"Made In America" fights back.

[Perry White]

I was in the service business till the end and if you were good at what you do, you could make a living. Now, people don't care much for perfection, they just want cheap and there is always someone out there that will be cheaper. Bid on Govt work. Cheapest bid.
I said in the 70's that someday one person is going to be working to support seven others that don't or won't. I'm glad I'm out of the game. Everybody's got there hand in your pocket and if you screw up one time you get screwed. Liability.

[Gary - K7GLD]

YUP - earlier in it's course, the Titanic could have swerved a fraction - and been safe - but once it hit the iceberg, it was all over, and even though to a casual observer, "all was well", there was NOTHING then available that could keep her from the inevitable sinking.

THIS country has already hit our "iceberg" - and while some are still unaware, and think "all is well - or soon will be", we ARE going down - and just as the Titanic does indeed still exist, it's NOT like it was when on TOP of the water...

THIS country's "iceberg" - among other ills, is foreign trade imbalance - and the lost factories and jobs that went overseas with them - the need for educated engineers, machinists and skilled workers to make their products. OH, sure, the USA will be around for a long time to come too - but not in a form those from less than a mere century ago would recognize, as to manufacturing skills and capabilities - and all the sub-culture support businesses that were associated with them...

[Possum]

Portland Bike Maker Sees Made-in-USA Demand from Overseas - Businessweek

[wa8yxm]

Originally Posted by dieselclacker

I wonder if USA citizens can afford the price of goods produced in the USA

That depends on a few things... Like how greedy the manufacturer and others in the supply chain are.

For example.. Recently someone got killed over a pair of tennis shoes, I think someont said the price was,, Well it was outragous, I recall 140.00 but seems to me the killing shoes had an even larger tag.

I know the brand of shoe, if the company that made it (overseas) had 5 bucks invested in the shoes I'd be surprised, but they sell for hundreds here in the states, Just flat rip off. That's what it is, not to mention several other crimes at the factory.


Best pair of Tennies I ever had were made in the USA, set me back $10.00.... Of course that was a few years back, today I think they go for around 25 bucks.

Made in the usa.. Better quality (they did last a long time) but alas, they are not the "Hot" brand so nobody was shooting at me to get my shoes.

[monkey]

My Cooper tires on the rv were made in the USA and so far I can't be happier !!

[slickest1]

The sad reality of the new generation is if it is in style and the so called in thing they will buy it at any price and where it is made is irrelevant. They will dye their hair weird colors and tattoo and pierce there faces and spend their way to oblivion.

That brings me to the next point,where is America and Canada(I say this as a Canadian) going to get a workforce from. Not this bunch. Most not all, want to go to higher education and start at the top and never get their hands dirty. BTW I have nothing against higher education. Back when I went to school allot of students were prepared to go to blue collar work. If made in America is going to survive you need a workforce that is willing to go to work, and companies that will pay them enough to live properly. Then we wouldn't have to form unions to bargain for us and drive the costs up. I do live off of a union pension. China, Mexico and other counties must just sit back and laugh at,the fat, lazy, stupid Americans and Canadians.

[dieselclacker]

I have often wondered of late, just how much a pair of genuine Levi Strauss blue jeans would cost if they were produced in the USA. Or a pair of binoculars, or a 42 inch flatscreen TV, 17 inch laptop, or new Chevrolet made entirely of parts made in the USA. The list of things no longer produced in this country goes on and on. I doubt I could afford, even if they were available,the exclusive purchase of goods produced solely in the USA. It is, and has been for a while now, a world economy that we are competing in. We are no longer the only industrial giant in the competition.

[ARTWERKE]

It's a complicated world. People remember Good American products from 1950-60s. when Europe & Asia were rebuilding from being bombed back to the stone age. So should I buy the Toyota Pick up made in San Antonio, or the Dodge P.U. made in Reynosa. I was recently retired from Eastman Kodak, after 35 yrs. A formerly fine U.S. company that in the mid 90s started selling products labeled in small print "made under license" instead of "made by" and a $100 a share company is now a bankrupt penny stock.

[baraff]

I remember my grandfather back in 1971 telling me that the US was becoming a service based economy; that a country that produces nothing cannot not have a sustainable economy.
Now, we even outsource the service. I'm thankful grandad isn't around to see his words come true.

[slickest1]

Back in the 60's and 70's my Dad used to say,"one day we will all be eating rice". We used to get a laugh out of that comment. For me being a Celiac is has come true for my breads and pastas are from rice flour.
My brother and I were talking the other day and we laughed again about Dad's saying. Maybe he was right!

[grafxman]

Originally Posted by monkey

My Cooper tires on the rv were made in the USA and so far I can't be happier !!

Both the low mileage tire Cooper tires on the front of my motorhome experienced tread separation during a 2 week trip in August. The Navy Exchange Service Station at NAS Jacksonville refuses to order Cooper tires because they've had so many problems with them. I replaced the Coopers with Michelin LTX M/S2 tires. Now I couldn't be happier with Michelin's 6 year 80,000 mile warranty. Whatever floats your boat I guess.

[tbwhit]

Originally Posted by grafxman

Both the low mileage tire Cooper tires on the front of my motorhome experienced tread separation during a 2 week trip in August. The Navy Exchange Service Station at NAS Jacksonville refuses to order Cooper tires because they've had so many problems with them. I replaced the Coopers with Michelin LTX M/S2 tires. Now I couldn't be happier with Michelin's 6 year 80,000 mile warranty. Whatever floats your boat I guess.

If that is a govt. run outfit I wouldn't put too much stock in it-The govt. never looks for the best deal or product. ($1000 toilet seats, $500 hammers) and the list goes on and on.

[grafxman]

Originally Posted by tbwhit

If that is a govt. run outfit I wouldn't put too much stock in it-The govt. never looks for the best deal or product. ($1000 toilet seats, $500 hammers) and the list goes on and on.

Actually it's just the on base service station. They don't take bids or quotes or sign contracts or anything like that. They provide quotes for Goodrich, Bridgestone, Kelly, Uniroyal, Dunlop, Firestone, etc. The quotes come right out of the computer. You just tell them what size tire you want and they print you out all the prices for that size tire. They stopped taking orders for Coopers because they have had so many problems with them. That is what I was told. The service manager told me that after I mentioned that two low mileage Coopers had suffered tread separation. Their prices are about the same as I can get online. The thing is they don't charge 7% sales tax. They have free installation of course and for a small fee they provide an excellent road hazard warranty that includes sidewall failure protection.

[Gerald Duerr]

We park in a Walmart parking lot for free and buy their products . To cheap to support the campgrounds of the United States and Canada. Thats why factories close. Cheers Gerald