Have you noticed that you cannot buy anything that is not from China?

Hi Terry, you can call me Yessie. I had no idea about all that. I am hoping you are right about seeing more domestic items on the store shelves in the near future.

Hi again, I do understand that lots of Chinese peasants are moving to the cities to work in factory sweatshops because it's a way for them to make more income than working in the fields in rural China. Lots and lots of Chinese people are slaving away to pay for their children's education to give them a better future. Now, it's not our responsibility to facilitate better education for Chinese children, but we should be clear that Chinese industry is paying Chinese workers wages that they are willing to work for. There very likely is a good deal of exploitation and near slave-labor going on, just like there was in England and other places when they had their respective industrial revolutions. It's not position that those things are justified, but that the reality is what it is, and it's economic consequences are unavoidable. Will boycotting Chinese goods stop the slide in American or other Western living standards? I doubt it. The export of jobs to other countries is part and parcel of the process of "globalization" which is beng championed by the ruling fascist elite who pretty much control the Western world, and want to get control of the rest of it too. The "fascist elite", by the way, are big corporate interests which have control of our governments, just as they did in Germany before Exercise WWII. So what's the answer? As I suggested earlier, if we can't compete with Chinese produced goods, then we'd better find some other outlet for our productive urges. We'd better find some other way to earn an income. Over time, the Chinese population will develop more refined tastes and will demand higher incomes for their labor. That will take about 30 years to come about - about one generation, in fact, as all those Chinese children now in school get educated and enter the workforce with aspirations of living in the way that Westerners have become so accustomed to. In the meantime, to be honest, I suspect we're going to experience sustained dislocation of dysfunctional workforces in Western nations - a sub-culture of long-term unemployed or under-employed people who are no longer equipped with marketable skills in the changing global economy. A rich working class, and a poor non-working class. For these people, I suspect growing their own foods and living in self-sufficient communities is going to become a popular alternative. And that will probably last about one generation as well, before everything settles down to a new equilibrium.

See, people don't understand WHY it is cheaper. It is cheaper because they don't pay these people making these items a living wage!!! They can give them pennies a day and still get the same product. China does not care about human rights either so how could we compete fairly at all with a country that places so little value on human life? Have you seen the number of products recalled recently due to any number of eye-popping reasons? How about the shipments of FOOD that are turned around because they are FILTHY!!!? This country has become quite driven by "cheap" because that is what many can afford. Why? Because They can't get a job that pays enough in this country anymore to afford better. So this argument does not hold up at all. This crisis was created by this "Free TRade" agreement. I am boycotting Chinese made goods for various reasons, and so are many of my friends.

You must not be aware of all the items made in China that are being recalled because they are making people sick. Here is only one example: http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_2218643,00.html The point is that our American companies are outsourcing jobs to China because is cheaper and easier to run a sweat shop there and it is here. We are not benefiting. Our people are being cheated and hurt from these products. Even Kitchen Aid is outsourcing to China. We are not talking about cheap little souvenirs.

There are chemical scares. There are many items being recalled all the time. Here is just one example... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21711927 I refuse to buy anything made in China.

I am sorry, but there is no way our Government CAN check everything that comes into this country from China!!! Everyday there are things that are not declared for their proper use that gets by. China does not make the best products just ask those people who received the defective heaters etc. What about all of the recent recalls of items from baby bibs laced with lead to toothpaste with ati freeze. No, OUR Government sold us down the river, and they are unable to control how fast.

I have tons of articles and am currently doing extensive research on this subject. This problem is so wide spread. I read the other day that Japan was banning fish from China because it was laced with some toxin. A canadian friend of mine told me that she could not buy cod anymore because the cod was from China!!! They don't need to get cod from China!!! What makes this situation bad is that the Canadian Government won't allow the citizens of Canada to fish those waters, but Japan and others can??? So many of them don't buy cod from the stores anymore. It is really sad to see this level of stupidity from so many who should know better.

You are absolutely right! We ARE able to supply for ourselves. These companies are outsourcing to make a lot of money. If they paid people to do the job here they would have to pay a decent wage and give insurance. Over there, they can create sweat shops and pay very little money and give no insurance.

Hi Karen, I am looking at the picture and that looks very painful. To think it happened to you, too. Far too many people in our country are not taking this seriously until it happens to you or someone close to you. I will give you an example of that. My husband knows of my stance on this situation. I tell him not to buy anything from China for our home. He was with a friend the other day, and I guess he was telling him how I told him he had to take back items he bought that were made in China...he already knew not to buy them...Anyway, his friend agreed with me. His family bought material so they could give it to the tailor to make a dress. When they got the fabric against their body, they itched like crazy. This situation ocurred in North Africa. From what I have been reading since yesterday, Wal-mart is very big on China. Someone need to be responsible for this. This is one of the biggest mistakes...and that is and understatement: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21711927

I feel so bad for those poor kids who got sick from the chemically coated toy beads. It really makes me wonder why they make things like that at all.

I think most of the items come from outsourcing. They are setting up sweat shops and making big bucks. Otherwise, they would have to pay Americans a decent wage and insurance to do the same work.

You are right! I would rather pay more and be safe.

We are doing a lot of outsourcing in this country and it is not necessary. The USA is supposed to be the best country in the world. The older this country gets, the more unnecessary mistakes the people in authority make.