Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Another US Tech Trade Deficit

Posted by kdawson on from the giant-sucking-sound dept.

eldavojohn writes "The United States is suffering again from a massive trade deficit — $38.3 billion in 2006. And it's been going on since 2002. From the press release: 'In 2006, Asia supplied 60 percent of all US imports of advanced technology products. Europe supplied more than 20 percent, and North America more than 15 percent.'"

1 of 498 comments (clear)

  1. Re:No such thing as a Trade Deficit by TubeSteak · · Score: 5, Informative

    By definition of trade, something is given away and something is received in exchange. There is no deficit whatsoever that occurs from any single instance of trade, even if that trade involves promises to repay at a future time.
    ...
    Talk of "trade deficits" is political manipulation designed to bamboozle the uninformed. Anyone who believes "deficits" result from trade is as gullible as the Emperor's New Clothes. Do you even understand what's being discussed here? TFA is saying that in the electronics sector, we are buying more than we are selling. It has nothing to do with 1-to-1 business transactions.

    My country buys 10 billion [currency] worth of widgets from your country
    Your country buys 5 billion [currency] worth of widgets from mine
    My country has a trade deficit of 5 billion [currency] in the widget sector.

    It's imports vs exports.
    When imports do not = exports, you have an imbalance.

    For your nonsensical post to be correct, we would have to be buying and selling widgets in equal quantities. Hint: we aren't.

    I really can't understand how anyone moderated you up.
    This stuff isn't that hard.
    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!