Chinese president because their ideas could conflict. I think that Obama does not need anyone else's advice to help his country grow. Obama should just work on the fundamentals and work with companies to produce more supplies. Obama should do whatever he wants and help our country and do anything to help us out. Building relationships is a good idea as well. This can help us export goods for other countries and etc. But it could also lead to a really bad downfall later on.
I think that we should have a world-wide currency; therefore people would not have to go through the time and the frustration to just get money converted to the right countries money. Furthermore China and America need to work together because all this tension and hatred will eventually have outcomes like wars. Also if there was more peace and prosperity in the world than lots of problems would wither away.
Juliana Dunn, 5th
ReplyDeleteI do not think America should be so dependent on foreign trade. America has a very large country, that is able to produce a lot of things with its own resources, and because our economy has been down in the recent years it would be a good idea to bring more jobs back to the states. However, cooperating with other countries is not a bad thing, and I believe that the more we talk through economic trouble with leaders from other countries, the easier it will also be to talk about other problems as well. But, having to build more factories in America would cost a lot of money, and would create more air pollution troubles like some they are having in China because of all of the factories.
I think president Obama should discuss these trade, cost and employment issues all with China’s president, but also listen to what he has to say about his country’s problems. Solving the economic and other problems America is having is obviously one of the top things on the list, but solving only our problems and not trying to help anyone else if we could, would not be getting America as a nation anywhere, especially concerning international affairs. I am not sure what we should do in terms of outsourcing, or prices of products made across seas, because I do not know what is being produced.
I think human rights is a very important issues, but I cannot think of any human rights conflictions going on between China and the US, but human rights is a very important issue, and I think it should be discussed by major world leaders. In terms of currency, that is a tough issue. Different countries having their own currencies is nice, because it makes different countries more unique, but it can also cause economic boosts and downfalls for other countries. For now, I don’t think that we should convert to all having the same currencies, and I think that some countries may agree.
Louisa Fine
ReplyDelete1st period
I think that the United States is already too dependent upon other countries for trading. We are trading with countries that we don’t even agree in their styles of government or how the people of these nations are being treated. The United States should be trying to come up with more jobs for Americans not out sourcing jobs and supporting other countries’ economies. America has become more and more dependent upon other countries and if anything they should try to have less outsourcing not more.
Trade should definently be made to have fair standards. Hopefully Obama will be able to make a god deal without angering the other countries. China’s currency also plays a part in the unfair trade issues. I don’t think Obama should try to beat around the bush when trying to resolve the fair trade issues, he should be exact but also polite about it. Over time these issues should be resolved.
I think that a world wide currency may be a good idea but it may make more problems than it would initially solve. All the countries would want different things for the currency and it would just call for more arguments. I think that child labor is also a problem Obama should adress. Telling China to stop is not going to make them stop though. America should be checking into all of our companies to make sure none of them are giving their work to child labor factories. To discourage this they should try a semi-bycott method.
Andrew simms
ReplyDelete2/16/12
I do not believe America should be so dependant upon foreign trade. If America keeps relying upon countries such as China they will slowly destroy us. First our economy will continue to fail while the citizens continue to lose jobs. Next the debt would grow and eventually the countries that lend us money will want it back. America would not be able to pay it because we have not been making money from exporting any products.
I think Obama should give it to him. Everything he has talked about in the address he should talk about while also talking about how bad Chinas products seem to be. Not only in the 1900's did China supply the USA with products and kid toys that had lead on them but they sold the products cheap like they do nowadays. Now you have seen the outcome of there cheap products imagine if it continues like this.
To tell the truth u do not think we should talk about any of these topics to China. What is happening is just like in Iran we are trying to tell them how to run their own country. It is not as if we run China. They are there own country and unless it is out of control we should interfere with Chinas social laws.
