I just wanted to make something clear. I didnt want to offend anyone. I too have fallen into some of these traps. Not checking the labels of where the product was made. I am too, not perfect and make mistakes, and yes have been ignorant myself on many occations. But I try my best to remember who i am supporting when i buy products.
Hi David
As a South African, I would like to reply to your comments from a different perspective. Firstly I would like to state that I have always been impressed by the patriotic stance of Amaricans, especially as regards their economic activities. I believe it is one of your strong points, that seems to pull you together when you are disagreeing with each other on many other fields. (Politics especially!)
I do however think that you would find that the idea of "protecting US jobs" by buying only American, is probably somewhat short sighted from an economic point of view. Why do I say this? If this approach was supported by the most Americans for the last thirty years, I believe that your economy would not have sustained the long bull run that it had the last decade. This happened because you got rid of the "low value added" manufacturing activities and moved over to higher value added technological and services activities. This is what made your country ritch.
Looking at the Lincoln example, we may ask ourselves what happens to all those additional profits that Lincoln makes by moving some of their manufacturing facilities to Mexico? ANSWER: It comes back into the USA economy. Obviously there are people hurt by the economic movements, because they loose their manufacturing jobs, but from a bigger picture the economy wins.
Are you aware that Toyota makes a great deal of their automobiles in the USA? Why? - Because it has become cheaper for them. From your perspective, you may say this is a victory for the USA worker. Surely yes, but not for the USA economy, because the profits are being siphoned back to Japan!
My approach to this whole issue is that I buy the best product for the best price. Sometimes this means that I buy the South African product, and sometimes the imported product. I rarely buy the cheapest product, unless I know it is good. Mostly I buy the product that I know is a good quality product. If I do buy the "cheapie", I know that I am taking a risk. If it breaks, I know why, and will not buy it again the next time round. Because of this approach, that I believe many people have, a good value for money product will never loose out in the long run to a poor value for money product. If a product can not survive in the long run, it is becasue it did not deliver the required value for money. It therefore does not deserve to survive!
I know that the view above is a bit harsh, especially if it means personal hardship for yourself, or those close to you. This is very much a factor at the moment when the world economy is stalling, but I believe that there are many places in the world where the economy is faltering much worse than in the USA. Just have a look at Europe and South America. (Don't even discuss Africa please!) At the moment we are all suffering!
Hope these views are not seen as any sort of an attack, merely the views of someone "distant" to the American scene.
Regards
Niekie Jooste
HI Niekie,
Thanks for replying. And no offense taken. I realize that my views are becoming a minority now a days, so i catch a lot of slack from people.
About your comment about saying that the technological boom was a huge impact for the US economy. Yes, you are 100% correct on that. But it was a huge impact only because of what it was, "the next hot market" . Everybody jumped in on it. Not because killing jobs here and shipping them overseas made it that way. This new market had the new"technical jobs" that comes along with any new market. It had the manufacturing jobs. But those manufacturing jobs were soon moved away overseas.IMO, all that did was take the avg price of a computer from 2200 dollars and make it so that every "avg Joe" can have a brand new computer with internet and all the goodies for 700 bucks. And more money went up to the white collar types. And in turn, the computers life expectancy now is probably 1 year instead of like 5 years 15 years ago because technology and cheaply made parts are purposly replaced rapidly as it wasnt 15 years ago. Because, its much easier to pursuade someone who is on a fixed income to spend there "earned income tax credit" on a brand new 700 dollar computer. And those same people would most likely buy another one 1-2 years later because they are so cheap and they dont have to pay the 2200 dollar price tag like they did 15 years ago. I really think President Bush sees this as a problem with his new proposal for labor laws. There is no way to stop a free enterprize economy. But you can cut away some cash flow to white collar workers and attempt to put it back into the real driving force of the US working world. The american blue collar. That same driving force is becoming almost disposable now-a-days. A good example are casinos on the Gulf coast of Mississippi. No unions, workers are really not overall treated with the same respect as other jobs, not payed as well either. And there are some casino's down here that are pulling in labor from other countries to cut down on labor costs. They bring them in on 6 month working permits, pay them the least wage they can, no benefits, pack a bunch of them into an appartment and charge each worker a steap rate on rent, and then ship them out 6 months later. And repeat the cycle.
