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In California they are building a bridge from San Francisco to Oakland. Normally this would never make news in my eyes, but this time it is. Why? The bridge is being made by the Chinese. The assembly work in California, and the pouring of the concrete road surface, will be done by Americans. But construction of the bridge decks and the materials that went into them are a Made in China affair. California officials say the state saved hundreds of millions of dollars by turning to China. The state is already in debt so saving money is important, but giving money back to American companies is more important. But this is not just a California issue. In New York City alone, Chinese companies have won contracts to help renovate the subway system, refurbish the Alexander Hamilton Bridge over the Harlem River and build a new Metro-North train platform near Yankee Stadium. As with the Bay Bridge, American union labor would carry out most of the work done on United States soil. At $7.2 billion, it will be one of the most expensive structures ever built. But California officials estimate that they will save at least $400 million by having so much of the work done in China.California issued bonds to finance the project, and will look to recoup the cost through tolls. I guess $400 million is a lot..but when you are spending $7.2 billion already, what is an extra $400 million? Not much in my eyes. It cost a lot less to make things in China for sure, especially when you look at a typical worker. Pan Zhongwang, a 55-year-old steel polisher, is a typical Zhenhua worker. He arrives at 7 a.m. and leaves at 11 p.m., often working seven days a week. He lives in a company dorm a
nd earns about $12 a day. It sucks but we cannot compete with such low standards of living. Still I must give these States a Digit Down. Where there is a will there is a way and if they really wanted to get a deal in America, they could have done it, but they are not going to "waste" their time searching for them.
In California they are building a bridge from San Francisco to Oakland. Normally this would never make news in my eyes, but this time it is. Why? The bridge is being made by the Chinese. The assembly work in California, and the pouring of the concrete road surface, will be done by Americans. But construction of the bridge decks and the materials that went into them are a Made in China affair. California officials say the state saved hundreds of millions of dollars by turning to China. The state is already in debt so saving money is important, but giving money back to American companies is more important. But this is not just a California issue. In New York City alone, Chinese companies have won contracts to help renovate the subway system, refurbish the Alexander Hamilton Bridge over the Harlem River and build a new Metro-North train platform near Yankee Stadium. As with the Bay Bridge, American union labor would carry out most of the work done on United States soil. At $7.2 billion, it will be one of the most expensive structures ever built. But California officials estimate that they will save at least $400 million by having so much of the work done in China.California issued bonds to finance the project, and will look to recoup the cost through tolls. I guess $400 million is a lot..but when you are spending $7.2 billion already, what is an extra $400 million? Not much in my eyes. It cost a lot less to make things in China for sure, especially when you look at a typical worker. Pan Zhongwang, a 55-year-old steel polisher, is a typical Zhenhua worker. He arrives at 7 a.m. and leaves at 11 p.m., often working seven days a week. He lives in a company dorm a
nd earns about $12 a day. It sucks but we cannot compete with such low standards of living. Still I must give these States a Digit Down. Where there is a will there is a way and if they really wanted to get a deal in America, they could have done it, but they are not going to "waste" their time searching for them.
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