Arturo Tornero
ReplyDelete1st Period
The U.S. and China are dependant on each other, and at an extent where penalizing has a limit. For example, everything in Walmart is nearly 100% manufactured from China, and a vast amount of toys we (The U.S.) receive contains lead substance, which is dangerous. We did punish them for this, but it was the Chinese who chose to execute the companies owners who made their products into scandals. In fact, the head boss of the organization for the lead contaminated toys committed suicide for being humiliated and embarrassment of his ‘crime.’ One of the major problems was that of 2008, a milk scandal in which melamine is greatly used instead of protein. In protein tests, the melamine makes the small amount of protein left look normal, and when the milk is consumed, a great deal of damage is done to the kidney. So this scandal was well disguised, until people noticed a tremendous trend in graphs comparing the quality of milk taken and the health of that population.
Another topic to bring up is the Cultural Revolution, which could well compare and relate to what is going on now. Obama’s plan to double exports by 2015 is an excellent idea, specially because everything exported mainly goes to somewhere else in North America. Americans who plan on setting up a business and do, focus too much on the manufacturing of and in “here” (U.S.) and not thinking what could be achieved if manufacturing elsewhere/to a foreign country. The currency idea is very complicated, I do not know what to think of it yet besides sharing a same currency would not be such a bright idea.
Ria Das
ReplyDelete2nd Period
I believe that America should not be this dependent on foreign countries. Instead of letting jobs getting outsourced to China, we should be working to bring them back. If our country does not have a strong maufacturing base, then we can never hope to regain the very properous economy that we once had. It's not as if we have to stop trading with other countries, we should just try to export just as much we import.
The most important thing that Obama needs to talk about with the Chinese president is about how he would like our countries to have a more even import/export relationship. America imports a lot more goods from China and other countries, than it does exporting them. In order for our economy to become strong again, it is essential we start exporting a lot more goods from our country. This will strengthen our manufacturing base and create many jobs for people in the US.
If President Obama talks to China's president about the human rights issues that they have, I don't think he will really care about what we have to say. China is watching how they can be inhumane to their people and still have a higher growth rate than anyone else in the developed world. If these methods are working for them, I honestly don't think they will care what anyone else has to say about it.
I think America should be less dependent on foreign countries than it is. I think that there should be some kind of balance between importing cheap goods from other countries and manufacturing our own here. It is important to outsource the least amount of jobs possible, but also keep prices in the US as cheap as possible for the American consumers. Outsourcing employment is never good for the American economy and people. We should focus on our own country and the future of it rather than just looking at the short-term and thinking just about short-term money.
ReplyDeleteIt may not seem like it, but countries do care about other countries to some extent. I think that if President Obama is honest and straightforward with the Chinese president on what he wants for the US, I think that he will listen. China also knows that if the American economy fails due to our dependency on foreign countries, it will have an impact on the Chinese economy. I think Obama should talk primarily about import/exports, and make it clear that he wants to even out imports/exports to an extent where both countries could profit.
Different types of people have different opinions. However, the US shouldn't butt in and try to change China's policies completely. The US can express its opinions, and I think it is a good idea to talk to China about what is happening in their country and how they treat their people, but it isn't smart to create even more tension. A common currency would be a good concept, but it would be hard to implement, countries would lose/gain money. I think that our own ideas could be presented to the Chinese, and then a compromise could be reached.
Hugh Kelley, 5th
ReplyDeleteI think that the United States are too dependent on foreign trade. It is expnsive to maintain the shipping of the trade to the United States. The United States need to work on their econimy and minimzing the amount of foreign trade would be a big step. Hopfully we can start using resources from local places.
I think that Obama should continue to trade with China for right now and try and balance out the trade. If we were to do it now we would have to minimize the amount in future years.
I think the Human Rights issue is a big issue to cover. I think that it is a big issue to cover because it is a personal issue that is not something to disregard. Also world wide curenccy would make many things eiser but also much more complecated. It would make it much easier because you would not have to change curenccy every time you went to a different country. It would also make it much more complicated because you would have to spread currency throught the word even to small countries.
