Speak Out: Let's cut a deal with Japan

Replies (48)

• Good idea swamp

  -- Posted by We Regret To Inform U on Tue, Mar 15, 2011, at 6:31 PM

• If the Japanese economy totally tanks, it could pull other economies down with it.

  If the fed keeps printing and injecting money into our economy and then tries to control inflation with highter interest rates, this country could very well face another great depression sooner than later. IMHO Now is the time to cut spending at the federal level to the bare minimum and allow the states to return to independently governed entities that encourage enterprise.

  -- Posted by Old John on Tue, Mar 15, 2011, at 6:56 PM

• Rick To paraphrase Huffington's remarks about private jet travel, Those ships were going somewhere anyway. I have no problem with answering that kind of 911 call.

  -- Posted by Old John on Tue, Mar 15, 2011, at 8:06 PM

• "Rick", I honestly can say that I am glad that I do not have your mentality. One of the things that has made this nation great is how we have gone to the aid of hurting people.

  -- Posted by mo_ky_fellow on Tue, Mar 15, 2011, at 8:09 PM

• -- Posted by Old John on Tue, Mar 15, 2011, at 6:56 PM

  Absolutely.

  -- Posted by We Regret To Inform U on Tue, Mar 15, 2011, at 8:21 PM

• swampeastmissouri for the 8th district US Congress person!!!

  -- Posted by D49F11 on Tue, Mar 15, 2011, at 8:46 PM

• Really Rick? I think you have your facts crossed.

  -- Posted by futile_rant on Tue, Mar 15, 2011, at 8:56 PM

• We have ships full of trained nuclear technicians. Japan has a nuclear dilemma. It's a good idea to have our ships on hand.

  We have Army, Air Force, and Navy Bases in Japan. Should we just say 'There goes the neighborhood' and pack up our gear and head for Korea?

  Japan holds over a trillion dollars of our debt, don't we owe them something for toting the note for us for so long?

  No, I think we owe Japan a helping hand, not just for the above reasons, but because we are good citizens of the World. The cost of helping Japan will be a pittance compared to the cost of not helping them.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Tue, Mar 15, 2011, at 9:44 PM

• I would also point out that we have lots of people out of work, and Japan has lots of work that needs to be done. There's a deal to be worked out if ever I heard of one.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Tue, Mar 15, 2011, at 9:45 PM

• Rick, Did I miss something or just imagine the help offered concerning the oil spill was turned back by the man in charge?

  I'll have to ask Cadillac about that. :)

  -- Posted by Old John on Tue, Mar 15, 2011, at 10:36 PM

• No Old john you are either senial or have selective reading, caused by your dislike of the president, as he did not turn down international help.

  The US accepted help from:

  Mexico, Norway, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Croatia, Holland, Norway, Japan, the International Maritime Organization and the Monitoring and Information Center.

  The US did turn down some countries. I.E. France because France uses dispersement chemicals not approved in the U.S.

  In the end U.S. received over 100 offers for help from various countries & organizations. 40 offers were accepted.

  Here is a troubling quote from one article on the issue:

  "Almost all the countries and groups expect to be paid for their help, although the technical coordination from the two international groups and some containment boom offered by Mexico are free."

  -- Posted by futile_rant on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 6:20 AM

• although Rick and I were in disagreement the other day on right to starve, I would have to partially agree with him on this. maybe we can go further into debt to Japan so we can afford to help them. Or, if we help them, how about they take some off our debt?

  And why do we need to cut a deal with Japan to go back to work? I saw on the news the other day that toys from China were so expensive because of the price in shipping. So why did we stop making them here?

  -- Posted by working class citizen on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 7:07 AM

• Checquebook diplomacy.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 10:35 AM

• yeah , well , i suppose the majority of y'all think i'm an ***-hole , which is cool...

  -- Posted by Rick... on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 7:36 AM

  Rick,

  I don't! Actually, looking at your avatar, you are one handsome dude. Could stand to loose a couple of pounds though. ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺

  -- Posted by Have_Wheels_Will_Travel on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 10:38 AM

• Maybe we could just write Japan a check and pay them what we owe them. That way the problem would be solved. They would not need that much financial help.

