I'm ashamed to be an American...

[Green Machine]

Imagine how many jobs that project could have created... but rather than stimulate our economy we shop for the cheapest price to get it done. Sad.

 

It's just GREED GREED GREED I agree with Dylan about the jobs makes me sick to my stomach!

[Diggerdan11]

Makes me so angry. This could have easily been done by an American company and created hundreds of jobs, but since California is broke (dont even get my started on that) they go with the lowest bidder:mad:

 

Well looks like the nex time I go to SF (if i even want to) I will go the long way and go over the Golden Gate that was Built by Americans!

[pjwoolw]

The whole Bay Bridge deal has been a fiasco from the get go. Unfortunately California decided to ignore the need for manufacturing jobs here in the U.S.A. Wow we saved a buck and it will screw us in the end. But thats OK it looks good on the budget today. Bad deal all the way around.

[Laguna]

Hold the phone. Hold the phone. Settle down there people. This happens more often than you think and it goes both ways. Bidding works just like this. It's the point of bidding.

 

I don't know how many of you know, but I work in the construction industry in IT. Our company is international and we also do construction in other countries instead of them having their local nationals do it. Our workers from here in the US go overseas and live and build projects all over the world.

 

This is very common, so don't take this so offensively. It's not damaging anything. It happens both ways.

 

I also can't see the article anymore. Are we sure this is not a joint venture project? Joint ventures work where maybe the Chinese company is the lead but they're working along side a partner company which would be US based.

 

EDIT:

California Turns To China For New Bay Bridge : NPR

 

This article states the labor is done by Americans, just some of the key parts of the bridge are being made in China by another company. What's the problem then? It doesn't even say all of it, just some parts are going to be made there. It's still American labor.

 

It's also saving $400 million that the California tax payers DON'T have to pay now. The American bids were $400 MILLION more, why would you NOT want to go with the lower bid regardless? It stopped some company from manufacturing it here in the US but I doubt the loss was $400 MILLION worthy.

 

ALSO, they are able to purchase this outsourced material because they're NOT using federal funds. That's stopping from taxpayers in other states from paying for a bridge in California they may never cross.

 

On top of that?

"The steel contract went to a state-owned Chinese company, Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries, which had several advantages: modern production facilities, ships to deliver the steel and, of course, low-cost labor. A Chinese steel polisher makes about $12 a day."

"It wasn't just the cost of labor that made Chinese steel more attractive, Anziano says. He says American steel fabricators don't have the capacity for a job like the Bay Bridge. When union and industry groups questioned the quality of the Chinese steel, Anziano says, the state and the contractor sent more than 200 people to China to watch over the fabrication process.

"In this particular case, we had full-time staff on site over in China — 24/7 — that monitored all aspects of fabrication work and performed their own quality-assurance testing," he says. "So we have a very high level of assurance about what we are getting."

 

 

 

In my opinion? Kudos to California for doing the research. I would have done the same exact thing.

 

 

 

Lesson for the day?

Do your research and don't freak out every time you read something and only read it on 1 news site which is tailoring the information in a way to upset you.

 

[ssbusdrvr]

This article states the labor is done by Americans, just some of the key parts of the bridge are being made in China by another company. What's the problem then? It doesn't even say all of it, just some parts are going to be made there. It's still American labor.

Who is making the Steel? Growing up in Pittsburgh I saw and lived first hand the results of companies buying steel abroad. Plants shutting down, friends and relatives out of work. even suicides. You name it. Steel Production should have stayed in the States. It is sad that China is now the number 1 producer of Steel and we are now like 4th.

[Grubrunner]

You know what I have noticed a LOT since Veteran's Day? The amount of Veterans (meaning Vietnam and earlier) I am seeing drive around in a Japanese made auto.

 

Really? That angers a Mook!

 

How do you know they're Vietnam or earlier veterans by the type of car they drive?

[Bunky]

Do your research and don't freak out every time you read something and only read it on 1 news site which is tailoring the information in a way to upset you.:

 

 

Sometimes people do not facts stand in the way of good story which is so common with radio and tv commentators.

 

I think the problem/concern is that the American manufacturing base has been dropping for some time so we will be dependent on non-US companies to make bridges, aircraft, ships,etc economically but pretty clear that most people vote with their pocket book (isn't that what capitalism is all about)usually so we are where we are.

[LDM]

Lesson for the day?

Do your research and don't freak out every time you read something and only read it on 1 news site which is tailoring the information in a way to upset you.

 

 

But where's the fun in that?