Nate Bolon
ReplyDelete5th period
I think that from a business standpoint, outsourcing to foreign countries is a great idea. Foreign labor is much cheaper, and almost as good. Not only that, but it is less trouble to acquire. comparing an american product to a foreign product is like a giraffe to a donkey. Obviously, the giraffe is a higher quality and more graceful animal, but the donkey is more widely used because of its easy access. In america, we pride ourselves in being the giraffes of the world. However, it is not good for our country. The economy of the US is in trouble right now, somewhat because of the lack of jobs. this lack of jobs is stemming from the outsourcing of jobs in every field, from call centers, to giraffe merchandise, and even world history teachers. The US needs to bring the jobs back home, for higher quality and more economically beneficial call centers, giraffe merchandise, and world history teachers, such as mister waters.
Obama should tell giraffe vice president Xi Jinping that we want to become more of an exporter and a producer rather than a consumer, because as of now, america is an importer, taking in many things from other countries, like toys, clothes, and giraffes. Obama should also discuss our unemployment problems with mr. Jinping, and see if we can make a plan to do that. also, America is not the only country with lots of problems. We should see if we can help china, because they would be a powerful ally once they become the biggest economy on earth.
The violation of intellectual property by some chinese is wrong, and is one of the reasons SOPA and PIPA were devised. we need to find a way to stop people from taking images and videos off the internet, because lots of copyrighted images, such as that of spongebob or mario or even corey the giraffe have been stolen and used on counterfeit merchandise. Also, china opposes sanctions on
Iran for their nuclear development. We should discuss this with china, because if iran gets nukes, they might nuke israel and kill the endangered species of llamas there. All in all, I think that the visit from the giraffe Chinese vice president Xi Janping will be very productive for both of our countries.
I think America should be less dependent on foreign countries than it is. I think that there should be some kind of balance between importing cheap goods from other countries and manufacturing our own here. It is important to outsource the least amount of jobs possible, but also keep prices in the US as cheap as possible for the American consumers. Outsourcing employment is never good for the American economy and people. We should focus on our own country and the future of it rather than just looking at the short-term and thinking just about short-term money.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the President when he says the playing field should be evened. For a happy relationship, we must give China the same amount of resources they give us. I think it’s also important for the President to be honest to the Vice President when they meet. It shouldn’t cause any trouble if Obama tells him that he should be expecting an equal amount of imports as well as exports
Waad Husein
ReplyDelete2nd Period
I believe that America shouldn’t be so reliant on foreign trade. The US recieves more imports than it does export, especially from China. This does allow for cheap labor, although, it means that we lose jobs here in our country. Bein dependant on foreign trade means that we are not producing as much ourselves and that causes for job reduction and many are left out of work. It’s a sticky situation in that we are able to afford cheap labor abroad, but we can also work towards bring jobs back to our own nation and putting people back on their feet. It’s also true that other countries have certain resources other ones don’t, so in that sense, we must rely on foreign trade.
I do believe that President Obama should level the playing field for trade with China. The president needs to confront Xi Jinping about many issues. One of them being intellectual property rights. Also, the issue of reducing restriction on US businesses expanision in China. Eventually, both countries will come to common ground.
The issues of currency in China and their violation towards intellectual property rights should be resolved. Intellectual property rights need to be respected. It they are not protected, investors in their own countries cannot protect their own property. The Chinese are said to soon be pressuring their country on this issue.
Morgan Mann
ReplyDelete5th Period
I think America has the ability to provide its own resources. I don’t think it’s necessary to depend on China as much as we do and that we could save a lot of jobs giving these people the chance to work as manufacturers. Our economy is in a bad state and we don’t have money to give away. We need to stand up for ourselves or come up with a new solution such as opening more factories for making the items China sends to us.
Obama should tell President Xi Jinping that both countries deserve fair trade and that a fair amount of money should be exchanged between the two countries. We may continue to trade with them, but it shouldn’t cost big bucks to. This is hurting us more than helping us and America needs to grow as a country.
