Obama warns of trade wars from 'Buy American' stimulus provision

Wednesday 04th February, 11:32 AM JST

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adaydream at 04:59 AM JST - 5th February

It's kind of a moot point isn't it?

If you want to buy American it's fine, except when it isn't produced in America. Then you can't buy American.

That doesn't mean because they moved out of the country we still deal with them. Nah, doesn't work that way. Until you bring that business back from overseas, we don't do business with you. (I like that thought.)

Also, these banks that are attempting to get 150,000 work visas to bring overseas financial people in from overseas and keep out Americans from getting those jobs they are firing right and left for. This includes those $90,000.00 jobs you're going overseas to fill. That has to be stopped.

There's more to buying American then just buying stuff. < :-)
SuperLib at 07:45 AM JST - 5th February

Yabits: Intelligent analysis would require posting evidence showing Obama's support for the "buy American" provisions

And your intelligent analysis would have to include some kind of demonstration that you aren't completely clueless on the issue. You really had no idea about any of this? None at all?

http://www.google.co.jp/search?num=20&hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=IzV&q=obama%27s+buy+american&btnG=Search

TheStar.com | World | Obama's 'Buy American' plan blasted http://www.thestar.com/article/579557

EU trade chief encouraged by Obama Buy American move | Reuters http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE5132CT20090204?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

Mandelson condemns Obama 'Buy American' call as protectionism ... http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article5622438.ece

Trade War Brewing Over Obama's "Buy American" Policy http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/04/trade-war-brewing-over-obn163798.html

CANOE -- CNEWS - World: Obama: 'Buy American' could lead to trade war http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2009/02/03/8251916-cp.html

EU anger over Obama's 'Buy American' move - ABC News http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/04/2481689.htm

China Challenges: Obama's "Buy American" Trade Provision http://chinachallenges.blogs.com/my_weblog/2009/01/obamas-buy-american-trade-provision-.html

Obama's 'Buy American' Plan -- and why it's stupid http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/01/03/obamas-buy-american-plan-and-why-its-stupid/

Obama's "Buy American First" poses trade dilemma | 10connects.com ... http://www.tampabays10.com/news/national/story.aspx?storyid=99463&catid=81

Obama's 'buy American' rescue package could lead to trade war ... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1133510/Obamas-buy-American-rescue-package-runs-risk-trade-war-Browns-plea-protectionism-Davos-summit.html

Obama’s 'Buy American' a threat to international trade http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/opinion357.19339.html

EU angered by Obama 'Buy American' call - The Irish Times http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2009/0204/1233713217105.html
yabits at 08:55 AM JST - 5th February

SuperLib:

None of your links showed a trace of evidence that President Obama lent any support to the "buy American" provisions in the stimulus package, or that he favored protectionism in any aspect. No "buy American" plans were ever mentioned during his campaign and, if you'll look at the following link, it was not in the details of the plan announced by Congress on January 15.

http://newstalkradiowhio.com/blogs/jamie_dupree/2009/01/details-of-stimulus-plan.html

House Democrats today released the details of their economic stimulus bill developed with input from aides to President Elect Barack Obama.

Seeing no evidence otherwise, I am left to conclude that you are mistaken in your assertions that Obama was personally behind the "buy American" provisions.
SuperLib at 06:34 PM JST - 5th February

Yabits: Seeing no evidence otherwise, I am left to conclude that you are mistaken in your assertions that Obama was personally behind the "buy American" provisions.

No worries. I wasn't expecting to change your mind. I was mostly interested in exposing you.
yabits at 11:21 PM JST - 5th February

I wasn't expecting to change your mind.

Not a single one of your links proved that Obama personally was behind or endorsed the "buy American" provision. Any fair-minded person can verify this for themselves. You actually expect to change minds when you can't post supporting evidence?

I was mostly interested in exposing you.

And ended up making yourself look more foolish in the process.
Sarge at 11:44 PM JST - 5th February

"trade wars"

This is ridiculous. There shouldn't be any trade barriers/tariffs. If Americans want to buy stinky French cheese, by golly they should be able to buy it for the equivalent price in France + shipping. If Japanese want to buy California rice, they should be able to buy it for the equivalent price in California + shipping.
But noooooooooo, we have to have all these ridiculous tariffs!
yabits at 12:48 AM JST - 6th February

Cheese is not really the issue here.

The so-called "buy American" stimulus provision (Section 1604 in the House version) applies to projects involving the construction or repair of public buildings and only public buildings. And it applies only to iron, steel, or manufactured goods used in in those projects.

The provision would NOT apply if suitable sources of American-made iron, steel, or manufactured goods could not be obtained, or if using the American-made goods increases the cost of the project by more than 25%.

In this sense, the federal/state/local governments involved are the "customer." Federal taxpayers are really the ones kicking in the money, including those taxpayers whose lives and livelihoods depend upon American-based industries. Every dollar going to local industries stimulates many more dollars created in the economy as a ripple effect -- something that won't happen if the dollars are sent to a foreign country.

