Made in America

[Golfingnut]

I am thrilled to see chatter and recommendations to buy American made products. You may pay a few cents more, but you will be giving an American a job. Importing products and exporting dollars to pay for it has a very ugly ending.:crap2:

[rockyisle]

I purchased Rada knives for my family this year. All made in America and they are fabulous knives.
Official Rada Cutlery Site (http://www.radacutlery.com/?gclid=CLeiwrvrw7sCFTJo7AodOkMApQ)

[Golfingnut]

I purchased Rada knives for my family this year. All made in America and they are fabulous knives.
Official Rada Cutlery Site (http://www.radacutlery.com/?gclid=CLeiwrvrw7sCFTJo7AodOkMApQ)

As a retired military man, I salute you.

:crap2:

[buggyone]

I am thrilled to see chatter and recommendations to buy American made products. You may pay a few cents more, but you will be giving an American a job. Importing products and exporting dollars to pay for it has a very ugly ending.:crap2:

I would be willing to bet an ice-cold Yeungling that there are more items foreign made in the Golfingnut household and garage than American made.

People may talk the talk but unintensonally not walk the walk.

Care to do an item by item walkthrough?

[Golfingnut]

I would be willing to bet an ice-cold Yeungling that there are more items foreign made in the Golfingnut household and garage than American made.

People may talk the talk but unintensonally not walk the walk.

Care to do an item by item walkthrough?

Ford car

Craftsman tools

golf cart from Georgia

Arians Lawn mower Wisconsin.

:wave:

[Leo G.]

If we're going to stop the bleeding, we first need to have more incentives in place to bring manufacturing back to the USA. The end customer may pay only a few cents more for the few USA made products they purchase.

The USA company/manufacture however that operates overseas makes that few cents on every product they pump out and sell in the USA. We live in a world dominated by the almighty dollar. American greed and where it takes us in the coming years will be and has been our own doing.

To this day, I still receive e-mails from overseas telling me how they can manufacture my product so much cheaper. I made the decision to be "American Made" early on because I realize the true results long term by going abroad.

I think most of us do realize the consequences but our own greed gets the better of us. Everyone else is doing it mentality, so I must too, to compete for every dollar and or save a dollar in my own pocket.

I'm afraid the chatter we hear is nothing more than lip service for the most part. It improves ratings and gets us all fired up but little else as far as I can see. $$$ out wins doing the right thing, most of the time, as our past demonstrates.

[Golfingnut]

If we're going to stop the bleeding, we first need to have more incentives in place to bring manufacturing back to the USA. The end customer may pay only a few cents more for the few USA made products they purchase.

The USA company/manufacture however that operates overseas makes that few cents on every product they pump out and sell in the USA. We live in a world dominated by the almighty dollar. American greed and where it takes us in the coming years will be and has been our own doing.

To this day, I still receive e-mails from overseas telling me how they can manufacture my product so much cheaper. I made the decision to be "American Made" early on because I realize the true results long term by going abroad.

I think most of us do realize the consequences but our own greed gets the better of us. Everyone else is doing it mentality, so I must too, to compete for every dollar and or save a dollar in my own pocket.

I'm afraid the chatter we hear is nothing more than lip service for the most part. It improves ratings and gets us all fired up but little else as far as I can see. $$$ out wins doing the right thing, most of the time, as our past demonstrates.

:crap2: history will prove you to be the hero and big business going overseas for more profit, the greedy UN-American

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Ford car

Craftsman tools

golf cart from Georgia

:wave:

I am wondering how many parts of that Ford car and US made golf cart are being imported from overseas. In addition, some Fords are made in Mexico and Canada. Toyotas are made in several locations in the US so the "give an American a job" argument has less and less merit. Plenty of Americans have jobs in America working for Toyota, Nissan and a lot of other foreign based companies.

We now have American companies opening manufacturing plants in foreign countries and foreign companies opening plants in the States. so it's become a bit difficult to discern which is which. We're living in a much more global community today. It's not as simple as the old days of us against them.

American manufacturers, including and especially the car companies are responsible for much of this problem. For a lot of years, they produced inferior higher costing products and they allowed foreign companies to surpass them. People enjoyed these foreign products and developed loyalties for them. Now many of the American manufacturers are trying to play catch up and go begging to the government to help them out of a mess that they created. True, American cars have gotten better recently, but they got lazy and sat back while they watched Toyota fly past them in many different ways. And I don't think that many of the American cars today still can't compete with the quality of there foreign counterparts.

[marianne237]

Sometimes it is hard not to purchase either USA made or even USA owned. DH enjoys ham...so on occasion we purchase ham slices. We went to the new Sweetbay store and since ham was on my list, obviously, I looked for it there. All their ham products are packaged Smithfield. That is now a brand owned by the Chinese. We won't buy Smithfield any longer, and Paula Deen had nothing to do with it.
We all need to be consumer smart. It's only one small product, but it's my personal protest.

[Golfingnut]

We must keep trying. More import taxes would help to level the playing field for manufacturing here.

[red tail]

don't shop in bargain stores and expect high end products.its as simple as that. go to fresh market and pay more and get more!

[gustavo]

We must keep trying. More import taxes would help to level the playing field for manufacturing here.

Not fair, if American companies can't compete without bribing the refs then they will/should not survive. Natural law.

[Golfingnut]

Not fair, if American companies can't compete without bribing the refs then they will/should not survive. Natural law.


I pray you don't mean that.

[TheVillageChicken]

Ford car

Craftsman tools

golf cart from Georgia

Arians Lawn mower Wisconsin.

:wave:

Must be some old Craftsman tools.

[Golfingnut]

Must be some old Craftsman tools.

Like me, most of them are very old. If I looked at my power tools, most if not all are made overseas.

[Lark7]

Forbes just had an article as to how Whirlpool is moving some manufacturing jobs from Mexico to Ohio - maybe there is hope.

[buggyone]

Like me, most of them are very old. If I looked at my power tools, most if not all are made overseas.

Umm, I can taste that ice-cold Yeungling with every item you list! :wave:

[graciegirl]

Nothing is simple.


Economics.


International trade.


Morality.


Nothing.

[rockyisle]

I also created a website for a company in Kansas city who make the best hand cream. it's called HandShield. once upon a time it was on the shelves of all the major pharmacy retailers in the midwest. then those big box stores stated selling their shelf spaces and he almost went out of business. so now it's just an internet company.
feel free to check it out. all sourced and manufactured in the usa
Premium quality skin care and pain relief product that work at HASkincare.com (http://www.haskincare.com)

[zcaveman]

Every time you install one of those CFL light bulbs that the Government has forced us into, look at where they came from. From what I read there are no CFL bulbs made in the USA.

I just went out and bought 6 of those CFL bulbs for $16. 6 of the incandescent 60w bulbs would have cost $4. And so far, I have replaced four of the CFL bulbs in less that two years. So much for the 9 year life time. And I need HAZMAT to destroy them.

Z

[buggyone]

Not fair, if American companies can't compete without bribing the refs then they will/should not survive. Natural law.

Exactly right. We keep hearing about "free markets" being the best thing for business. However, raising import taxes would not be a free market system.

Remember also, if the USA would raise import taxes on any country, they would turn around and do it right back to the US goods imported to their country.

[justjim]

Exactly right. We keep hearing about "free markets" being the best thing for business. However, raising import taxes would not be a free market system.

Remember also, if the USA would raise import taxes on any country, they would turn around and do it right back to the US goods imported to their country.

I haven't done a lot of research in this area but understand many countries do put an import tax on U.S. products. By the U.S. putting an import tax on foreign products---that would help level the playing field.

Foreign products are cheaper because of reduced labor costs. In some cases, it could be called "slave labor".