As we work through trade issues with China we need to keep in mind other factors that relate these two countries. The investment associations with each other are said to be somewhat closed by the United State’s unwillingness to settle. On the other hand, Obama wants to restrict the amount of auto parts being imported from China. China and the U.S. both need to hear each other out and continue to work on our relations with one another. There are clearly different opinions on each topic and in order for them to be fixed, these two presidents should meet and have a civilized conversation about the problems we are facing.
Jack Jansen 2nd pd
ReplyDeleteI think that we should not be outsourcing our jobs to people in china. I think that American companies should try hard to keep jobs In the u.s. in today's economy there is a very high unemployment rate and outsourcing jobs only gives jobs to people overseas as opposed to in our own country. Sure it is cheaper but keeping jobs in this country would overall be better for everyone. I believe that the government should try hard to help encourage this.
Ariella Hirsch
ReplyDelete5th
I think that it would be wise for America to become less dependent on China. Becoming more independent would benefit America in many ways. One way would be bringing much needed jobs back to America. Another way it would benefit America is the fact that we would have more control over the way products are made and what conditions the factories are in.
I think President Obama should negotiate with China. I think he should tell China what he is planning. I think this would help Obama achieve his plans.
I do not think it is good to completely depend on other countries or outsourcing too many jobs. For starters, we are losing many jobs that could be brought home to American citizens. We also comstantly lose money as we buy everything from other countries. On the other hand being completely independent can also be bad. Spending all our resources on selling our own goods feels like it will hinder progress for our country.However, it is not good for our country. The economy of the US is in trouble right now, somewhat because of the lack of jobs. This lack of jobs is stemming from the outsourcing of jobs in every field, from call centers, to giraffe merchandise, and even world history teachers.
ReplyDeleteObama should tell President Xi Jinping that both countries deserve fair trade and that a fair amount of money should be exchanged between the two countries.One of them being intellectual property rights. Also, the issue of reducing restriction on US businesses expanision in China.We should see if we can help china, because they would be a powerful ally once they become the biggest economy on earth.
As we work through trade issues with China we need to keep in mind other factors that relate these two countries. The investment associations with each other are said to be somewhat closed by the United State’s unwillingness to settle. It shouldn’t cause any trouble if Obama tells him that he should be expecting an equal amount of imports as well as exports.
Keith SWartz
ReplyDelete1st period
I believe that the us should not be outsourcing our jobs to china. I think that us companies should try hard to keep jobs In the u.s. in today's economy there is a very high unemployment rate and outsourcing jobs only gives jobs to people overseas as opposed to in our own country. Sure it is cheaper but keeping jobs in this country would overall be better for everyone. I believe that the government should try hard to help encourage this.
Blaire Sobolewski
ReplyDeletefirst period
I do not think that America should be so dependent upon foreign trade and maintaining the continuance of outsourcing employment because if China just stops importing things to America everything would go downhill too fast. I think that we rely too much on foreign trade. America should begin working together as a country and stop being so dependent on other countries keeping us alive. If this happens we will solve many problems that America has. One big one being the amount of people who are unemployed right now. Overall I think that America does rely too much on foreign trade and I do believe that it is not the best thing for America.
I would advise President Obama to talk with China's Vice President Xi Jinping about lowering the amount that we receive from China. He should talk to him about importing with other countries and how America cannot only rely on China for everything. President Obama should bring up money issues and how we are in debt with China. I think he should talk about how we need to level the trading field, and how that in the long run it will help much of us a ton.
I think that the world needs to come up with a common currency. This will help make trade much easier, and help countries stay out of debt. I think that if the world did get a common currency there would be less money issues and a more united world. This would help with trading and uniting us all as a whole. A common currency will help with our differences and bring everyone together. We also need to work on China's opposition to U.S. sanctions on Iran. This could end up being very dangerous and kill many innocent people. If we agree less money will be spent, we will be safer, and less lives will be lost. I think that China and America have a lot of differences to work out and these are two of the major ones.
