th comments
Amy Collinsworth said: "Just one correction...Kingsolver has had many books of essays published. Those works were also non-fiction...." [read]

M. D. Vaden of Oregon said: "The previous comment recommended a book called The Wild Trees, which included west coast redwood trees. This page has images of those trees..." [read]

TrollPatrol said: "My original italicized comments were primarily meant to 1) get your attention and 2) have you read the second part. Next time I will make it ent..." [read]

said: "Cute, looks like brunch for Palin!..." [read]

~Bill S.~ said: ""The repuglicans, who are typically mindless automatons, have clung to whatever their favorite pundits have been spewing out without even understan..." [read]

Quote of the Day Dept: Erin Burnett on China

by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 08.14.07
Business & Politics

erin.jpg

CNBC anchor Erin Burnett, on Friday's Hardball:

"A lot of people like to say, scaremonger about China, right? A lot of politicians and I know you talk about that issue all the time. I think people should be careful what they wish for on China -- you know, if China were to revalue its currency, or China is to start making, say, toys that don't have lead in them, or food that isn't poisonous, their costs of production are going to go up. And that means prices at Walmart, here in the United States, are going to go up too. So, I would say China is our greatest friend right now.They're keeping prices low, and they're keeping prices for mortgages low too."

::Play video ::Crooks and Liars

Comments (12)

Unbelievable.

China allows the manufacture and export of formaldahyde-impregnated plywood, but does not allow it to be used domestically. The only foreign customer that permits its import - the US !

jump to top rob says:

That is quite possible the stupidest thing I have heard all month.

Wait ....... yep, its the stupidest.

jump to top ug333 [TypeKey Profile Page] says:

Living in Beijing right now, it is too easy to see China's contradictions. I can walk or bike to a nearby organic market (http://www.lohaocity.com/English/Index.asp) and buy reasonably priced local organic produce, but as soon as I step outside and look up I will be ever reminded of China's antiquated coal power plants that aid to my lack of suntan.

jump to top James says:

So we'll be dead--but will have saved some money!

jump to top asoudiere@hotmail.com says:

Just another dumb Laowai spouting off about China based upon false assumptions.

Nah, she's doing worse than that. She's speaking out of ignorance of her own ignorance.

She's a covergirl for dumbed down news coverage in the USA.

jump to top The Dog says:

Could one hope that she was being facetious?

Either that or someone chewed on too much lead paint as a kid.

jump to top Jasmin Chua [TypeKey Profile Page] says:

I just called CNBC to say WTF. If anyone else would like to the # is 800-788-2622.

jump to top Dave G. says:

The consensus on dailykos is that she is completely serious.

jump to top Anonymous says:

Though her quotation lacks depth and economic, the point she is making (but not making very well) is important: our consumption of Chinese goods affects realities in China, and consumers should be expected to pay prices consummate with the quality of the products we want.

If we cared for China's environment as much as we supposedly care for our own, we would accept higher prices on goods in order to finance a clean-up of China's messy fossil fuel energy. If we took climate change seriously we would be cooperating with China to invest massively in alternative energy rather than sitting by as two coal plants go into operation there every day. Shanxi is a grotesque smog field because other countries import things produced with coal-based energy that is cheap because plants are poorly regulated.

Economically, an important argument against yuan revaluation is that it would indeed make Chinese exports more expensive in other markets. The argument that revaluation would have little effect because Chinese producers primarily process imported raw materials ignores labor costs, which are rising.

Myself, I welcome higher prices for Chinese goods, which could potentially bring improved conditions for Chinese workers, improved emissions controls and regulation of content of toys and food and such, and reduced incentive for wasteful consumption on the part of U.S. residents.

More likely, though, U.S. importers would continue to move on to other sources from which they can source products cheaply.

jump to top John Z says:

The comment is obviously ridiculous for all who read it. And I am sure that if she were to hear someone else make the comment, she too would say it is ridiculous. My gut feeling tells me she simply got into a talking frenzy, her brain temporarily disconnected, and her mouth took over - and out spilled those comments. But now those comments are on public record, so rather than look like she can't think when she talks she will finesse the accidental nonsense that came out of her mouth. I wouldn't push her into a corner. I feel that we probably all sometimes say things without careful thought that on closer inspection we utterly regret. And I am fairly certain that she regrets that comment. Let's leave it at: Deeply unfortunate comments - we are all human.

jump to top houston says:

Yes, the lady made a mistake by saying that "lead paint" thing, but she has a point. People here in US enjoying the low prices tend to forget quality and ethics come with price. Once the manufacturers in China become more mature and more regulated, prices of their products more or less go up, then the consumers here will complain about the inflation because no other developing countries are able to replace China in such a massive scale (think about the fast developing infrastructure and the huge labor force in China).

Oh, people also forget that US personal savings rate has been down to around negative territory, guess who is footing the bill? China now is a leading creditor to US. Don't be a hypocrite when the majority of American people still enjoy the low mortgage rate and the low inflation rate. Take an example of the gas price. People constantly complain about it, yet most people here still perfer large size vehicles. Just look at how popular the large SUV/trucks are. I hate hypocrites. If you complain about the gas price or the dependence on foreign oil, stop driving the gas guzzlers; otherwise, stop whining and bite the bullet.

BTW, capital always pursues low cost and high profit. That's how capitalism works. America is a capitalist society and the people here are mostly proud of it and in turn hate its opposite (socialism or communism). Unfortunately, globalism is the global maximization of capitalism in the modern world. That's the price you have to pay for sticking with capitalism. You just can't play it both ways.

jump to top DragonAwake says:

>>Myself, I welcome higher prices for Chinese >>goods, which could potentially bring improved >>conditions for Chinese workers, improved >>emissions controls and regulation of content of >>toys and food and such, and reduced incentive >>for wasteful consumption on the part of U.S. >>residents.

Actually you're wrong. Higher prices will only be used to fuel China's military. Improve conditions for workers, improved emissions??? Please...this is China we are talking about.

jump to top Anonymous says:

Post a comment

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)

th ads
th top picks
th ads