Groupings? Are you referring to the report about living organisms'
innate discrimination against members of groups other than their own?

Yes.

I would assume that there is a difference in labor pay rates between
those that prevail in California and Korea, as well as a difference in
working conditions and benefits.

This is likely true between California and Nevada too (though admittedly
to a smaller extent). But you know what? Outsourcing works to even
this all out.

There is likely a difference in the
environmental standards between the US and second or third world
countries also.

This is true. It raises the question of whether we should protect =our=
environment, or the =world= environment, and what is the best way to do
so. But this is really the same problem as we have here, the problem
for which we've created environmental laws. Absent these laws, what
prevents company A from dumping sludge into the river (that runs into
Nevada) instead of treating it first? This is one of the basic flaws of
unrestrained capitalism - shifting costs invisibly. Got a good solution
that doesn't kill the patient?

It is this desperate drive to the bottom that unrestrained capitalism
imposes to which I object. Fair completion based on innovation and
creativity is far preferable to exploitation, and it is that which
should be rewarded instead of rewarding the exporting US jobs to
foreign countries, IMO.

You are confusing "exporting jobs to foreign countries" with
"exploitation and unfair competition". While they can be related, using
one phrase as a stand-in for the other will induce the wrong solutions.

No. I'd pay more for higher quality (where quality matters).

And I believe your attitude is representative of the majority of
consumers. But things are changing, and hopefully a future, more
patriotic, humane, and environmentally conscience class of consumers
can find products on the market that meet their expectations in other
areas beside price.

You are hoping that people will change from buying based on quality to
buying based on "made in the USA"?

Higher quality is often foreign.
It depends on the product. Who is currently making a
better product than Boeing?

Yes. Who makes a better car than Chevrolet? (answer: everybody) Ok,
I'm being snarky, but only a little bit. It does depend on the product.
And I should be permitted to buy quality. If the US doesn't make
quality, and loses market share, then that serves as an incentive for
the US to compete. Absent an incentive, the US =will= =not= compete.
It will market instead.

Jose
--
Get high on gasoline: fly an airplane.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.