"..or China is to start making, say, toys that don't have lead in them or food that isn't poisonous, their costs of production are going to go up and that means prices at Walmart here in the United States are going to go up too. So I would say China is our greatest friend right now. They're keeping prices low. "]]> And just for balance, here's a creepy clip of Chris Matthews harassing her.
Creepy sexual harassment in the workplace ... and YOU ARE THERE! [Angry Letter-Writing Liberal]
]]>Well, I am a dealer in collectibler, VALID, glass, ceramics and some toys, etc. I go shopping in resale stores and see a nice item I think will be good. NOPE! On the bottom now more than likely is the damned "Made in China" label. They have become experts in copying anything from antiques to credit cards.
]]>@quantum-shaman: i hope your family dies in a nuke blast
]]>]]>
Pick one.
]]>china is an anomaly in today's global market. they have repeatedly circumvented attempts by the WTO, the UN (& its various committees) & member states to float their currency, clean up their humanitarian & environmental acts, uphold IP rights, & eliminate government subsidization of their markets. at the same time, they have been hugely successful at using these same global organizations to sanction protectionist acts in the US, EU & elsewhere, open the floodgates for chinese goods around the world, & pillage the periphery for resources to fuel their fiery growth.
the very reason that chinese production even exists is b/c they systematically violate virtually every law in the book. if the chinese were required to play by the same rules as the rest of us, they wouldn't be manufacturing a grossly disproportionate amount of the world's products.
the way i see it, we can bite the pillow & hope for a reach-around while they have their way with us OR we can suck up the fact that prices are going to go up b/c we demand that production must meet the standards that we've grown to expect. personally, i'd opt for #2. hell, there may even be some side benefits, like increased quality, or maybe even an increase in domestic production when companies realize that china ain't as cheap as it pretends to be.
]]>Oh, people also forget that US personal savings rate has been down to around negative territory, guess who is footing the bill? China now is a leading creditor to US. Don't be a hypocrite when the majority of American people still enjoy the low mortgage rate and the low inflation rate. Take an example of the gas price. People constantly complain about it, yet most people here still perfer large size vehicles. Just look at how popular the large SUV/trucks are. I hate hypocrites. If you complain about the gas price or the dependence on foreign oil, stop driving the gas guzzlers; otherwise, stop whining and bite the bullet.
BTW, capital always pursues low cost and high profit. That's how capitalism works. America is a capitalist society and the people here are mostly proud of it and in turn hate its opposite (socialism or communism). Unfortunately, globalism is the global maximization of capitalism in the modern world. That's the price you have to pay for sticking with capitalism. You just can't play it both ways.
]]>Oh, people also forget that US personal savings rate has been down to around negative territory, guess who is footing the bill? China now is a leading creditor to US. Don't be a hypocrite when the majority of American people still enjoy the low mortgage rate and the low inflation rate. Take an example of the gas price. People constantly complain about it, yet most people here still perfer large size vehicles. Just look at how popular the large SUV/trucks are. I hate hypocrites. If you complain about the gas price or the dependence on foreign oil, stop driving the gas guzzlers; otherwise, stop whining and bite the bullet.
BTW, capital always pursues low cost and high profit. That's how capitalism works. America is a capitalist society and the people here are mostly proud of it and in turn hate its opposite (socialism or communism). Unfortunately, globalism is the global maximization of capitalism in the modern world. That's the price you have to pay for sticking with capitalism. You just can't play it both ways.
]]>Fast, cheap, good. Choose two.
]]>"Also consider how have the embargoes (sic) on Cuba helped to end the Communist tyranny (sic) there?"
you are aware that cuba is still a communist state, right? & that despite 50 years of an economic embargo by the united states, they trade with virtually every other country in the world.
]]>Yeah, people want things cheap but no one is asking to be poisoned. I assure you there is no demand for lead paint or anti-freeze toothpaste.
]]>The fact that China is the world's worst polluter is scary. Other than direct embargoes, there isn't too much the rest of the world can do to stop it. Remember, China is still very much a communist country, and in the past have been considered an enemy of the free world. Also consider how have the embaroes on Cuba helped to end the Communist tyrany there?
Unless China wants to manufacture quality products, they will continue to flood the market with hazardous materials. Since their government is ultimately responsible for import/export of goods, couldn't the UN order independant 'evaluators' for their quality control and health and safety issues. China is a member of the U.N. afterall.
I wonder if Mattel could in turn sue the Chinese government and have the U.N. enforce the ruling?
]]>The Chinese? Like any good capitalist, they are merely supplying what is demanded. Namely crap that can kill people.
How many times must it be repeated that you get what you pay for?!
]]>"There is no excuse to kill people." Damn. Buran wins AGAIN.
]]>
Anyone that hasn't seen Wal-Mart: the High Cost of Low Price, I strongly recommend you rent it. Even if you're on the fence. (IMDB it for more, and the producers have a web page). It's very informative. And quite sad. But excellent.
