Made in America

[PBratton]

Just a quick question... If we all started to purchase only 'Made in America' items, would it help the US economy? Sure, we'd pay a little more for the items we buy, but we'd be supporting our own, wouldn't we?

[Teamless]

I would guess that most everyone would pay "a little more", but how much is "a little more"? 2%, 5%, 10%, or higher?
My guess is to make all of the items that we buy that are not made in the USA, it would take an average of 25% more cost to cover them all, due to our wages, insurance, gov't regulations, etc.

[boba]

When "Made in America" means it was made by US Citizens or Permanent Residents, let's talk.

However, as long as it can be made by people on temporary work visas (or illegals ) why should I care? There's no reason to prefer something made by Chinese citizens in Redmond over something made by Chinese citizens in Shanghai. There's not much reason to prefer something that was 95% made over seas with the last 5% in America, just to get the "Made in America" label.

[Jumping Frog]

The regulatory burden is what is killing American jobs, not the cost of American labor. There was an interview with Steve Jobs where he was asked why didn't manufacture the iPhone in California instead of China. He replied that an iPhone would cost $2500 if it was made in CA because of the regulatory impact.

[USA1]

American Flags are made in China.
Fortune cookies are made in America.

Something's wrong.

[SATX-Scrub]

American Flags are made in China.
Fortune cookies are made in America.

Something's wrong.

http://www.dixieflag.com/about.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Used to pass it every day on my way to BAMC.

[USA1]

American Flags are made in China.
Fortune cookies are made in America.

Something's wrong.

http://www.dixieflag.com/about.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Used to pass it every day on my way to BAMC.

That's good to see.
I guess I should've said "most flags".

[Salty1]

"Made in America" is for the most part a thing of the past, NAFTA caused many manufactirers to move their factories across our borders and ultimatly to other countries.

[alvins]

yea look at craftsmans hand tools. they used to be made in the usa. look at the sticker on the bright chrome wrenches (made in china) but it says USA stamped in the metal. look at the old style wrenches they sell. Those are stamped "made in usa" in the metal. biggest scam around.


ofcourse anyone who thinks harleys are made in america is totally wrong too.

[speedsix]

American Flags are made in China.
Fortune cookies are made in America.

Something's wrong.

...yeah FORTUNES used to be made in America, too...incentives have been reduced considerably...

[sjfcontrol]

yea look at craftsmans hand tools. they used to be made in the usa. look at the sticker on the bright chrome wrenches (made in china) but it says USA stamped in the metal. look at the old style wrenches they sell. Those are stamped "made in usa" in the metal. biggest scam around.

And they USED to be guaranteed for life. But I don't think they are any more... I have some ratchet wrenches that need replacing I've had since I was a teenager. Wonder if they still replace them?

[wharvey]

sjfcontrol » Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:27 pm

And they USED to be guaranteed for life. But I don't think they are any more... I have some ratchet wrenches that need replacing I've had since I was a teenager. Wonder if they still replace them?

The wrenches will most likely still be replaced.
==
People keep blaming our economy on everything but this very topic. If all the jobs have moved out of the country, how can anyone find a job? (Other than a few select areas such as healthcare and minimum wage fast food, hotel service or grocery clerk.)

As to having to pay more, yep but what is the alternative? Our present economy maybe?

Think about how everyone started going to Walmart to save money over the local stores. Well everyone saved money and now where are those local stores? Where are the people who use to work in those local stores? Same can be said in many areas. Look at fast foods instead of all the good local restaurants, quick marts selling gas instead of service stations. The list goes on and on.

It is easy to blame the government, and they are guilty in many ways, but there is plenty of blame to go around. Until something happens to bring jobs back, and good paying ones at that, the economy will stay at the bottom of the septic tank no matter what else is done. And I guess the real question is that if by some miracle this happens, will we be willing to vote with our pocket books or send them back overseas.

[chasfm11]

sjfcontrol » Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:27 pm
It is ACCURATE to blame the government, and they are guilty in many ways, but there is plenty of blame to go around. Until something happens to bring jobs back, and good paying ones at that, the economy will stay at the bottom of the septic tank no matter what else is done. And I guess the real question is that if by some miracle this happens, will we be willing to vote with our pocket books or send them back overseas.

There, I fixed it for you. Some examples:

1. American watch makers were prohibited from making claims about their products with regard to water resistance with exhaustive studies proving those claims. Watch importers were not under that restriction and could claim whatever they wanted. Result: Most of the American watch makers went out of business and watch making moved overseas. And this is before it was a labor cost issue.

2. Health insurance became an employer benefit when the Federal government was controlling wages and employers were trying to attract new workers. Like Social Security, once the practice was started, it was almost impossible to rescind.

If you go back to nearly every crisis, actions by the government were at the root of it and over-reactions by the government (Sarbanes-Oxley to the Enron scandal, Dodd-Frank to the sub-prime mortgage mess) lead to further problems. How many other countries have an albatross like either of these around the necks of its businesses?

The free market system has its flaws and there are always those who are corrupt and wiling to steal revenue through fraudulent practices. Those problems pale in comparison to the problems that are being created or exacerbated through government actions. Wanna talk about H1-B visas?

[Rex B]

I'm tired of hearing that we don't make anything anymore.
Do you realize the the U.S. is still the largest manufacturing country in the world?
Almost 20% of products made in the entire world are made right here.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/af2219cc-7c86 ... z1Xq5PYpBJ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Last year, the US created 19.9 per cent of world manufacturing output, compared with 18.6 per cent for China, with the US staying ahead despite a steep fall in factory production due to the global recession."

We build high-end stuff, China makes the consumer-grade

[fishman]

I wish the poll showed more people would buy u.s.a. It sure matters to me.