>>16
I guess I wasn't clear:

> In theory the US could declare a full trade embargo. In reality that'll never happen.

Therefore

> Since it's not going to happen any time soon, the distinction -- whether true or not -- is pointless

I think the first statement is a given. Everyone likes paying less; Walmart is an amazingly profitable and popular company because of this. China has both the industrial infrastructure and population to manufacture items cheaper than almost anywhere else. And China is happy to take anyone's money. Long live capitalism, comrade.

So we come to the second statement. I'm arguing that claiming country X will fare better than country Y is pointless patriotic wankery since I don't see it happening within the next decade.

And within the next decade things may change dramatically. The US dollar is increasingly based on wishful thinking. Meanwhile China is turning into a semi-wealthy polluted dump since the rest of the world is (foolishly) outsourcing their manufacturing capabilities.