According to her reasoning, If "China is to start making, say, toys that don't have lead in them or food that isn't poisonous, their costs of production are going to go up and that means prices at Walmart here in the United States are going to go up too."
In other words, what the Chinese are doing, with the unhindered assistance of a servile and corrupt American government, is the equivalent of a home invasion robbery.
For which we are supposed to be grateful.
I see.
Whatever happened to hot girls who kept their mouths close for fear that the helium would escape?
@Nemesis_Enforcer: OOPS I mean to reply to Buran.
]]>@ARPRINCE: Thats what I have been saying for years. Who cares if its cheap if no one has a job!
]]>why not just give her the opportunity to experience the "wonders" of the chinese poison train firsthand? tie one of those lead-laced bibs around her neck, give her a couple big bags of salmonella contaminated veggie bootie to munch on..and why not throw in a few of the recalled mattel toys for her to play with when shes done gorging on her contaminated delicacy?
She would then be either forced to come to terms with the fact that she is an idiot, or will be pushing up daisies, and we can all rest assured that at least one person like her has been removed from the gene pool.
The ironic thing is that she's using the exact same arguments that the Freeper types here use to defend Wal-Mart. Bet they're so pissed that she got airtime and they didn't.
And yes, I do acknowledge some people need cheap stuff because of limited means. The real problem is that people who don't need to shop at Walmart do; how many times have you seen some movie star say in an interview they love to shop at Walmart? That's ridiculous. But even if you need Walmart, it doesn't change the fact that the products are made with child/cheap/slave labor, cause harm to the environment and could be dangerous products.
]]>@manevitch: I'm sad that Dan Aykroyd and Candice Bergen haven't been asked to comment on any of this toy controversy yet.
]]>@Fl3shy:
Definitely. Something people don't seem to realize, unfortunately.
A) Dirt cheap
B) Mass Produced and easy to get
C) High Quality/Reliability
Pick two. ONLY two.
]]>Crusty-Os! Now with 30% less metal fragments!
]]>
The second clip just proves that even Chris Matthews just hits mute and watches the pretty lady on the teevee.
]]>Don't worry people, this will all be forgotten in time for the Christmas rush
]]>@miborovsky: Keyword is LIVING
]]>I'd love to see John Stewart interview her.
]]>Dave Chappelle --- "WWHHAATT!"
Christ, when did putting your family's health at risk become a good tradeoff for saving a buck?
]]>I am thinking (and hoping) that what she said had simply come out wrong. It does happen, and unfortunately, sometimes it happens at the least appropriate times. Like on TV.
Regardless, When you look at the entire amount of Chinese products imported into this country, all these weird things going on are quite minor. It just so happens that the proverbial shit is all hitting the fan at once as opposed to occuring over a longer duration of time.
And obviously product from China is cheaper; why else would we purchase so many goods from them? Almost everything we buy gets imported in from some country or another, very much of which comes from China. I can't think of anything that's made 100 percent in the United States. We want to pay low prices for everything. In order to do this, you need cheap labor. Cheap labor does not come from the United States. And in order for business' to stay in business, they have to have competitive pricing. Thus, more outsourcing. It is a nasty cycle.
I don't really understand why people are surprised by this. I hear all the same stereotypes about workers in China as everyone else. And much like most people, I don't know if they are true or not, so I will assume that they are. Which is why I am not surprised by the fact that a few things have gone awry.
]]>
"If China was to devaluate our currency..."
Are we making up words? One thing I'm pretty sure of, if China does 'devaluate' our currency and our economy collapses, theirs will follow rather quickly.
Like, say that the quote ended "So I would say China is our greatest friend right now. They're keeping prices low. And today's America wants low prices. Ask your average discount shopper if they're willing to pay 15% more for a product, even if that product is less likely to be poisonous/less efficient/whatever, and don't be surprised to find out what they're response is. For some people, the difference that cost difference is the difference between buying that product or going elsewhere for a cheaper deal."
I mean that kind of quote would be a debate point. But the quote in that video clip is given without the accompanying question and cuts off right after the contraverisal quote. I'm not saying this Erin Burnett (who I never heard of before today) is incapable of making such a negatively copious claim, but I'm surprised that almost all the commenters here have jumped on her without asking for more context.
]]>Why is CNBC still on the air?
]]>So what she's saying is that it's ok if a couple kids or animals die, long as Wal-mart can maintain their current price point. That makes sense... if I was mentally retarded.
While she's sipping Fiji bottled water and shopping at 'up-class' stores, which sell organic pet food or other non contaminated products the rest of us should 'take our chances'. This chick needs to run for office, something tells me she'd fit right in.
Dumping currency as an offensive measure is a cannard. Especially when talking about benchmark currencies (EU or $US). You can't dump reserves THAT quickly. And if you have large enough capital reserves to be a threat, you have enough reserves to be in the same boat as the US (or Europe) if the FX rate shifted dramatically.
The West would get the sniffles. China would catch pneumonia.
