2) Allow absolutely NO trade with any country that doesn’t meet it.”

Two fatal flaws:
(1) You have to convince all of your trading partners to follow the same rules and be able to police them closely.
(2) Assuming (just that) you could do it, how do you control inflation caused by greed from the companies in these countries that make the same product(s)? The only solution is doing away with capitalism – oops!

The ideal is anti-capitalism in the first place.

Then they will be unemployed because our living wage is effectively based on the minumum wage.

I can’t help but believe that if trade with China, India etc. just stopped, millions of jobs would HAVE to be created here to manufacture virtually everything Wally world, Tarjet and most everyone sells. And yes – inflation would ensue.

“despite the fact that China makes them RIGHT NOW”

I could build what would amount to a go-cart chassis, mount 30hp on it, wrap it in polycarbonate, punt crash / safety testing and probably get 60mpg. Would that make it safe to drive on an interstate freeway with 3/4 ton crew-cab trucks and 18 wheelers running 80mph?

I don’t have a problem with auto workers making $75 an hour if they earned that wage by getting a degree or even without a degree if they have a skill set that warrants it. Just having seniority or being a union member won’t cut it. If you don’t agree, fine. The point will be moot in a few months if Detroit doesn’t really clean house. If they don’t, their creditors will.

How much an hour do school teachers make ? Be sure to figure the actual hours they work.

Plus many who rebel at the thought of $75,00 an hour make much more in salary, but that’s different because they don’t figure “by the hour.”

I do not want GM to go broke, bankrupt or sell to the Chinese. But if China offers GM stock holders enough money, who can stop it ? I doubt if anyone at GM saying “NO” will cut it.

It’s creepy. People complaining about Chinese quality, where the fuel-use standards on the cars the Chinese make right now are much higher than those in the U.S. — in fact, the big 3 have complained that they can’t make cars meet higher mileage standards in the next few years despite the fact that China makes them RIGHT NOW.

Please — China, help us!

2) Allow absolutely NO trade with any country that doesn’t meet it.
”

don’t forget:

3) Watch as all of a sudden, no one in the US is making that living wage anymore

2) Allow absolutely NO trade with any country that doesn’t meet it.

Call it jingoism, protectionism or whatever you like – I really don’t care. Free trade in a global economy is just fine IF you have a level playing field. You don’t.

Ultimately – and across the board – the standard of living everywhere on the planet will equalize. That means China has a long way to climb and we have a long way to fall. Well I’ll tell you friend – I’m not on board with that.

People in this country used to work hard all day for peanuts like the Chinese do now. We got past that. We still work hard but we get enough of a wage to have a decent standard of living.

Many of us are isolated from the effects right now. That won’t last long…