Juliann Cho
ReplyDelete1st period
In my opinion, I think that if America is dependent for foreign trade, we will be able to gain more trust with the countries we are trading with. Foreign trading can be very beneficial to our country, but we should not take advantage of trading with other countries. If one of the countries we were trading with happened to decide not to trade with us, our economy can go down very fast. We should still have foreign trade, but we should not be as dependent for it, for the sake of a sudden drop of good economy.
I think Obama should talk through all of these matters with Vice President Xi Jinping. If they talk, there wouldn’t be any mis-communications. They should be able to voice their own opinions about what they think. Everything that he talked about in the State of the Union address about China should be shared with China, as well.
Lastly, I believe that human rights in China is a very big matter to be covered. The eastern countries are flooded with high populations, and I think there should be more rights for the people there.
Raziyah Farrington
ReplyDeletePeriod 1
I could agree with lots of people when I say America needs to become for dependent when discussing foreign trade. America needs to focus on itself for once. For so long we have focused on to much of other countries doings so much that is the reason why our economy has plunged so much. The biggest thing a country can have is a mass of independence. We don’t need to let other countries rule us and count on us to rely of them. Having a relationship with other countries is great to a degree. But we still need to realize that we also have to protect ourselves before we become best friends with another country.
I very well think that Obama should express his beliefs to the president of China. Either there going to be associates or there not, and right now they are so he can not just up and turn his back and say forget him. So since they decide to be civil to each other I feel that Obama can say a little but not much at all. After he does that I also feel that he shall take action to what he believes in. The comment made by Obama was great and straight forward to what he wants.
I can say that I have mixed feelings about this common currency thing. I feel that since China and America are very strong countries they do need to have some type of civil relationship with each other. Which means this will be a great assessment for us to see how well we really work together. This will also be a great way to not just show china that we need their support on our work. I think this common currency thing would make trade a lot easier for us and it will implant a reliable agreement.
I believe that our country should be as self sufficient as possible, and that we should discourage this. I think that outsourcing is a huge problem in our country at this time. We are taking jobs away from our people who need them and giving them to people who rely on foreign jobs to employ their people. I think that we should put a heavy tax on companies who have already outsourced their jobs to other countries and outlaw companies from beginning to outsource their jobs now.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Obama should recognize the fact that China manufactures the majority of our goods but we should not just accept that and tell the Chinese leader that we would like to give ourselves room for economic growth by trying to manufacture our own products and he should say that we should not tax poorer countries to trade with us, rather the richer the country, the more we should tax them to trade with us.
I think that we should also bring up the matter of minimum wage in China, because that is one of the main reasons that people outsource jobs to China. If we raise the minimum wage in China, People will have less incentive to outsource.
Matt Dayton
ReplyDeletePeriod 1
I believe that our country should try to be as self sufficient as possilbe. We should not have to import all our things from china. Now it is very hard to find a product found in the United states. A big problem is moving jobs from america to foregn countries. This not only makes our econimy suffer but the foregn ecomimies thrive. If we do have to out sorce jobs they should come with a heav tax.
Obama needs to see that there are the majority of the products made outside of the United States. Obama should take it as a chalenge and make more companies keep their jobs in the United States. That would boost our econimy and put us back on top. Also the richer America is the more people will want to trade with us.
The reason why most of the companies are going to China is becasue their minimum wage is so low. The companies can produce stuff cheaper so the get more money. I think the UN needs to adress this problem and made a world wide minimum wage.
Julia Haines
ReplyDelete1st pd
1) I believe that America should bring companies back home whenever possible. Foreign trade is good for us in moderation, but most of our products should say “Made in America”. There are many reasons that companies should be based here. One is that it provides our country with jobs, something we are short of right now. A second reason is because, with companies in America, our money is staying within our own country’s economy. It says above that, with every dollar spent, 55 cents stay in America. That means that 45 cents go elsewhere. There are reasons for the USA being bankrupt recently, and this is one of them. We should keep American money in America.