Oh, then after the dust settles, we'd be fine, China's sole comparative advantage - low cost - would be largely eliminated. It would sting, but destroy China. Hee hee hee - and Wal-Mart.
There should be a rule that any time anyone says something this stupid - poison - OK!, or some woman's reproductive system living in another state - MINE to control! - a Federal law should kick in enforcing that person, and that person's children having to live by those stupid rules.
Ok people - you should know that media people are some of the lowest on the intelligence totem pole.
As far as China goes, props to OMERHI.(read above)
for the rest of you: GO TAKE AN ECON CLASS.
or read a book.
Come on, Americans LOVE low prices. But the only way to have those prices is having low environmental standards, wages of shame and almost slavery work conditions. Want to stop this from happening, ask the companies to move to mexico instead, they'll buy american products and is MUCH easier to pressure the mexican government to raise its standards (which are much higher than chinese ones anyway) than dealing with the chinese.
Of course that would bring the prices up like 5% so I see that not coming soon...
]]>@Adam291:
Some of us DO care, but when some of us are just trying our best just to survive buying the necessities of life (yes... tubesocks would qualify as a necessity.... I am not talking about ipods & crap most people buy that they dont need). Its hard to care when you are you are just doing your best to survive. True... we arnt living in ramshackle shacks like some 3rdworlders are. Go ahead & bash people who buy all kinds of useless cheap crap they REALLY do NOT need, but dont lump us all in the same bunch.
The reason why outsourcing is so cheap is because ethics are expensive.
]]>So you think everything would be fine and dandy if it were three times the price?
Bring that on and grab some popcorn.
]]>Appreciated CNY = Low purchasing power of USD = less stuff can be bought by Americans = LOWER STANDARD OF LIVING
]]>I want to give her the benefit of the doubt, thinking she meant to say something more intelligent...but then I remember she is on air talent. She is there for her looks, not her brains. Seems to me she should consider a job at Fox News, probably fit right in there. They don't like brains either.
]]>Wake up America.
]]>times like these & the "collapse of capitalism" foreseen by karl marx seem to make sense.
]]>Oh no, wait. It did.
]]>Somehow that URL got mangled (since when are commas in URLs bad?), let's try again with TinyURL:
]]>[www.spiegel.de],1518,461828,00.html
One of the main reasons it's so cheap to manufacture in China is because they're sacrificing the environment (theirs & ours) to get market share.
Lead based paint? Maybe they won't notice. Under spec'ed electronic components that catch fire because they're not up to the task? Aw shucks, must be a bad batch of chips.
Wake up America.
]]>]]>
Hey, Erin Burnett, feel free to eat all the lead you want. I won't miss you. Personally, I wouldn't mind if prices at Wal-Mart went up. Maybe then people'd stop shopping there, they'd close their doors, and we'd have our free market back. I miss the Mom and Pop shops more than I'd miss dirt-cheap, shoddy, possibly poisonous goods sold out of an enormous, loud, dirty, overcrowded, understaffed megastore that's raping its community and lower-level employees. But maybe that's just me.
]]>
Oh, please tell me this is an SNL parody. Please.
I volunteer all my poisonous food to her. She can have as much as she wants. I'll stick with the nonpoisonous variety, thank you very much.
I nominate that quote to be the dumbest thing heard in the last year.
Anybody second the nomination?
]]>I dont care! GIMMIE my cheap products I NEED (not neccessarily want)so I can better survive in this miserable over-taxed world! I just saw today on the news where cities are thinking about charging tolls if you want to drive in them. Not ALL of us can take the bus! Nickel & dimed!
]]>China is holding $1.3 trillion in US dollars. They could flood the market with dollars causing the value to rapidly drop. The reason they don't do this is because if they did the US could no longer purchase the goods they manufacture. I think this is what she was talking about. She just failed to do so in an intelligent manner.
]]>And with China's one child per family causing a huge disparity between males and females coupled with a huge increase in education levels causing a dearth of lower tier workers, things are gonna get pretty hairy.
]]>Yes we can(and we had in the past). Products made in Taiwan, Mexico, Malaya, etc. are much better quality products at reasonable low price. Its just that every damn companies move their factories to china now.
]]>Anybody have an address for this lady? I want to send her some Chinese toothpaste...
]]>BTW, not to do w/ anything, but the thing at the top that tells me I'm logged in has an avatar of Krusty the Klown. Is Consumerist trying to tell me something?
]]>And dear god, that anchor woman is just retarded. Does she listen to the words that come out, or is she just on auto spew?
]]>Wow---just wow.
]]>or China is to start making, say, toys that don't have lead in them or food that isn't poisonous, their costs of production are going to go up...
FOOD = POISON = GOOD?!?!?!
Lady, feel free to eat all the poison food you want. The rest of us wanna live.
]]>I really thought you were kidding when you made the quote... yeah that was a tad scary.
]]>Yeah...and China knows what would happen if their biggest consumer lost confidence in their products and started purchasing elsewhere.
These 'news snippet' programs never cease to amaze me with the level of short sightedness many of these people seem to exhibit.
]]>