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0 pointshakfoo1y ago0 comments

The way they've completely given up on education is the key evidence they have no economic vision.

No matter what stimulus hack you do for the next quarter, you need to be educating the next generation in a way that leaves us competitive with other industrial powers. They don't even talk about outcomes and scores anymore-- they just stoke social warfare. You know, if the kids are reading because there's an "OMG OBSCENE" book in the library, AT LEAST THEY'RE MOTIVATED TO READ.

America is not doing a good job of presenting a voice for the future. China has "we're cheap and we've moved fast on greentech." Many Western European countries have gone the boutique/artisan/high quality route. Where does American manufacturing fit into the story?

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pfannkuchen1y ago

American manufacturing won’t have to compete on a level playing field with foreign competition if there are significant tariffs though, which is part of the platform AFAIK. So I guess it would fit as “making things Americans buy”?

hakfooOP1y ago

I can't imagine that being a compelling sales pitch even to domestic investors.

If Americans are trapped by tarrifs and have to buy whatever domestic-made rubbish is available, and you're not getting a high-quality workforce, why bother investing anything in new designs and manufacturing; hell, break out the old tooling and start cranking out Chrysler LeBarons again!

It's like we're determined to emulate the rapid economic miracles of Japan, South Korea, and the PRC but in reverse. And it's not even out of some principled stand like "we need degrowth to save the environment", but because rich people don't want to pay taxes for schools and infrastructure.

pfannkuchen1y ago

It’s not a compelling sales pitch to investors anywhere, I don’t think that’s the point. It’s a compelling sales pitch to workers in regions where economic prospects have dropped off a cliff in the past few decades. If you have no personal ties to those areas it may be hard to relate.

I don’t see why this would equate to low quality. Domestic companies are free to compete. Many countries have historically boot strapped industry through heavy use of tariffs. Japan is a great example, their auto industry likely wouldn’t exist without heavy tariffs in the beginning and China has extremely protectionist economic policy to this day.

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taylodl1y ago

In other words, isolationism and pandering to an ever-shrinking market. There's no growth and no future in such a scenario. The hilarious thing is that these SV CEOs believe the US can adopt these policies and it won't affect their business abroad. It just shows they're not half as smart as people make them out to be.

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pfannkuchen1y ago

hakfooOP1y ago

I can't imagine that being a compelling sales pitch even to domestic investors.

pfannkuchen1y ago

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taylodl1y ago

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse