made in the usa
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,721
Likes: 372
From: Tonopah Az
You can thank the "Walmart" mentality for all the Chinese crap...people are used to spending as little as possible for stuff these days. Look at TVs, my family got our first color set in 1964, a 21 inch Zenith made right here. It cost almost $600, and that was in 1964 dollars! Now you buy a 32 inch flat screen for $299 at Walmart, made in China of course. If we made that here and paid Americans a living wage to do it that TV would cost over $2000, and that is the problem. Low prices mean low wages, low wages mean jobs go overseas. It sucks, but how can we change it...?
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Illinois
Here is a list of our friends and allies.
http://www.isaf.nato.int/troop-numbe...ions/index.php
Note who are missing.
Unless you wish to strengthen the "enemy" ("If you are not with us... you are against us..."), only purchase goods and services from the countries on this list, plain and simple. This list begs the question: Why are we dealing with "others"? Why?..... Greed / Profit for Wall Street, hence insider - connected Politicians.
I believe that it is our civic duty to study, and be aware of the activities of our Politicians and so called "Leaders", and thereby use your voting power to elect... or reject, Politicians who are corrupt, or underhanded. I am also of the opinion that Campaign Contributions are a leading cause of poor, or downright illegal decisions.
Keep a sharp eye on the activities of all elected or appointed officials, and contribute - with your vote - to provide the means to give a strong "Enema" to our broken and trashed political system.
On the side, "American" - in my opinion - means anyone living in North America.
We all have massive power in our voting, and purchasing, decisions. Walk the Walk.
Bob
http://www.isaf.nato.int/troop-numbe...ions/index.php
Note who are missing.
Unless you wish to strengthen the "enemy" ("If you are not with us... you are against us..."), only purchase goods and services from the countries on this list, plain and simple. This list begs the question: Why are we dealing with "others"? Why?..... Greed / Profit for Wall Street, hence insider - connected Politicians.
I believe that it is our civic duty to study, and be aware of the activities of our Politicians and so called "Leaders", and thereby use your voting power to elect... or reject, Politicians who are corrupt, or underhanded. I am also of the opinion that Campaign Contributions are a leading cause of poor, or downright illegal decisions.
Keep a sharp eye on the activities of all elected or appointed officials, and contribute - with your vote - to provide the means to give a strong "Enema" to our broken and trashed political system.
On the side, "American" - in my opinion - means anyone living in North America.
We all have massive power in our voting, and purchasing, decisions. Walk the Walk.
Bob
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,916
Likes: 31
From: earth
And everybody says its too far gone, you cant do anything about it, just the way it is. Well I can tell you bithcing on the HDForum isn't doing anything, take that same energy and time to contact your representatives, tell them you demand fair trade practices and policies, and policy that promotes manufacturing and our economy. If we don't start working to change it now, our country will be done in just several generations. A nation of consumers is not sustainable, its simple math.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 44,908
Likes: 29,889
From: PNW
Here is a list of our friends and allies.
http://www.isaf.nato.int/troop-numbe...ions/index.php
Note who are missing.
Unless you wish to strengthen the "enemy" ("If you are not with us... you are against us..."), only purchase goods and services from the countries on this list, plain and simple.
http://www.isaf.nato.int/troop-numbe...ions/index.php
Note who are missing.
Unless you wish to strengthen the "enemy" ("If you are not with us... you are against us..."), only purchase goods and services from the countries on this list, plain and simple.
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 492
Likes: 0
From: Castle Rock, CO
Consumers demand lower prices to stretch their dollars further.
Shareholders demand higher returns so their nest eggs grow faster and (hopefully) allow them to retire earlier/better/at all. And who are these shareholders? Probably every swinging d!ck on this forum, through 401(k)s, mutual funds pension plans, even indirectly as taxpayers since public employee pensions are invested in the Market, etc., etc., etc.
So, for the most part, Consumers and Shareholders are one in the same, putting pressure on the publicly traded companies from both ends of the equation.