  Not going to get in the argument... if or not we should provide financial help. But my question would be at this time. Where is that all encompassing entity, the United Nations, at these times of crisis?

  There is that group that think we need to clear everything with them before we breathe, why don't we continually hear about them responding to and providing solutions to natural and man made disasters around the world instead of expecting the United States to take up the slack?

  -- Posted by Have_Wheels_Will_Travel on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 10:47 AM

• "In the end U.S. received over 100 offers for help from various countries & organizations. 40 offers were accepted."

  -- Posted by futile_rant on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 6:20 AM

  Ok, He turned back 60 of 100, but that was after he delayed to favor his beloved unions.

  -- Posted by Old John on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 11:40 AM

• Rick,

  We've got Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, VA, Free clinics, sliding fee clinics, soup kitchens, food stamps, commodity food programmes, food pantries, homeless shelters, homeless advocacy groups, and countless churches and charities to provide for the homeless and hungry in America. They are being taken care of.

  Japan is seeing a disaster of a magnitude unseen in this country. I think we can afford to lend a hand.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 12:39 PM

• Rick, I'm with you to an extent. I don't have a problem helping these other countries in times like these. But we can't just be giving our money away. If we have debt that they hold, some of it should be erased if we are going to run to their aid.

  Who else is running to help Japan? Or are they all complaining because we're not "doing enough" again? Even though we end up going deeper into debt to bail these places out all the time..

  -- Posted by redhawkstudent on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 12:40 PM

• Didn't Japan help us not too far back with a natural disaster?

  I hear that Toyoto will resume factory operation today. They must have skipped the grief counciling for their workers to get restarted that quickly.

  -- Posted by Old John on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 12:48 PM

• BC,

  Lordy, I hope so, my GE stock took enough of a beating since that idiot broker talked me into buying.... which I have not been able to convince myself to take my medicine and get out.

  -- Posted by Have_Wheels_Will_Travel on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 12:54 PM

• Old John,

  I do not believe the Japanese people need as much handholding as we do over here.

  I am trying to install the new firmware on a 4G router that came yesterday. I may need grief counseling before this is over.

  -- Posted by Have_Wheels_Will_Travel on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 12:57 PM

• Right now I would say help Japan. A natural disaster is something that could happen any where at any time. These people could not forsee it to protect themselves or their country.

  Now that being said, the help to the Third world countries to feed and educate them could be better spent right here. Our schools are having financial cuts and even with the charities, gov't assistance etc we still have people going hungry. The type of 911 calls we answer needs to be addressed.

  I do agree the USA and Japan need to work together right now and as the saying goes "you scratch my back I scratch yours". There is a long history between the two countries but time has shown they can work together so why not now.

  -- Posted by semoangel70 on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 12:59 PM

• Wheels, The news we are getting most here is focussed on the nuclear plants with baited breath waiting for something bad to report. The biggest danger to the U.S., I think is not radioactive fall out but economic fall out.

  If our economy doesn't get back on track to long term stability, we will be hard pressed to help ourselves. much less any one else.

  Can you call Eric if you need help with the install? :)

  -- Posted by Old John on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 1:12 PM

• "Who else is running to help Japan?"

  I saw a photo on MSN of a Mexican Red Cross worker and a French Fireman searching for bodies.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 2:04 PM

• Old John wrote:

  "I hear that Toyoto will resume factory operation today. They must have skipped the grief counciling for their workers to get restarted that quickly."

  Toyota will not resume auto manufacture until next week. They are resuming parts manufacture because rescue and other vehicles need parts.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 2:05 PM

• Rick wrote:

  "lemme ask you a theoritical question , if things were re-versed , do you suppose Japan would do all they could do to help the USA ?"

  Yes.

  "As far as the list of available programs in America for the needy , why do we still have thousands of homeless and hungry ?"

  You tell me. I've puzzled over that for ages. We give away billions to help our poor, but I don't think it's the poor that are getting it. If they were, we wouldn't have any poor.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 2:10 PM

• Old John,

  It is a done deal. I am sending this through the new router and everything seems to be a go.

  Who in the world is Eric. Sounds like someone I could use from time to time. ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺

  -- Posted by Have_Wheels_Will_Travel on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 2:14 PM

• Good Afternoon Angel.

