As you mentioned, you can't get away from it. I would bet that the Chinese bashers in this thread have mobile phones in their pockets....and lots of other electronics....but have zero idea where, for example, pretty much all the rare earth metals needed to make them comes from. Tons of examples like this.
You know, I hear this alot. That doesn't mean people are OK with it or don't realize it.
Samsung made in Korea vs Iphone made in China. There ARE choices.
There are some things we have NO choice in. That's a really shitty whitewash of the issue. Other than it being stupid from a Nat Sec perspective, There is a MASSIVE difference between having no choice ; having one and picking china.
Optics, Tripods, Electronics or whatever. People CHOOSE to support the Chicoms and the westerns who sold out their countryman for more profits while decimating their country in the mid and long term. All you have to do is travel to the rust belt in PA, OH, IN and IL to see what it does to communities by letting greedy corporations offshore American jobs and manufacturing to save a little money here. There are massive economical and social costs that get borne by the American Taxpayer as a result. Less jobs = more poverty, more crime, more welfare, less education , lower housing prices and hundreds of 2nd and 3rd order effects that have devastated entire communities here. Look at Wage disparity between 1950 and today. Look at Corporate profits (which are concentrated by a very small percentage) today vs then. Look at wealth inequality and concentration today vs back them. This is what happens when you let the very minority fuck over everyone else. Privatize the profits and sociaize the losses.
What do you think is better for this country? Pay a bit more for consumer goods if that keeps Millions of more people gainful employed, buying houses, cars and other goods instead of turning to drugs and creating generational welfare leaches. More kids in school or trade school because they came from stable families who had decent income. The Taxpayer bears the brunt of this.. Welfare, Schools, Police, Prisons, Drug programs,ect. I will happily pay $2 for an Avacado or $5 for a galon of Milk or $1000 for Ipad if that means it keeps Americans employeed which will have a massive holistic benefit to this entire Nation. Thats less taxpayer money wasted subsidizing companies like Amazon or Walmart who pay slave wages. NONE of these decisions happen or are made in a bubble or vacum. They ALL have ripple effects in our economy and communities.
So lets look at Ziess. They aren't investing in American or even European infrastructure with this move. They aren't building plants or creating US jobs (other than a handful of paid pimps to sell their rebranded Chicom shit that probably cost 1/10th the retail cost to manufacture.) If they did, then I would happily buy their product for 1k or 1500 bucks. It would create more manufacturing and more competition while increasing the industrial base in another sector here (Carbon fiber manufacturing). Why the fuck would I pay 80% of the price for what I can get an AMERICAN made product that creates probably dozens of American Jobs and down supply chain jobs. Money that will STAY AMERICAN, not be offshored. Think Foriegn Direct investment. So while some of you might think they are doing a service to the community by selling this chinese and cheap imported shit , they in the long run are only hurting us. IMO they should get slapped with a 500% tarrif for trying to import this chinese garbage to incentive them to build it here. Or you dont get to play in the American Market. WE do not owe anyone access to our markets. Participating in OUR markets is a privledge and should firstly BENEFIT AMERICANS. If it doesnt benefit us overall, then they can fuck right off. We DO NOT NEED THIS CHEAP IMPORTED SHIT. Then add in complicite partners like the USPS letting them charge less to ship garbage from China to NY than from Phily to NY. Yup American goverment charges less to chinese nationals to ship products 12K miles than to American to ship it 100 miles. WHO eats that fucking cost? US.
We are going to look back in 20-50-100 years and see how short term thinking destroyed our nation. Its not to late to slow down, reverese course and dig ourselves out. In fact, it would provide incredible short term returns and benefits while soliditying long term security and prospertiy. We just need to get people thinking more long term and Honestly, Punish those who are willng to sell out American Prospertiy and Treasure for short term personal benefit.
Frank this is not a personal attack on you so I hope it doesn't come off that way. But people cant just throw their hands up and say this is the card were dealt so were gona play their game. Change the game, Don't give them airtime or support. You are a influencer in this industry and market and your words carry a ton of weight. Easy money is rarely worth it in the long run. Our kids prosperity is at stake. We can't keep doing the same shit that has shown to be a complete failure to our communities (walmart takeover is a classic example) and expecting different results. I know this might be an unpopular opinion but its reality. Americans when given the oppertunity to compete CAN and WILL win. We just need a fair playing field and those who cheat and ignore the rules should be penalized. That is just about ANYTHING coming from china. They are our enemy plain and simple and if you dont think they are engaged in full on economic, cultural, industrial, technological cold warfare against the US, then you aren't paying attention. We are at war whether people want to admit it or not. Please just keep that in mind.
If your company cant compete by anything other than imported cheap chinese slave labor shit to american markets, your company deserves to fail. Go ruin some other fucking country by getting them hooked on what ammounts commerical heroin. If feels great and all your problems go away in the near term. Long term, let us know how that works out.