If you want to pay up to 24% extra for American-made cheese, that should be your prerogative. If a sufficient number of Americans decide to do so, we are being warned that it will result in a trade war. If "we the People" decide that it's worth up to 24% extra to buy US-made iron and steel, we are being told that there will be repercussions.
yabits at 01:02 AM JST - 6th February

I would like to amend my previous post to add that the term "public buildings" is defined by the act to include airports, canals, bridges, railroads, mass transit systems, harbors, piers, etc.
TonyUS at 07:27 AM JST - 6th February

This is ridiculous saying the US should be afraid of a trade war.

You tell me what country has a trade DEFICIT as large as ours. Afraid we will even sell less overseas? What the heck!

The problem is not selling less overseas, but us buying more from overseas. Put this in reverse guys and girls, we are now on the short end of the deal here. Is that just too difficult to understand. What would we loose? Oh yeah maybe the trade deficit that is and has been giving everyone our jobs around the world, especially military building, self serving, communist China, where their growth rate has been double digit for years on end as their people get up every morning to go make us our goods that our people can not do and are not going to work to produce what we consume, and at the same time they are making our products, so do they make the goods they themselves consume.

Even trade should be the objective and that only should go for countries that are our friends and do not work against our values, that would leave China completely out , as it should be!

And to add,, it is not just the cheap labor, but other factors as well that makes production in other countries more profitable, such as pollution regulations and costs, along with workers rights, hospitalization, pension funds, all together makes it a very uneven playing field and if there are not concessions in any of these matters, we will only stay where we are economically.

If materials is not available here in the US for infrastructure to take place then maybe Obama's administration is starting in the wrong place and should concentrate on manufacturing jobs that would directly affect our massive trade deficit we have and there for take action on this before anything else and concentrate on evening up the field on trade which has taken our manufacturing jobs out of the country.

I have read the figures about how many jobs would be created by this “Buy American “ BS and I find the numbers way way below the truth. Not only manufacturing jobs would be created, but everything down the line would go up in production as for added man power, such as raw material production, increasing transport of, equipment needed and so on and so on which all leads to more people working. I believe we are hearing all bullshit about the job creation numbers and it is all coming from those that have and still are destroying our economic base and are promoting large corporate wealth from the continual production of products overseas, and the sad thing about it is, that they have so many believing their sick minded ways and their self greed!.
TonyUS at 10:03 AM JST - 6th February

Fact is, if we had no trade we would be ahead 700 billion dollars
wuzzademcrat at 08:36 PM JST - 6th February

Dems aren't protecting jobs, they are protecting votes and special interest groups.
johancohen at 02:37 PM JST - 7th February

isn't everybody sure for sure that it isnt 'buy Chinese'? besides the moot point, everything in our country is Chinese anyway.
Athletes at 03:28 PM JST - 7th February

Obama is elected by American voters. He only needs to concern about US economy and welfare of citizens. If not his election promises were just a sugar coated words. At the moment, US industries and banks are collapsing. Once mighty US banks are kneeling and begging for cash injection. Countless people lost the jobs and homes. Government has huge trade and budget deficits. Foreign debts like a mount everest. What more US can afford to lose?

Who care about trade wars? It is not about pleasing any of the trading partners. Beside that US has been largest consumer in the world. It was an engine of the world growth. NAFTA was only good for Canada and Mexico with the expense of the low skilled American workers. Now they are enjoying cross border bargain shopping in the states.

In the reality protectionism works and free market failed. This stimulus package can not be failed. It it is failed, it will be a disaster like end of the world. Obama needs to say like Bush as The course of that nation is not depending on others.
fordtuff at 06:08 PM JST - 7th February

Athletes, I tend to agree. This is really all for show. To let the world know that this new president is nothing like the previous one who accepted blame for everything. Face it, everyone knows you don't have to put "buy American" in writing... you just do it when it comes time to award contracts. I must say it is an interesting approach as once again Obama clearly declares "an America for Americans". Nothing wrong with that now is there.
TonyUS at 05:23 PM JST - 8th February

Who profits from the US trade deficit, everyone else!

Now why are all these countries against the US becoming protectionist?

Will Obama kneel to these countries and at the same time forget his own? This has been going on for many years now. It is time for it to end and think of the US and put the US first instead of just giving everything away. Of course these large corporations have loved every minute of it, but as Obama has said, He own none nothing, but the problem is.. everyone else in the political circle does owe others.

I believe he may be going in with the rightous intent, but I believe also there will be great limitations to what can be done and especially what can be changed when there are politicians in the house and senate that have their own commitments to outside sources.

We need to be manufacturers again and to produce the products we need and use, and say the hell with what these other countries that benefit off of our despair have to say.

How could our leaders have let this go on for so long to bring us to this point of everyone looking for China, the communist country we can take credit for building as being the world leader of the future and still the words out of Europe shows support for this notion.. Just as they are supporting such a future for China being the dominate force economically as well as militarily . I can not believe it!