Critique of US economic (& military) policy from Jake Ma, China
Ma is the founder of Alibaba, which is similar to eBay, I believe.
"It's not that other countries steal jobs from you guys," Ma said. "It's your strategy. Distribute the money and things in a proper way."
According to Ma, the US wasted over $14 trillion in fighting wars over the past 30 years rather than investing in infrastructure at home. Ma named this as the main reason that the US economy is weakening.
snip ...
He added that the U.S. is not distributing or investing its money properly, and that's why many people in the country feel wracked with economic anxiety. Ma added that too much money flows to Wall Street and Silicon Valley. Instead, the country should be helping the Midwest, and Americans "not good in schooling," too.
He's also still arguing for outsourcing, of course. But a good part of his analysis is pretty good.
Comments
Ma is wrong and right.
The $14 trillion is nonsense, as that's the total defense spending over the past 30 years, not all of which went for war fighting. But he's right that the US is not distributing its money properly. Unfortunately, he just wants to keep the gravy train of American outsourced dollars rolling his way, so what he says must be taken with a BFGS (big freakin' grain of salt).
Alibaba
Alibaba is a little like ebay, but more like amazon. It's a seller's warehouse where one can purchase case-quantities of mundane things.
But I suspect there is more to it behind the scenes. I suspect that the back end that's written for the Chinese vendors is a lot like a MLM company; anyone can sign up and create a 'store' and stock it with items that are available for all vendors to sell. This is why you'll find the same item listed 1001 times.
Also, most items have free shipping. From China. Normally that would exceed the cost of the item, but it's free. What gives? I suspect also that the Chinese government subsidizes the postage for Alibaba.
It's funny, in comparing Mr. Ma's communist / socialist business model to the American one, there are more similarities than differences.
“He may not have gotten the words out but the thoughts were great.”
But in ways he is right, we
But in ways he is right, we have the money, it is just where it is directed. Wallstreet, silicone valley Big(insert corporate name here) handouts of biullions, the over spending at the Pentagon/MIC. we could help our poor, and fix infrastructure, boost education, and it is merely by spending enough on our own defense to make the right cuts, but also, the tax loopholes that corporates enjoy as well as the wealthy. Some wealthy have admitted they would not mind a higher tax rate to help pay for the nice things that need replacing and fixing, and to help the needy. So as all things the government does for us does need taxes, (such an ugly word to many), yet we are not as taxed as other nations, and they do not complain as much as they see such perks as decent mass transit systems, moves to clean energy, universal health care, affordable education, good and maintained infrastructure (Lie how we are seeing only after wasted decades a 60mph train when the rest of the world has frikking bullet trains ), they can rely on clean water and foods, they are defended, but do not blow so much on bases outside their countries, and other social safety nets like disability and retirement help.
Here we have backward thinking fools wanting to throw all of that to the MIC and their rich already fat bank accounted buddies and steal every last crumb they can. They failed to see the parable of the Grinch who stole Christmas. It is better to be caring and generous than greedy, selfish and spiteful. they went for the later.
So long, and thanks for all the fish
"take a number behind Walmart"
Yet another billionaire fight.
Something is wacked on the site sourcingjournalonline, maybe a popup or some other junk script, here a few chunks:
Hm, 7,000 desk jobs replaced by 10,000 retail jobs, that doesn't sound good. Construction growth is temporary bubble but could be good. Training is good.
I like the idea of homegrown textile industry so there's that. Still waiting for the day I can call Opposite on Walmart though, that would be something. If so Trump will get credit and the purple heads will explode? Not sure. I am already eating a lot of popcorn. Cheers.
Defense or Hegemonic Offense?
When in the last 30 years did we spend a dime on actual defense, that is where and when was the US under actual threat of attack from another nation? Can you name a single instance? What did we need to spend to actually prevent an attack? As good example Russia and China actually have a defense budget to protect their homelands, mostly from you-know-who. Russia's budget for 2017 is $65 billion, China's budget was $144 billion for 2015, but they are also playing catch-up as they in transition from a philosophy of not competing with the US in the military sphere to realizing that they must compete to defend themselves. Although you can quibble about the real numbers, Ma is right.
The bigger picture is that the entire world is paying an enormous war tax because of US hegemonic "exceptionalism". The promoters of this would have you believe that the world would fall apart without the US patrolling the land, water and air. Not surprisingly, the opposite has happened. This was an easy prediction.
We have suffered enormously, if not critically. You can't spend that kind of money, essentially America's future capital without enormous economic and social consequences. Think of what kind of a nation we would have if we had invested this in infrastructure, education, technology, and the arts. We did this to ourselves. We have created a monstrous protection racket and the world suffers.
Capitalism has always been the rule of the people by the oligarchs. You only have two choices, eliminate them or restrict their power.
"if we had invested this in infrastructure"
instead it is "each ship fire at least one weapon each day".
http://www.defensenews.com/articles/us-navy-surface-forces-urged-to-become-more-aggressive
trade lanes
The People's Daily had some comments, too
"Western style democracy used to be a recognized power in history to drive social development. But now it has reached its limits," said another article on the same page. "Democracy is already kidnapped by the capitals and has become the weapon for capitalists to chase profits."http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-01-23/china-says-its-ready-assume-wor...
I think they've gone into "negotiating" mode now, in preparation for dealing with Trump.
New Slogan
I read bits of his statement, but skimming through, one line kind of stood out.
It was talking about how we should not spend so much time in the Middle East and should focus more on the Midwest. That statement is true (as well as other regions of our country) but hey, new slogan:
Midwest, not Middle East.