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Comment by fallentimes | Hacker News Reader

American Apparel's just marketing towards the people who hate outsourcing and think buying "Made in America" is important. Most people fall for it; some do not.

A better question: why is an American more entitled to a job than someone living in another country? The problem with most of the outsourcing arguments I've heard is that they come down to value judgments.

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I think the most cogent (and only) argument for nationalistic job protectionism is the fact that others are doing the same thing. If other countries are reluctant to export their jobs to you, you would obviously avoid exporting jobs to them in the vain effort to keep employment in your country alive.

I do agree though - I dislike the "Buy American" argument. Other countries are out-doing us in many industries; instead of pledging allegiance to buying inferior goods and services, we really should be fighting back by innovating and simply making our stuff better.

Americans don't make $45,000/year because we held on to our low-skill manufacturing jobs.

If other countries are reluctant to export their jobs to you, you would obviously avoid exporting jobs to them in the vain effort to keep employment in your country alive.

Why might one want to keep employment in his country alive?

Eliza, is that you?

This one?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ELIZA

No.

> I think the most cogent (and only) argument for nationalistic job protectionism is the fact that others are doing the same thing.

Still the argument fails. One country benefits from its own free markets even when others close up or try Merkantilism on you.

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