[eweissenbach]

I am thrilled to see chatter and recommendations to buy American made products. You may pay a few cents more, but you will be giving an American a job. Importing products and exporting dollars to pay for it has a very ugly ending.:crap2:

Not always as simple as it seems. My Hyundai was built in Alabama, my best friends Lincoln MKZ was built in Mexico

[justjim]

Not always as simple as it seems. My Hyundai was built in Alabama, my best friends Lincoln MKZ was built in Mexico

I agree it's not simple. A couple of weeks ago I was in a VW dealership and couldn't help but notice that the VW was made in Mexico. A German car made in Mexico! What gives? :confused:

[billethkid]

We do our best to shop for made in America first. If it cannot be found then we look for American owned foreign made products. Last resort is foreign owned foreign products.

What I find objectionable is the amount of food that is made or processed in China and other low labor countries. I do not buy forein food stuffs. And yes, I do not know what I am eatig in a restarant....but I can control the other 98% of what we eat.

GE Appliance Park in Louisville, KY is starting to bring back appliance manufacturing. Just this summer the discontinued making refrigerators in Mexico and are making them in a newly rennovated plant in Appliance Park. Now if the union has learned anything, they will not blow it a second time.

I purposely waited for Louisville production to start before we bought our new refrigerator.

When I was working I had a sign on my desk that said....if you are out of a job and need money for food, eat your import.

[buggyone]

If Golfingnut would like to pay off his bet with an ice-cold Yeungling on Thursday night (Dec 26) at City Fire at Lake Sumter, I would be more than happy to accept his gracious offer. Others are more than welcome to join in.

[Bucco]

NAFTA drove a lot of manufacturing to Mexico and Canada, and of course lots of jobs also. It did not work as promised when enacted in early 90's. It was also to have an effect on illegal immigration, but does not.

Labor costs in China, while rising, are still so very low. Apple for example could not, nor would be mfg in the USA. Just too much cost, PLUS substantially increased taxes. Every company I am aware of that has left China went to Mexico, but are troubled because the folks in Mexico are still flooding our borders, thus the labor force is a question.

I expressed chagrin on the thread concerning China in space. My belief is, as someone said on here...this is complicated, and our "leaders" need to soon drop their party hats and listen up. This problem cannot be solved quickly, and does not matter how hard you try....you will use foreign products. Are you ready to discard your I phone ?

As an add, since I mentioned the IPhone.....it is assembled in China..parts come from other spots including Chinese Mongolia.

[Golfingnut]

If Golfingnut would like to pay off his bet with an ice-cold Yeungling on Thursday night (Dec 26) at City Fire at Lake Sumter, I would be more than happy to accept his gracious offer. Others are more than welcome to join in.

I think I won that bet. I am a nut about buying American. When it's available built in America, I buy it. If not, a settle for second best. Buggy, I prefer a bud light

[zcaveman]

I think I won that bet. I am a nut about buying American. When it's available built in America, I buy it. If not, a settle for second best. Buggy, I prefer a bud light

Actually yuengling is an American beer - Yuengling: An American Story since 1829 | America's Oldest Brewery (http://www.yuengling.com/our_story/)

Don't be deceived by the name.

Z

[Indy-Guy]

I have a cousin who retired from Ford and often brings this subject up. He vacations in Europe each year. He does not bring this up as much since I mentioned that his vacation dollars would be spent well in the USA.


Also Golfingnut what type of golf clubs are you hitting and where are the heads and shafts made?

[DougB]

I'm planning on being at City Fire on the 26th. I just need to know who's buying, Golfingnut or buggyone?

[TheVillageChicken]

If you want to walk the walk, better stop drinking Jim Beam...just got bought by a Japanese company.

[mulligan]

And that is precisely why I believe citizenship should be mandatory for property ownership.

