by oldedude on June 5, 2025 8:15 pm
"How is it that you're supposed to buy the most expensive steel in world in the United States, and compete with global competitors who have access to world market pricing," asked H.O. Woltz, who runs a company in Mount Airy, N.C. that twists steel wire into cables used to reinforce concrete.
Herein lies the quandary. We pay our workers more. We pay more for bennies out of the pockets of the manufactures. We can give that up and sell more steel. xIf we pay our workers more, than we need the tariffs. Do we lose some of the international sales? I'm sure. That said, if we have the superior steel, people involved in construction may pay that in order to keep their buildings compliant with codes, and to make the lawyers happy. Especially for domestic steel. Concrete is another one. US standards are above most other countries for concrete strength. In the Middle East, their concrete is about 30% of the US standard. What does that do to a single-family house? Not much. What does it do to a large building? And something over 5 stories? A LOT. Here in FL, even a single-family house would be safer, as would any larger building, or "hurricane proof" structure. For AZ, it is a much better thermo defense. For the midwest/ tornado alley? Much safer buildings. If Chinese is just a little cheaper? contractors will go cheaper. If it's US standard in the contract? done deal. Americans go to work.
by Indy! on June 6, 2025 10:26 am
As usual, you only see half a point, OD. I never said we can't build anything. I said we're not manufacturing anything - there's a difference. You hit on it later (after Curt spelled it out for you) - if costs far more to do anything here than it does in China with slave labor. That's why we're not manufacturing anything - because once the global economy opened (thanks in large part to Clinton) - all the jobs were leaving. That's the "great sucking sound" Perot was talking about way back in the 1980s.
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