The locomotives might be the bestReader comment on: Immelt, Obama, Indonesia Submitted by ben (United States), Mar 18, 2010 21:52 Your post assumes that Indonesia will buy the best locomotive. I don't think this is necessarily a safe assumption. Although free-market types love to think of everyone as rational actors, people aren't, and states surely aren't. As Lyle noted, if other heads of state are pressuring Indonesia, and the US doesn't, then the German, French or Chinese companies all have a leg up. I remember a class from Paul Bracken in college in which he talked at some length about the extent to which the CIA and State Department aggressively lobby on behalf of American companies. We expect our government to represent our interests, what is wrong with the President representing American interests? Note: Comments are moderated by the editor and are subject to editing. The Future of Capitalism replies: Well, we should be able to distinguish between American interests and GE's interests rather than confusing or conflating the two. France doesn't make many things that anyone would buy absent political pressure, and I worry that neither will America if we head down that road. Never mind the question of what's good for the Indonesians, which no one seems to be asking. Which is better for them, if the decision on what to buy is based on quality/price/value or politics? And if the train crashes some day because the Indonesians bought based on political pressure rather than merit, how will that affect U.S. interests? Other reader comments on this item
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