2) I honestly don’t think that we should come out and tell China, “Hey, we are going to take our business away from you now, okay?” We should do so discretely, company by company, so that they don’t realize it. We don’t want to lose them as a trading partner. While we don’t exactly view China as a major threat right now regarding military, they are shadowing over us with the debt we owe them. They have an upper hand, and a better economy. China is rising as a major world power. Obama should keep on good terms with their Vice President, but not come right out and admit that we will pull our companies out of their country as soon as possible.
3) The human rights issue I have a personal problem with. In America, we have welfare, homeless shelters, scholarships, and many other opportunities for the lower class to create opportunity for themselves. In China, however, they neglect most of their people. There are dogs that die on the streets, millions of children become orphans. They have both the means and the money to care for their people, but they don’t. This causes people from other countries to send care to China. The reason that this issue is personal is because my cousins are training to become missionaries to go to poverty-stricken areas in China and translate the word of God. They have dropped their jobs, sold everything, and are enrolled in a program to teach them to read, write, and speak Chinese. They are now traveling the country fundraising so that they can spend 7 years in China. I think that this is all very noble of them, but the problem is that they are donating their entire lives to go do something that the Chinese government could do easily, if they cared about their people. I suppose Obama will also discuss the currency issue with China’s vice president, and they will propose solutions, such as a standardized currency.
Lianna Malawski
ReplyDelete1st period
i don't think the U.S should be so dependent on China for trading. we should be more independent and start coming up with U.S made products so we don't have to owe china so much more money then we already do. if we can level the trading field and come up with more of our own products we can try and not have China pass us in 2016.our economy is not in very good shape right now because of how much we owe other countries money. Gas prices have gone up a tremendous amount, and so have taxes.
i think Obama should most definitely talk with the vice president of China. maybe they can sort through most of their recent problems and clear up any miscommunications they have had over the years and fix the problems that have arose.
1st period
ReplyDeleteBeing dependent on foreign countries for trade I do not think is necessarily a good thing or a bad thing. What matters is your level of dependence. Participating in foreign trade makes good sense in many situations, and it betters our relationships with many different countries. However, when a nation such as the United States, which is capable of producing its own goods, is as dependent on China as we are now, nothing good can come of it. China's economy is as important to us as our own. That shouldn't be how it is. People speak of the 50s and 60s as the golden age, because nearly everything was manufactured and sold in America. It wouldn't hurt us to go back to that time.
I agree with Obama's plan to level the playing field in regards to trade with China, and of course he'll have to work with the Chinese officials on that front. He'll have to make sure that there are no hard feelings at the end of the day, because China is a huge superpower in the world right now and we can't exactly afford to infuriate them.
All of those issues are important, as is the issue of the dependence that the US has on China. Everything is relevant and important, and we need to think about the repercussions of our actions before we take them.
With the world economy in the unstable state that its in, I believe that we should try to maintain a healthy trade relationship with all countries, not just powerful ones. That being said, I think the U.S. wrongly relies heavily on China. Although it had good intentions we have a huge debt to China that will probably take a couple lifetimes to pay off. Many people talk about the incredibly high unemployment rates, but what nobody does it act. We have so many jobs overseas in China, when we could be employing Americans, and helping our economy.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I agree with the Obama administration's plan to level out trade with China. The U.S. must be cautious to not rock the boat however, seeing as China is a huge superpower that we cannot-and must not anger.
Ian McKeown
ReplyDelete2/21/12 (yesterday)
5th period
Waters
I think if we being to depend on foreign trade we will end up cut off and stuck up the river without a paddle while others laugh at us as they take the bridge above. If our trade friends end up at war or in trouble, we are stuck with no resources. We need to stop outsourcing to china. it creates bad relationships and is using cheap labor for cheap product. we aren't Nike. we need to stop acting like it. we need to put ourselves in the workers shoes. hired and threatened to do a good job, and punished if not. bad wages, and bad living conditions aren't questions, they are guarantees. we have a bad economy already. of we keep the jobs here we would keep the employment rates up and re-stimulate our economy. it is time to stop exploiting china and other countries.