[Cisco Kid]

I see Fiat is buying all Chrysler. That will mean my Jeep has been tainted.
:cryin2:

[rubicon]

Buy America is indeed patriotic however it is also a myth for many of the reasons previously cited. In addition what works best for countries and consumers is the economies of comparative/competitive advantage. NAFTA (02) is again in the forefront. Its not international trade that is a problem it is the unnecessary interference by governments....and yes there are exceptions when it comes to certain regulations.

As a business man what would you do, go, etc to secure bigger profits?

As an aside Timberlin (E-Mege) is manufactured in China, with some parts manufactured by Starr, and assembled here just so it can boast of being American built.

In my view people are better served to do their research and buy a product based on its quality service staff, etc.

For vheilces I only buy Honda Products. some are manufactured and built here, some in Japan, some In Mexico and since 1986 the only money I had to spend was on maintenance. The day that changes is the day I look elsewhere

There are more ways to demonstrate your patriotic duty

finally I detest when politician pull that buy American crap because it is a red herring hiding the economic decisions that are doing or not doing such as dropping the corporate rate so that American companies can return some of their business back here. In other words what these politicians are saying is taxpayers are the problem because they won't buy American products shen in reality they are the problem because their self interest get in the way of sound economic solutions

[Madelaine Amee]

Great posts from both Dr. Winston O. Boogie Jr. and Rubicon! The world is flat people and there is NOTHING you can do to change that. Commerce goes beyond our borders and our country and will continue to do so.

As consumers, we should buy the BEST product we can buy whether it is made here or overseas because the only way to turn things around is for our companies to get back on top and go back to producing the best instead of trying to make their shareholders happy by making huge amounts of money for them! It all comes down to greed ..............

The point made about the light bulbs is one to think about. Did the whole world know that we were going to change to this new type of light bulb? If yes, then why didn't the American Manufacturers get their stuff together and start tooling up for it, instead of leaving it to our competitor nations to jump the gun.

Greed has taken over - very few companies spend money on R&D to keep them ahead of the game, they pay their top people outrageous amounts of money instead of using that money to better the company, if they treated their employees better they would encourage loyalty and pride in their product.

Becoming an isolationist nation producing second rate products is not going to get us back to full employment and the envy of the world. We have to be the very BEST at what we do and how we treat our people - because, your people ARE your business.

[billethkid]

I personally believe a lot of the commentary of the non USA companies make better quality products may have been true 'X' numbers of years ago. I do not believe that is the case today for a lot of GM and Ford products.

These two companies have improved substantially over the years, however the past reputation seems to still be the ongoing rationale for buying 'others'.

My last three suburbans and Tahoes have all passed 300,000 miles with needing only tires and batteries replaced. My new 2013 Tahoe quality wise is a much better vehicle all around so I get the advantage of the good and solid being that much better....eh?

[gamby]

I have a Chinese friend who was born here in America,
His T SHIRT reads !

MADE IN AMERICA

[The Buckeyes]

Sometimes it is hard not to purchase either USA made or even USA owned. DH enjoys ham...so on occasion we purchase ham slices. We went to the new Sweetbay store and since ham was on my list, obviously, I looked for it there. All their ham products are packaged Smithfield. That is now a brand owned by the Chinese. We won't buy Smithfield any longer, and Paula Deen had nothing to do with it.
We all need to be consumer smart. It's only one small product, but it's my personal protest.

Well then, don't forget not to buy Budweiser...it is owned by IMBEV (foreign).:popcorn:

[The Buckeyes]

don't shop in bargain stores and expect high end products.its as simple as that. go to fresh market and pay more and get more!

I wasn't aware that Lay's Potato Chips ( that I recently purchased at Walmart) were made in a foreign country!!!!! :boxing2:

[CFrance]

I see Fiat is buying all Chrysler. That will mean my Jeep has been tainted.
:cryin2:

No, it just means your Jeep will run on Chianti.