In a global economy, we will learn to compete or suffer. Tariffs don't work because it only causes protected industries to continue their inefficiencies rather than become competitive, and when the inevitable correction comes it's only that much more painful.
Somebody mentioned regulations - boy, is that an issue. Think of the regulations that control you at home and multiply it 1000-fold for work. I bought 2 extension cords yesterday for Christmas lights - each had 4 safety labels wrapped around (certainly adding cost)! I have 2 plastic gas cans with spouts that now require 3 hands to keep open when refueling. Regulations likely proposed by some 25 year old snot-nosed bureaucratic still living at home with mommy. I'm sorry, if I don't know how to use an extension cord or fill my lawnmower, my DNA should be eliminated from the gene pool.
Buying American won't change the basic rules of global economics....
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 44,908
Likes: 29,889
From: PNW
Despite the fact that this is so true it does feel very wrong.
Xi Jinping (China's new leader) has stated that in 2020 China's GDP will be twice that of the US and salaries will have dubbled.
That alone will have an effect on China as, they will not be able to produce things as cheaply as they do now and the balance wil be redressed slowly.
And this does not teke into account the high cost they face when in less than 10 years the will have an even higher ageing population than we do.(think cost)
Xi Jinping (China's new leader) has stated that in 2020 China's GDP will be twice that of the US and salaries will have dubbled.
That alone will have an effect on China as, they will not be able to produce things as cheaply as they do now and the balance wil be redressed slowly.
And this does not teke into account the high cost they face when in less than 10 years the will have an even higher ageing population than we do.(think cost)
As far as how China will deal with it's increasing geriatric demographic, one shudders to think. Unfortunately, the world will probably soon be witness to more unthinkable acts by China against it's own people because, as you have noted, they are already at a point where they have competition. Many "made in" tags have Vietnam, Pakistan, India, etc on them these days - far more so than the past.
As far as imports in general - I like them and I am absolutely for free world trade on a level playing field. Unfortunately, the same plague that affects us, affects you. The "Made in England" Clark's shoes that I have now are ten years old. New Clark's are from China. My 6 year old Blundstones are no longer made in Australia - yep, China. Just two products of many that I used to buy, that I no longer buy, which really sucks. When Harley gets to a certain point where it's basically a Chinese bike - I'm out. Nor will I buy a BMW because they have seen fit to move a large part of their operation to China. Speaking of which, China is the biggest consumer of BMW cars now. Tells you something.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 44,908
Likes: 29,889
From: PNW
In a global economy, we will learn to compete or suffer.
But our Govt needs to enforce a level playing field. What we have with China is not competition.
Somebody mentioned regulations - boy, is that an issue.
Lets not give up on one issue that affects our economy over another issue that is out of control. How about we fix both instead of give up on both?
I'm sorry, if I don't know how to use an extension cord or fill my lawnmower, my DNA should be eliminated from the gene pool.
Well said. I hate those gas cans!
Buying American won't change the basic rules of global economics....
But our Govt needs to enforce a level playing field. What we have with China is not competition.
Somebody mentioned regulations - boy, is that an issue.
Lets not give up on one issue that affects our economy over another issue that is out of control. How about we fix both instead of give up on both?
I'm sorry, if I don't know how to use an extension cord or fill my lawnmower, my DNA should be eliminated from the gene pool.
Well said. I hate those gas cans!
Buying American won't change the basic rules of global economics....
If everyone adopted your stance, we would push the throttle full forward in the current race to the bottom.
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Joe Kucinski
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,553
Likes: 13
From: Sussex, South of England
And with that sad truth I feel you have put your finger on the cause. We all, me included, bitch about how our wages should be higher, our purchases cheaper so we can afford to live a lavish lifestyle and at the same time complain if somebody (country) steps up to the plate and provides us with the cheaper goods we want because it ruins our economies. We all, in the western world, have fauled our own nest.