Taylor Headen
ReplyDeletePeriod 1
After reading this article I thought that this was a very bad thing. I think that china is taking away all our money and stuff and they are not going to leave us with anything. I think that the U.S. needs to stop being so dependent on china for making products because we are barely getting anything out of it. So we need to start being more independent, so we can start making our own supplies so we can keep our jobs.
I think that trade can also be a good thing, because we could get a little more out of it. But we also have to be careful with some trades because if we trade the wrong thing it can turn out pretty bad. The U.S. needs to be smart about trading
Jamil Walker
ReplyDelete5th period
I think the way our country is I think that we should keep a close relationship with other countries because they might help us one day. I know for a fact that our country depends on China because the make everything for us. Without China we wouldn’t have a lot of stuff that we have today. So we should always keep countries in contact because they will help us, unless it’s another country that tries to take our country out.
In my opinion I think Obama did a good job by leveling out trade because it needs to be leveled out with china because of what they have helped us with. We need to pay them back so that they will know that we care for them. And they will still keep supplying us with products.
Honors World
ReplyDelete1st Period
I think that Obama is doing the right thing with leveling out the trade between China and America. I also believe that the U.S. should do business with other countries than China. I feel as though the United States mainly trades with China because they look to them as a mentoring country even though we're in debt with them. China is a very successful and reliable country but creating more jobs over seas isn't helping the American economy when jobs over in the U.S. are severely needed. With that said, I don't think China and America should have hostility towards one another, but I do think that their trade should slow down until the debt we're in is atleast half if not three-fourths paid off.
1. America will always be dependent upon foreign trade. There's nothing we can do about that. We shouldn't, however, continue outsourcing jobs. I think it is inappropriate for american business owners to ship their jobs overseas just so they can make more money. If the government ever defaults on their loan, all of the massive american outsourcers will be in a lot of trouble.
ReplyDelete2. The Chinese really need to stop undervaluing their currency. This is effectively the same kind of thing as bouncing the ball off of someone else's leg in basketball after you pick up your dribble. It's completely legal, but you have to be a complete dirtbag to do it.
3. The Chinese government need to reform their human rights policies to avoid more scrutiny and possibly embargoes from the UN and countries around the world.
Sam Herbert
ReplyDeleteP5
no i do not think that america should be so dependent on foreign trade. also i think that buisness should out source jobs becuase there are people here in the united states that want those jobs and are qualified.
i would advise him to procede with caution and dont rush in headlong. maybe he should suggest that we do a bit more of the exporting and they do more of the importing.
i think that human rights is a big issue becuase with such large scale production there must be some inhumane treatment somewhere. i think that they should also discuss censorship becuase everyone should be allowed to express their oppinion.
With the way that our economy dropped and now we are slowly getting back to our regular state i don't think we should risk any big moves like not having any foreign trade. I think that we should keep trading with all the foreign countries to keep a healthy economy going. Yes, we have jobs and businesses in the U.S. that are good and make a lot of money, but those businesses also trade with a lot of other foreign countries to keep their business going. Now, I'm not saying that it is a good thing that we should keep on trading with foreign countries, but theres really nothing to do about it. America now relies on foreign trade to keep us going. We are in 14 trillion dollars of debt and if we took a risk and stopped trading them, and then something happened to our economy and we got into even more debt... That would put us in a very bad position
ReplyDeleteYes we do want to balance the import/export, but really, how are we going to do that? once again we are 14 trillion dollars in debt and i dont think that will be balancing anything anytime soon
I think that we should stay allies with China. The reason I say this is because, China is one of the most powerful countries and not being friends with them would make a whole lot of problems.
Melissa Galvan
ReplyDelete2nd Period
I think that if America is dependent for foreign trade, we will be able to gain more trust with the countries we are trading with. Foreign trading can be very beneficial to our country, but we should not take advantage of trading with other countries. but if the other countries turn on the U.S., it can severely wound us in the end. I think America should keep depending on foreign trade.
I think Obama should talk about the currency issue ans also I think he should tell China what he is planning. I also think that the larger china gets the more expensive their services will become.