  How are things going with you today?

  -- Posted by Have_Wheels_Will_Travel on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 2:15 PM

• Afternoon Wheels.

  Things are going good but will be a lot better when can use both arms again although it is nice having the kids and hubby be responsible for everything lol

  -- Posted by semoangel70 on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 2:35 PM

• According to Wikipedia's entry on the international response to hurricane Katrina:

  "The Japanese Foreign Ministry said that it would provide $200,000 to the American Red Cross to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina. Japan also identified needs in affected regions via the U.S. government and provided up to $1,000,000 in emergency supplies such as tents, blankets and power generators if they receive requests from the U.S. for such assistance. Private and corporate donations totaled over $13,000,000. One Japanese individual, Takashi Endo, donated USD $1,000,000 from his personal funds to Katrina relief efforts."

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

  Generally, people rush to help the poor, not the rich. Since we like to bill ourselves as 'the richest nation on Earth', it is puzzling to me that people are concerned about how much the poorer nations give to us in times of strife. I thought charity was supposed to come with no strings attached.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 2:43 PM

• Angel,

  I had both knees replaced almost 3 years ago, operations 90 days apart, so, I milked it for all it was worth. ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺

  Good luck on your recovery. Will be saying a prayer for you now and again.

  -- Posted by Have_Wheels_Will_Travel on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 3:09 PM

• Well I must say this about our Japanese friends.

  I have NOT seen any looting and I have not seen anyone sitting in lawn chairs waiting for some organization like FEMA to show up. I have seen patience and human kindness that is for sure. This my friends impresses me about these people. I have some complaints about the Japanese but many here in this Country could use a lesson or two from our friends in Japan. JMO

  -- Posted by GREYWOLF on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 5:14 PM

• I agree GREYWOLF well said. Those people are very hard workers and don't like accepting hand outs and they have not tore up the inside of a sports stadium like they did down in New Orleans and yelling where is my CHECKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK from FEMA.

  -- Posted by swampeastmissouri on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 6:01 PM

• I was down there. There was a vietnamese neighborhood that was cleaned up and requesting electricity in 2 weeks. Those people don't wait for government. While they were at it they built a support system for seniors in need of help and a center for them to eat and get medical help. Americans should be ashamed.

  http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-10-30-4013234752_x.htm

  There were people that lived behind the old Dixie Beer plant that had a bloated German Shepard in the front yard while they set on the front porch every day asking everyone when FEMA was going to clean their place up. I love NOLA but I saw a part of it that I never had before. They have the worse moocher class I have ever seen.

  -- Posted by We Regret To Inform U on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 7:02 PM

• the big 3 get very little parts from japan. i got no problem helping them. but they are a very protective,isolastionist,self serving country. china is the same way, even worse as the piracy is rampart. but do the right thing and help. but i don't remember the forigen companies sending vehicles to new york,new orleans, as the big 3 did.

  -- Posted by workingdude on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 8:30 PM

• Japan will recover, once the dust has settled and the dead are buried, they will set about rebuilding, as they did after the war. Construction is the engine that will rebuild their economy even as it rebuilds their infrastructure, their homes, and their lives.

  If we isolate ourselves from them, we will be sitting on the sidelines while that reconstruction is underway. China and India will be supplying the manpower and the materials they need, and we'll be sitting on our arses wondering when our economy will get moving again.

  Postwar rebuilding created the Japan we know today. This rebuilding will create the Japan of tomorrow. We can be a part of that tomorrow, if we'll hang up our prejudices and get to work.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Wed, Mar 16, 2011, at 9:14 PM

• Wheels, Eric was the 11 year old that fixed your the Id10t error on the Friday Funnies thread.

  Shapley, You are probably right. It just seems hard for me to understand how spending to replace such a loss can lead to prosperity. Did rebuilding after Katrina boost our economy overall?

  Our economy improved at a great pace post war, but I always thought that due to the all out push for greater productivity and innovation needed to win the war.

  Japan's recovery post war, like Germany's was financed and enhanced with American dollars.

  -- Posted by Old John on Thu, Mar 17, 2011, at 12:13 AM

• Old John,

  sometimes it is not about the economy... If your nieghbors house burns down do you only help him rebuild if it benefits your property value? Or do you help because it is the right thing to do?