[The Buckeyes]

I think I won that bet. I am a nut about buying American. When it's available built in America, I buy it. If not, a settle for second best. Buggy, I prefer a bud light

Bud is owned by Imbev which is a foreign company!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:boxing2:

[Indydealmaker]

Sometimes it is hard not to purchase either USA made or even USA owned. DH enjoys ham...so on occasion we purchase ham slices. We went to the new Sweetbay store and since ham was on my list, obviously, I looked for it there. All their ham products are packaged Smithfield. That is now a brand owned by the Chinese. We won't buy Smithfield any longer, and Paula Deen had nothing to do with it.
We all need to be consumer smart. It's only one small product, but it's my personal protest.

Smithfield ham is still a product that is grown, processed and packaged and distributed and sold by american employees. Your problem with them is what?

Also those that worry about U.S. dollars leaving this country should be aware that annually over $120 billion USD is sent by immigrants to their families in their home countries (according to a World Bank report). That is money that is presumably earned here but is being sucked out of our economy. At least most of the dollar value of imported products and/or foreign owned but U.S. manufactured products stays in this country if the ultimate customer is also in this country.

[CFrance]

Smithfield ham is still a product that is grown, processed and packaged and distributed and sold by american employees. Your problem with them is what?

See, that's the thing. By trying to stick to the idea of only buying made in America products, you can be unwittingly hurting your own fellow citizens.

Do you think that the company that bought Jim Beam is going to come in and replace all the American employees with people from Japan? What about all the Americans employed by Budweiser? Toyota? Honda?

[The Buckeyes]

I had a 2008 Chevy HHR...it was made in Mexico, my 2010 Chevy Camaro was made in Canada and, my 2012 Honda was made in Marysville, Ohio by Americans.

[Indydealmaker]

I had a 2008 Chevy HHR...it was made in Mexico, my 2010 Chevy Camaro was made in Canada and, my 2012 Honda was made in Marysville, Ohio by Americans.

Actually, all three of your vehicles were made by
Americans.

[billethkid]

my 2013 Tahoe was made in Arlington, TX, USA

[buggyone]

my 2013 Tahoe was made in Arlington, TX, USA

Do you honestly think that all the employees on the assembly line in Arlington, TX, were legal citizens of the USA?

I would imagine that the counterfeit green card industry is doing quite well around Arlington.

[buggyone]

Actually, all three of your vehicles were made by
Americans.


All North Americans, too!

[mrfixit]

Do you honestly think that all the employees on the assembly line in Arlington, TX, were legal citizens of the USA?

I would imagine that the counterfeit green card industry is doing quite well around Arlington.

Since Arlington TX is 430 miles from the Border,
I am betting that none are commuters.

[The Buckeyes]

Actually, all three of your vehicles were made by
Americans.

Never thought of it that way. Let me rephrase the Honda was made in Marysville, Ohio which is part of the United States by US Citizens.

[justjim]

Bottom line----we need more American made products---more decent paying jobs.

[billethkid]

the equation is very simple but sometimes forgotten by most and unkown to far too many.

Every not made in the USA product that once upon a time used to be made in the USA = jobs/employment to make those products are gone. As we lose more and more manufacturing there will be more and more unemployment.

Having been educated and earned my living in manufacturing I have personally watched hundreds of thousands of jobs leave the USA....I have been responsible for relocating thousands of jobs from the USA as part of my responsibility in corporate America.

The ONLY reason for manufacturing of any product to be removed from the USA is to reduce the cost of labor in the product. American wages, inefficiencies and lack of investment in improving methods of manufacturing all contributed to the problem.

History has proven that the country with the latest, most modern, most efficient low cost manufacturing will surpass economically those who do not.
One only needs to look at the past greatness of USA manufacturing and compare it to today's emasculated shadow of it's former self.

I remember early in my career when we used to be proud in appliance park Kentucky (GE major appliances) that all our (GE) appliances were made in the USA........now almost none. GE appliance Park employment in the 70's was 25,000.....today less than 5,000. This one example is a mere drop in the bucket example of jobs lost.