Now, you mentioned that if my views had been supported for the last 30 years we would not be as rich as we are now? Well now a days there is more people on welfare. Unemployment is higher. Back in the 50's you didnt have a married couple working there butts off with 2 fulltime jobs just to make ends meet. 30 years ago you only had on avg, one member of the family working a fulltime job, (perhaps at a maufacturing job thats used to be here in the US) and was capable of supporting his/her family with that one and only income.
So you tell me who is rich now?
Yes i do know Toyota makes some of there trucks/cars in the US. But i stick to buying from an american company. The only reason they have competed with the imports is because of patriots like me support them. And got help from he government when they nailed the imports with a huge import tax on there vehicles so they wouldnt put the american companies under. Yes, from what i know i dont think there is a vehicle in world that is 100% american made. But im going to support an american company, not someone who is attempting to disrupt one. And here is some food for thought on car companies. Donations were given to people in need by only 3 vehicle manufacturers during the 9/11 bombings. You think toyota, nissan, Kia gave anything? Nope, it was the big-3. I read that in a news paper article about 18 months ago. So it might have changed since then.
I hope my post doesnt offend you. But if this kind of madness doesnt stop. We will never pull out of our economic situation we are in now, but make it worse.
David P
100% MADE-IN-USA
Hi David
I hear you! - Good corporate citizenship has always been a hard thing to find!
Regards
Niekie Jooste
Hi guys,
I know the Big Picture sure looks different than the up close and personal picture that we see in our immediate areas. My uncle worked for a garment mfg. that made everything from 100% USA ingredients. He and 3000+ other people lost their jobs due to the plant being uprooted and placed into another country. Now, they could have kept their jobs, but would have had to move across the ocean to do it. Economic reasons are why the company stated they must uproot and move. The facility said they could save $'s (this company was making $'s, it wasn't going under) by not having to ship their goods over the sea, and the workers wages were so much cheaper in the country that they moved the plant to. I'm from a small town and this town now looks like a ghost town. Business moved and everything and everybody had to move on to where they could find jobs. The town was built around having this business in their neighborhood. This in turn ran all the small Mom and Pop businesses in town out of business. Small diners were places they took their families out on Friday night to eat. Hardware stores serviced all the locals, they had Department stores that all moved out of town because of the lack of business.........I guess what I'm saying with all this is, that one business moved and yet it had such a domino effect throughout this entire community that it effected more than the 3000+ families that lost their jobs.
Just another observation to what the loyalty to products that are made in our hometowns can do for an entire community,
John Wright
i guess i dont get it. where i come from you use what works for you and adds to your work quality. even if it means buying imports or paying 20 cents a pound more for good rod that has worked for many years. im not against change for the right reasons if something comes along that works better for me ill use it but until then ill stick with my overpriced old standbys.
Damn, there sure are alot of opinions out there "cool"
I know this an an old post, but I just saw it for the first time. You are absolutely right about tools. I currently, but not for much longer am employed by American Tool Company, which was purchased last year by Newell Rubbermaid. The first thing their money-hungry bastard of a CEO did was start shutting us down and start outsourcing our jobs to Asia. Be aware that most of the "new" Irwin line will be made in Asia to substandard specs. They re-branded everything ie.(Quick Grip, Prosnip, Vise Grip etc. etc.) Irwin. All Newell Rubbermaid Companies are headed in this direction. Also, our Quick Grip welding clamps have been dropped from producion, so if you see them on the shelves, buy them! But remember six months from now, when you pick up that Irwin Quick Grip, chances are it was made with pride in CHINA! Think Wolfcraft when you think bar clamps, they are made in Europe, which gets my money before China any day. And your right about Crapsman as well, they dropped us for Chineese made product last year.
There is nothing wrong with Hobart rods compared to Lincoln "Fleet weld" rods. Junk of the industry.
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