  -- Posted by futile_rant on Thu, Mar 17, 2011, at 7:23 AM

• Old John wrote:

  "Did rebuilding after Katrina boost our economy overall?"

  I wasn't aware we had rebuilt after Katrina.

  Seriously, I know some folks down there have made a decent living doing construction work, but I'm not sure how much is actually rebuilt. I believe Gulfport's coastline has been renewed, and the construction jobs have been a benefit to those who work them. There was much squabbling because so many companies were hiring Mexican labour to do the work. But I haven't been down that way in a while, so I do not know the status of things today.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Thu, Mar 17, 2011, at 8:00 AM

• I went to NOLA & the gulf coast in that area two summers ago. Downtown is thriving bourbon st is bourbon st. However the city overall is still a wreck, somewhat. There will be a house nicely renovated & painted while next door there is a house with trees growing out of it. Going to take a long time to rebuild & get people and businesses back.

  -- Posted by futile_rant on Thu, Mar 17, 2011, at 8:29 AM

• Rick, The West should stay out of the conflict.

  -- Posted by BCStoned on Thu, Mar 17, 2011, at 9:15 AM

  Bet you lunch they won't.

  -- Posted by Have_Wheels_Will_Travel on Thu, Mar 17, 2011, at 9:22 AM

• BC

  I believe the West should stay out of ALL conflicts that do not threaten the borders of the U.S., but Have Wheels is right, we won't.

  -- Posted by FreedomFadingFast on Thu, Mar 17, 2011, at 10:29 AM

• Rick,

  We have warships stationed there permanently. We have every since the end of the war. We also have Army, Airforce, and Marines stationed there.

  According to the Navy's website, ships currently assigned to stations in Japan include:

  USS Avenger MCM-1

  USS Blue Ridge LCC-19

  USS Cowpens CG-63

  USS Curtis Wilbur DDG-54

  USS Denver LPD-9

  USS Defender MCM-2

  USS Essex LHD-2

  USS Fitzgerald DDG-62

  USS George Washington CVN-73

  USS Guardian MCM-5

  USS Harpers Ferry LSD-49

  USS John S. McCain DDG-56

  USS Lassen DDG-82

  USS McCampbell DDG-85

  USS Mustin DDG-89

  USS Patriot MCM-7

  USS Shiloh CG-67

  USS Stethem DDG-63

  USS Tortuga LSD-46

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Thu, Mar 17, 2011, at 10:39 AM

• "We have warships stationed there permanently. We have every since the end of the war. We also have Army, Airforce, and Marines stationed there."

  Wasn't OBAMA going to bring our military people all home? How many have left these WWII peace keeping missions? How about WW 1? Any left from previous wars... Civil War?... War of 1812?....

  -- Posted by Have_Wheels_Will_Travel on Thu, Mar 17, 2011, at 10:46 AM

• Rick wrote:

  "why should the USA pay the bill to be the world's police , ambulance , 911 service ?"

  Because we incurred that obligation with the Security Treaty Between the United States and Japan, signed on 8 September 1951 in San Francisco.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Thu, Mar 17, 2011, at 11:01 AM

• I suspect they'll be cashing in some of the treasury securities they carry in order to pay for repairs. Hopefully, they can find a buyer. If you're concerned about foreign ownership of them, you can buy some.

  In 1951, we thought that having forward bases in the Orient, and preventing Japan from rebuilding their military, was worth the cost of providing their protection. If the World situation has changed to the point that we should no longer accept that thought, then by all means write to your Congressman, Senator, and President and urge them to renegotiate our treaty obligations.

  There are a number of Congresspersons and Senators who've been reconsidering them for several years, but they remain in the minority.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Thu, Mar 17, 2011, at 11:34 AM

• It seems to me the last time Myanmar (we used to call it 'Burma') had a natural disaster, they refused most offers of aid. They're not to fond of outsiders coming in.

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Fri, Mar 25, 2011, at 9:28 AM

• In Myanmar's case, I think it's more of a case of wanting to keep their people from being exposed to too much freedom...

  -- Posted by Shapley Hunter on Fri, Mar 25, 2011, at 10:35 AM