[The Great Fumar]

AIN'T IT THE TRUTH!!?'
Joe Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock ( MADE IN JAPAN ) for 6am . While his coffeepot ( MADE IN CHINA ) was perking, he shaved with his electric razor (MADE IN HONG KONG ). He put on a dress shirt ( MADE IN SRI LANKA ), designer jeans ( MADE IN SINGAPORE ) and tennis shoes ( MADE IN KOREA ). After cooking his breakfast in his new electric skillet ( MADE IN I NDIA ) he sat down with his calculator ( MADE IN MEXICO ) to see how much he could spend today. After setting his watch ( MADE IN TAIWAN ) to the radio ( MADE IN INDIA ) he got in his car ( MADE IN GERMANY ) filled it with Petrol from Saudi Arabia and continued his search for a good paying AMERICAN JOB At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day checking his Computer ( Made In Malaysia ), Joe decided to relax for a while.. He put on his sandals ( MADE IN BRAZIL ) poured himself a glass of wine ( MADE IN FRANCE.! ) and turned on his TV ( MADE IN INDONESIA ), and then wondered why he can't find a good paying job in ... AMERICA.....

Don't blame me , I bought American ...... Fumar

[golfnut]

Good point fumar, although my three cars are all made in the USA, a Dodge Caravan, a Chrysler PT Cruiser and a Chevrolet Camaro (not sure where my underwear, TV's or radios were made although probably not USA), but I do reserve my major purchases for made in America.

[MMC24]

Once again The Great Fumar is spot on !!

[gnu]

Originally Posted by The Great Fumar

AIN'T IT THE TRUTH!!?'
Joe Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock ( MADE IN JAPAN ) for 6am . While his coffeepot ( MADE IN CHINA ) was perking, he shaved with his electric razor (MADE IN HONG KONG ). He put on a dress shirt ( MADE IN SRI LANKA ), designer jeans ( MADE IN SINGAPORE ) and tennis shoes ( MADE IN KOREA ). After cooking his breakfast in his new electric skillet ( MADE IN I NDIA ) he sat down with his calculator ( MADE IN MEXICO ) to see how much he could spend today. After setting his watch ( MADE IN TAIWAN ) to the radio ( MADE IN INDIA ) he got in his car ( MADE IN GERMANY ) filled it with Petrol from Saudi Arabia and continued his search for a good paying AMERICAN JOB At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day checking his Computer ( Made In Malaysia ), Joe decided to relax for a while.. He put on his sandals ( MADE IN BRAZIL ) poured himself a glass of wine ( MADE IN FRANCE.! ) and turned on his TV ( MADE IN INDONESIA ), and then wondered why he can't find a good paying job in ... AMERICA.....

Don't blame me , I bought American ...... Fumar

Much truth in what you have written, but, Americans scream at any increase in price of the products that they purchase. We can only afford our lifestyles as it is because of being able to purchase goods from around the world. Could any of us afford to live in this country if we only purchased American made goods?

Wouldn't we just be chasing our tails if we all bought American from well paid American workers? Lets say we double the wages of our workers. Now the companies that produce the goods have to increase the price of those goods to cover the higher wages. Our wages are now in parity with the cost of the goods. We wind up in the same place in the wage vs cost graph.

As it now stands our standard of living is as good as it is because our wages can buy an abundant amount of low cost goods. We can no longer compete, in the manufacture of low cost goods in a, global economy. America must reinvent itself, from a manufacturing society to a technology society.

[The Great Fumar]

Have to take issue with this.....We have already moved from a manufacturing society to a technology society..... Nearly all manufacturing has moved overseas so now we have no choice but to buy from elsewhere...(for example) There is not one engine lathe made in this country now , there all gone, along with punch presses, drill presses, press brakes , boring mills , air compressors , etc etc. They have all gone overseas and our govt, allowed it to happen .....this has been going on for the last thirty years and we all stood back and watched it happen........Now if you want to open a small shop you have to buy all your equipment overseas.......

This country has a big problem and I hope the new guy can make some changes before its to late if it isn't already...........

Fumar

[Sidney Lanier]

Originally Posted by gnu

... Americans scream at any increase in price of the products that they purchase. We can only afford our lifestyles as it is because of being able to purchase goods from around the world. Could any of us afford to live in this country if we only purchased American made goods?

Isn't this the truth! Americans are adamant about buying CHEAP! Businesses are folding, but Wal-Mart continues to do well. Why? Keep in mind that 1% of ALL of China's GNP is Wal-Mart! Doesn't anyone wonder at that? My wife needed a pair of dress shoes in a hurry while we were away from home, checked every possible place to buy shoes, couldn't find any, and reluctantly ended up at Wal-Mart (where we decidedly prefer NOT to shop in spite of low prices--and some think we're nuts...), and bought a pair of simple women's dress pumps for SIX DOLLARS. We had not only been willing but WANTED to spend more for better quality but couldn't find anything. How can anyone make a living wage when a pair of shoes RETAIL costs $6?!

We were and still are world leaders, among other nations, in technology. But manufacturing is gone, whole industries--steel is one example--have disappeared completely, and it's our service sector that produces what few jobs have evolved. By and large you can barely feed yourself and keep a roof overhead on a service job.

Economically speaking, we're in deep excrement....