RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:WSJ: Trump Pushes for Early Renegotiation of U.S. Trade DealHi Lets - well, that isn't quite what we were talking about. That is what has got the west into the predicament that it is in vis a vis China. In the west's rush to save money, the west gave all their technology to China, what wasn't stolen. So in that example, I sure don't want a businessman to make country wide decisions for me. They will be as wrong as before (the business west to China).
Regarding salary discrepancies, well, if there wasn't a salary discrepency between the US and Canada it is very likely that my whole sector/job would not exist. If you make the currency the same and have parity, without the interconnection of nationhood, then I would expect that those sectors that currently enjoy a discrency in salaries (and other costs) would simply disappear. Like the film industry. Like the automotive industry. Possibly the wine industry. And I'm sure a bunch more.
So again, never do I want a business person to be making decisions on country level strategy. It hasn't worked out so well the last time (globalization).
The last point I'd like to make about China. In the west, our government's role in business has been to create a level playing ground, for the most part. No one has an advantage. For example, if you want a new factory, you have to pay for it from your profits.
In China, if you want a new factory and your well connected, you get it free. If you want high level engineering software you run an intranet not connected to the internet until the government buys it for you. There are very little environmental rules and worker safety is a joke (well, better now then in the past but not to our level).
So when you buy from China, you are supporting the non-level playing field that is not tradional western business model. Hence my irritation with loud mouth O'Leary.
By off-shoring, and supporting off-shoring, you are essentially removing the middle class leaving a two class system in place.
Full disclosure - not happy to have supported that paradigm by working in the China sphere on occasion...likely my biggest personal disappointment in 30+ years of working.