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Boeing CEO vs Occupy Wall St
Occupy Wall Street is demonstrating outside the Credit Suisse aerospace conference in New York and passed out a flier criticizing defense spending. Boeing is listed as the number 5 defense contractor. Jim Albaugh, CEO of Boeing Commercial Aircraft, looked at the flier and with his ever-present sense of humor said, “That’s wrong. We’re number 2. Take this out and have them retract this.” (leehamnews.wordpress.com) More...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Why would anyone expect expect these intellectual amoeba to be correct about anything, when the closest thing to being grounded to reality in their parallel universe is their jar of "magical mushrooms"!
The business that they will be much more expense is hooey. The prices charged are what the market will bear in all cases. Asian producers, esepcially Japan and Taiwan, are extremely efficient. They are continually developing products such that nearly all electronics are in a six-month life cycle. The only thing that comes close is Apple. Prices fluctuate down rapidly. They won't cost much more if production came back here. See Germany. Europeans put a 20% VAT on all imported goods. It's not called a tariff. It's an across the board tax so China does not get its feelings hurt. In 2009 Germany was the world's largest exporter, not China. It had high wages, high taxes, 6 week vacations and excellent public services of all kinds, last time I checked. When your wages are going up and services you get daily are top notch you don't mind paying extra. We need to reverse this race to the bottom mentality that we.ve had for 30 years. Look where it has gotten us. Nowheresville.
You're right...to a point. Prices charged are what the market will bear. If the market won't bear it at the price necessary to cover the cost of production in the US...the production gets moved elsewhere so that there is a margin. As you mentioned, Asian producers are extremely efficient.
Of course there is always a battle between good, cheap, and fast. You can pick any two of them. Hard drives manufactured in China stink. Unfortunately, a growing number of them are being made in China. If a company like Segate or Western Digital wanted to start making them in the US again, they could charge 10x as much and it would be worth it...assuming they could regain the quality standards they once had.
My technology firm competes directly with companies that outsource their support professionals to India. We are having absolutely no problem competing. Our labor costs are significantly higher, but we compete on value. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of extremely intelligent people in India. But there are also some total morons, and it seems that those are the ones that typically answer the Level I help desk.
It is certainly possible to compete. But it is certainly becoming more difficult, thanks to government involvement. This is not a slam on either political party. They are both equally corrupt.
Of course there is always a battle between good, cheap, and fast. You can pick any two of them. Hard drives manufactured in China stink. Unfortunately, a growing number of them are being made in China. If a company like Segate or Western Digital wanted to start making them in the US again, they could charge 10x as much and it would be worth it...assuming they could regain the quality standards they once had.
My technology firm competes directly with companies that outsource their support professionals to India. We are having absolutely no problem competing. Our labor costs are significantly higher, but we compete on value. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of extremely intelligent people in India. But there are also some total morons, and it seems that those are the ones that typically answer the Level I help desk.
It is certainly possible to compete. But it is certainly becoming more difficult, thanks to government involvement. This is not a slam on either political party. They are both equally corrupt.
It was a priceless comment said with great wit. The people who have taken offense to it are reading way to much into it. I own a small corporation that is constantly competing with giant corporations -- many of whom are at least partially subsidized by the federal government (read: ME). I have absolutely no love of giant corporations. But the line was still priceless.
As for OWS -- when they decide to come to some consensus on what the heck they really want and are willing to lawfully pursue those objectives, I believe that more people will be willing to listen.
I don't like cronyism. The federal government is absolutely horrible at picking winners and loosers. People in a free society are much better at doing that themselves. Of course the most effect method in history for expressing those choices is capitalism. If you don't like the fact that the Apple builds their iPhones in China...here's a clue...DON'T BUY THEM! You have an incredible amount of influence. But when you get their attention and they move production back to the US, please don't complain that they cost 7x as much.
As for OWS -- when they decide to come to some consensus on what the heck they really want and are willing to lawfully pursue those objectives, I believe that more people will be willing to listen.
I don't like cronyism. The federal government is absolutely horrible at picking winners and loosers. People in a free society are much better at doing that themselves. Of course the most effect method in history for expressing those choices is capitalism. If you don't like the fact that the Apple builds their iPhones in China...here's a clue...DON'T BUY THEM! You have an incredible amount of influence. But when you get their attention and they move production back to the US, please don't complain that they cost 7x as much.
The B-47 begot the 707 and was a subsidized aircraft with defense spending and research. Does it matter really if they are No. 2 or No.5 (could have been a typo)?
They are big, bigger than most of us, will out live us all, and they are a paper entity and a "person" according to the Supreme Court I want them to be the very best maker of civilian airliners in the world. But as a defense contractor, they can all be trimmed back a lot. The world is not heading in a direction of obsolete bombers, fighters and tankers. The C-17 is definitely needed, especially to move lots equipment and relief supplies into isolated areas as global warming continues to take its toll on many parts of the world. In fact I would favor a fleet of at least 100 such planes stationed in various airports as a rapid response unit, that could be quickly loaded with tents, food and medical supplies for victims of storms, floods, earthquakes, etc. This should be a UN supported force so we don't pick up the whole bill. Believe it or not, the world other than us really wants more peace but has to respond to our endless appetite for military equipment, not civilian.
They are big, bigger than most of us, will out live us all, and they are a paper entity and a "person" according to the Supreme Court I want them to be the very best maker of civilian airliners in the world. But as a defense contractor, they can all be trimmed back a lot. The world is not heading in a direction of obsolete bombers, fighters and tankers. The C-17 is definitely needed, especially to move lots equipment and relief supplies into isolated areas as global warming continues to take its toll on many parts of the world. In fact I would favor a fleet of at least 100 such planes stationed in various airports as a rapid response unit, that could be quickly loaded with tents, food and medical supplies for victims of storms, floods, earthquakes, etc. This should be a UN supported force so we don't pick up the whole bill. Believe it or not, the world other than us really wants more peace but has to respond to our endless appetite for military equipment, not civilian.
Have I stumbled into childishdrive.com ?