Until that trend is stopped and reversed we will continue to slide into also ran status as a nation just as we are at this time in history.

Most countries have many more protectionism laws than we do for good reason. We have almost none.......POLITICS!!!

Made in USA is ALWAYS my first choice....no excuses.

[CFrance]

the equation is very simple but sometimes forgotten by most and unkown to far too many.

Every not made in the USA product that once upon a time used to be made in the USA = jobs/employment to make those products are gone. As we lose more and more manufacturing there will be more and more unemployment.

Having been educated and earned my living in manufacturing I have personally watched hundreds of thousands of jobs leave the USA....I have been responsible for relocating thousands of jobs from the USA as part of my responsibility in corporate America.

The ONLY reason for manufacturing of any product to be removed from the USA is to reduce the cost of labor in the product. American wages, inefficiencies and lack of investment in improving methods of manufacturing all contributed to the problem.

History has proven that the country with the latest, most modern, most efficient low cost manufacturing will surpass economically those who do not.
One only needs to look at the past greatness of USA manufacturing and compare it to today's emasculated shadow of it's former self.

I remember early in my career when we used to be proud in appliance park Kentucky (GE major appliances) that all our (GE) appliances were made in the USA........now almost none. GE appliance Park employment in the 70's was 25,000.....today less than 5,000. This one example is a mere drop in the bucket example of jobs lost.

Until that trend is stopped and reversed we will continue to slide into also ran status as a nation just as we are at this time in history.

Most countries have many more protectionism laws than we do for good reason. We have almost none.......POLITICS!!!

Made in USA is ALWAYS my first choice....no excuses.

Given the way you feel about made in America, it must have been very difficult for you to make those job relocations to out of the States. (If I understood you correctly.)

[billethkid]

Given the way you feel about made in America, it must have been very difficult for you to make those job relocations to out of the States. (If I understood you correctly.)

It was extremely difficult. Before we placed any work offshore we always met with the union and employees making them aware of the need to reduce costs. We never expected them to meet the lower labor costs of the off shore work force. However we did offer and expect to get improved costs locally by reducing the pay rate or increasing the output at the same pay. The unions hard in concrete position always was no way.

I did not understand then and I understand even less now why some folks would rather have no loaf of bread VS ANYthing less.

We always left a standing offer that if they could meet the daily output of the offshore counterpart we would bring the work back. We never brought back one hours worth of work!

My made in USA standard is USA owned and operated first. Second choice made in USA and foreighn owned....depending on who the owner.is.

[The Buckeyes]

Isn't it ironic....it is always touted that unions created the middle class (with a lot of justification about 100 years ago) but, nobody touts the fact that it was also unions who destroyed the middle class but, they won't admit that.

[buggyone]

One poster writes, "Bottom line----we need more American made products---more decent paying jobs."

Another poster writes, "We never expected them to meet the lower labor costs of the off shore work force. However we did offer and expect to get improved costs locally by reducing the pay rate or increasing the output at the same pay."

More American made products and decent paying jobs by reducing the pay rates or increasing the output at the same pay? Something just does not compute here.

[billethkid]

More American made products and decent paying jobs by reducing the pay rates or increasing the output at the same pay? Something just does not compute here.

Both actions compute/result in a lower per unit cost. Only two of the many options.

If it was a family run small business there would be contest in the decision to be made. Either the family puts in more hours to get more revenue or they take less home in pay to reduce the cost of operating.

I suppose large or small business they could just keep doing the same old thing and just raise prices........until they are no longer competitive.

There has never ever been any mystery in the business equation that determines profit and loss. Unlike the government business cannot print money or borrow above and beyond the means of the entity.

[CFrance]

My husband spent 22 years in labor relations with Westinghouse, starting in 1970. They watched as the volatile unions ran the appliance divisions into the ground and ultimately out of business (among other reasons, but that was a main reason). There was no mindset of compromise there. It was sad to watch.