Senator Harry Reid, how low will you go for political gain?
You would expect words escaped from politicians are at least intelligent. But that does not happen as often as we expect.
On US Olympic team uniforms being made in China, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, “they should take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over again.” Too bad, no serious person ever takes him seriously. Yes, I am not serious.
Those words are more like those uttered by demagogues whose ulterior motive is to arouse the most abominable anti-something feelings among masses trapped in the lowest level of society.
Not because Harry Reid forgot there is something called free trade or capitalist laissez-faire or that the Olympic team might be driving cars made in Japan or using computers made in Taiwan or South Korea. Well, let’s not burn these cars or computers.
Politicians like Harry Reid know clearly that these athletes use many stuffs which are not made in USA. Yet, it is so popular to go with the China-bashing syndrome, an easy scapegoat, so that the least intelligent people can focus all the ill-feelings and frustrations upon something tangible. Just for political gain.
I just came back from a trip to China. To my surprise, I found McDonald’s almost everywhere in Beijing, plus Pizza Hut, Subway, KFC, etc. A new generation of Chinese grew up eating American foods and sure enough have caught up in many healthy problems like obesity and diabetes.
Inside supermarket, American brand products greet you, no matter where you go. And Walmart stores are fully jammed with customers.
You see much more people use iphone and ipad in China than in US, a huge profit for Apple. There are more smokers in China than in US. Guess what. Smoking American cigarette brands is cool among the young and the wealthy.
Regarding goods made in USA, no one raises anti-US flag. The average Chinese obviously know better than Senator Harry Reid. They see this as the result of globalization.
There is a saying among Chinese. “Where there is road, there is Toyota.” This clearly shows that Japan, the smart one, has started ahead of the US and occupied a large part of Chinese auto market, which means US faces competition from Japan globally.
Instead of arousing the useless, base anti Made-in-China feeling, wise politicians should tell this story. “Look, we face competition everywhere, even in China. We need to produce high quality cars and give them better price so that the Chinese will say “Where there is road, there is Cadillac.”
By the way, Senator Harry Reid needs to start looking around for another scapegoat as China has started shifting away from being world number one manufacturer.
I have avoided using the world “stupid” on Harry Reid because I don’t want to compliment him this way and I am at my wit’s end in finding a more suitable word to accurately describe him.
Brad Hampshire
10 months, 1 week ago“Yet, it is so popular to go with the China-bashing syndrome, an easy scapegoat, so that the least intelligent people can focus all the ill-feelings and frustrations upon something tangible. Just for political gain.”
The author would definitely NOT fall into the category of the least intelligent people.
Rick Adams
10 months, 1 week agoYanwen,
Olympics …. Once every 4 years …. best effort …. best athletes …. best showing …. With “Made in China” costumes.
Sorry, I drive foreign cars and buy my share of off-shore produced attire but this is not just a collection of Wal-Mart toaster ovens or iPods.
George Hunsucker
Northland
10 months, 1 week agoBrad,
Nice touch… You should be ashamed, but I am sure you are not… Here is a person trying to get better… I don’t agree with most of her views, but I can get past she is learning English.
You of course are a “superior” communicator he cannot—how sad for YOU!
George Hunsucker
Northland
10 months, 1 week agoMake that:
You of course are a “superior” communicator WHO cannot—how sad for YOU!