3 misconceptions about the US that need to die

[tater]

The point was that I personally think most "stuff" I see for sale is made in China. It seems to be true. Walk through a retailer and check.

The idea that "everything is made in china" is not at all silly. The FACT that it comprises a fairly small dollar value % wise is being intentionally misleading. Why, for example, did they lump "goods and services?" It the case of crap from china it is all GOODS. Since over 75% of the US economy is "services," they are being intentionally misleading, IMHO.

I don't mind the straight facts, and I have no particular axe to grind (I'm not one who hates that we get stuff from china, I don;t hate walmart (even if i never shop there, etc), but always look at what they are actually comparing.

They say PRC crap is 2.7% of the economy, but since ~75% is service, and 22% is apparently US manufacturing, that 2.7% is a large % of that little bit that is left, is it not?

[the_tyrant]

Originally Posted by tater

They say PRC crap is 2.7% of the economy, but since ~75% is service, and 22% is apparently US manufacturing, that 2.7% is a large % of that little bit that is left, is it not?

Well, if we look at it this way, American goods account for 1.7% of china's economy

https://www.uschina.org/statistics/tradetable.html
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i...F+gdp+of+china

I personally think in this age of Globalization its really not that much

total US imports are $1.948 trillion USD per year, while imports from China are $364.9 Billion USD a year
I don't think its that bad, considering that China accounts for 20.9% of the non US population on earth (http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i...+population%29)

[1480]

Originally Posted by the_tyrant

Well, if we look at it this way, American goods account for 1.7% of china's economy

https://www.uschina.org/statistics/tradetable.html
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i...F+gdp+of+china

I personally think in this age of Globalization its really not that much

total US imports are $1.948 trillion USD per year, while imports from China are $364.9 Billion USD a year
I don't think its that bad, considering that China accounts for 20.9% of the non US population on earth (http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i...+population%29)

Excellent point. If we are looking at numbers might as well go all in.

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by tater

Why, for example, did they lump "goods and services?" It the case of crap from china it is all GOODS. Since over 75% of the US economy is "services," they are being intentionally misleading, IMHO.

Because the statement being disproved was "Most of what Americans spend their money on is made in China." Americans spend money on services, hence, they count services in with goods.

[tater]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

Because the statement being disproved was "Most of what Americans spend their money on is made in China." Americans spend money on services, hence, they count services in with goods.

I've never heard anyone say that, have you? People say most of what they BUY is from china.

Seriously, have you heard anyone say anything that could possibly be taken as "most of the services I spend money on come from china!"

No, that's because they took what people actually say, that most of the STUFF they buy is from china, and they twist it to something virtually no one ever says in conversation (and hating on china, and how much chinese crap there is comes up in conversation all the time).

It's disingenuous, period, since services are self-evidently NOT from china.