On 3/3/2016 12:31 PM, dpb wrote:
On 03/03/2016 9:27 AM, Leon wrote:

...essay trimmed for brevity...

I shouldn't but will comment on a couple things...

Do I "feel" Carrier shouldn't move? Sure. Do I understand the
economics behind the decision to do so? Different question entirely and
of course I do.

I totally understand. There are many many things I am sure that went
into the decision to move that facility.



On purchases...no, I obviously don't go out of my way to find the
highest-priced vendor but I _do_ search (with less and less success,
obviously) for USA-made or at least partially assembled product over
(particularly) Chinese import, yes. I _will_ pay a premium for that as
well as I still shop in local brick-'n-mortar businesses as much as can
as opposed to taking everything automagically to the internet. Some of
that is owing to being in a small market arena such that it's a real
concern that losing a vendor is a _major_ loss as, unlike large metro
areas, there isn't another or several others from which to choose.
There's only one of many types of businesses here already and none of
others as WalMart has driven quite a few out already.

What I was thinking when I asked that question is the company, Carrier,
probably did the same thing. Again I'm sure there are many factors,
unknown to the general public, that went into the decision to relocate
in Mexico vs. some where else in the USA, Canada or China. I'm sure
their decision was an economic one to please stock holders. Being a
public company they have to operate under a different kind circumstances.
On an other note, one which I find a bit humorous is Buick and China.
Buick has been a big hit in China for many years. What I find a bit
strange is that China is going to build a specific Buick, for Buick, to
be sold here and not there.




Is "keeping up w/ the Jones" responsible for current economic
conditions? Clearly not...consumer spending drives 70% of economy, w/o
it it'd _really_ be in the doldrums or worse. What drives (and drove)
much more is the rising formerly undeveloped economies needing markets
for their own products to support their growing needs at home. Which
need began the price competition that forced US manufacturers to compete
on a global scale as opposed to having a closed US market. Started with
Japan and the automobile and electronics, has gradually escalated with
the rise of Korea, then the other SE Asia, E Europe after Glasnot and
now in spades with China and India. Mexico and NAFTA were on the way in
there, too, of course.

The breakdown of societal norms is a topic too big to even begin to
touch...

Yes it is.