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Made In USA Losing Cachet
UPI Senior Business Correspondent Washington (UPI) April 05, 2007 The days of legislators gathering at the steps of Capitol Hill to smash Toshiba television sets and Sony stereos in protest of Japanese imports flooding U.S. markets are now a distant memory. In fact, just over a decade later Japanese cars are more popular than ever with U.S. drivers, and what's more, the stigma of driving a non-U.S. brand car has almost all but disappeared. That doesn't mean, however, that trade relations between the United States and Japan are any better these days, as the current account balance remains grossly in Japan's favor. What has changed drastically, though, are consumer perceptions of companies and national identity. No longer is it necessary to buy "Made In U.S.A." labels in order to be a patriot. In fact, love of country has little impact on one's spending patterns. What's more, even as the U.S. trade deficit against Japan and China in particular continues to balloon, the issue is highly unlikely to be discussed at any length by any candidate at the upcoming presidential elections. As U.S. consumers continue to gobble up goods made in East Asia that ultimately will cost U.S. jobs and the country's future economic prosperity, "politicians aren't paying attention to the issue," said Peter Morici, a professor at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business. He added that while presidential hopefuls are likely to focus on issues such as healthcare and employment, they will merely be campaigning "on the symptoms, not the causes" of poverty, as what is most needed is for East Asian nations to stop artificially lowering the value of their currencies, which gives them an edge in exporting their goods. While the extent to which currency valuations can be blamed for unfair trade advantages can be debated, there is no doubt that trade is no longer as emotional an issue as it once was, and as a result, politicians are steering clear of the topic on the campaign trail since it is unlikely to mobilize voters. "Trade disputes are used by governments and political leaders to achieve both political and economical objectives. As trade disputes with major trading partners can have major benefits and costs, the choices of when to start a dispute, where (in which industry) to start the dispute, and with whom to start the dispute must be made in a careful and calculated way. We could trust that the government officials and political leaders have done thorough reviews of both the political and economic consequences of the dispute and the likelihood of success in achieving both political and economic gains," said Tony Gao, a professor at Northeastern University's College of Business Administration. "Today the Japanese automakers have made a lot of friends here and there, and it's frankly rather hard to gain politically by doing battle with them again," Gao added. In the case of cars, of course, many of the vehicles on the road are partly or completely made in the United States, thus providing many U.S. workers with jobs even if they are producing foreign brands. Moreover, given the cross-shareholding and licensing agreements between companies such as Ford and Toyota, it is becoming increasingly difficult to define a car with a single nationality. In addition, as an increasing number of drivers are more concerned about energy efficiency and carbon footprints, the allure of Toyota and Honda is only rising as the two companies continue to dominate the hybrid market. So even as Leonardo DiCaprio and other Hollywood celebrities tout the virtues of the Toyota Prius and the Japanese carmaker's sales in the United States hits an all-time high, there have effectively been no accusations against the actor for being unpatriotic for not buying an American car. Instead, his calls for others to follow his lead and purchase hybrid automobiles have won over the environmental community and further enhanced his relations with former vice president and green advocate Al Gore. Meanwhile, Gao argued that "there are other better opportunities of making a political gain, such as starting a trade dispute with China or potentially India," adding that "the fact that China observes a different political system makes it an easier target for instigating trade wars."
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Technique Creates Metal Memory And Could Lead To Vanishing Dents
Champaign, IL (SPX) Mar 30, 2007Crumpled kitchen foil that lays flat for reuse. Bent bumpers that straighten overnight. Dents in car doors that disappear when heated with a hairdryer. These and other physical feats may become possible with a technique to make memory metals discovered by researchers at the University of Illinois. |
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