Buy American

[Jimmyc]

I would like to make a challenge:for everyone to read the labels of the products they purchase at the store. Look at where this product is made. If we all purchase products made in the good old USA, it would have a direct effect on our economy. Buy American, and create jobs. Let's try to bring manufacturing back to this country......

Thanks. Jimmy.

[DesertBull]

I just bought a 2012 tundra 4x4. Made in USA. Ford F150 made in Mexico.

[DUG]

Give it up Jimmy..... Too many American companies went overseas or to Mexico for cheaper labor etc.... I buy what I want if I want it, no matter who makes it.

 

Let's see that Tundra DB! My wifes Sequoia was made in the USA, so I guess I bought American!

[Jimmyc]

I just bought a 2012 tundra 4x4. Made in USA. Ford F150 made in Mexico.

 

 

Yep, Toyota has built several plants here in the States when they compared productivity from japan. And as for the Ford, just gotta check the name plate on the inside of the door where they're made. Thanks for sharing.

[AZMThunter]

I own a small company, and I am amazed at how difficult it is to buy american made products from an american owned business. Buying a product made somewhere else by an american company does add money to the economy, though at the cost of jobs. Buying something made in america by a foreign owned company helps keep americans employed, but the money goes to another countries economy.

 

No easy solutions, and any little bit helps - but to truly "Buy American," you will need to dig pretty deep to get real answers.

 

FYI, I tried to find an american made flat-panel TV recently when shopping for a new 46"... Let me know if anyone sees something like that.

[Jimmyc]

Give it up Jimmy..... Too many American companies went overseas or to Mexico for cheaper labor etc.... I buy what I want if I want it, no matter who makes it.

 

Let's see that Tundra DB! My wifes Sequoia was made in the USA, so I guess I bought American!

 

Sorry Dug, I won't ever give up on talking to folks about American made products.

As far as the Sequoia goes, sweet. Liked reading that.

[Jimmyc]

I own a small company, and I am amazed at how difficult it is to buy american made products from an american owned business. Buying a product made somewhere else by an american company does add money to the economy, though at the cost of jobs. Buying something made in america by a foreign owned company helps keep americans employed, but the money goes to another countries economy.

 

No easy solutions, and any little bit helps - but to truly "Buy American," you will need to dig pretty deep to get real answers.

 

FYI, I tried to find an american made flat-panel TV recently when shopping for a new 46"... Let me know if anyone sees something like that.

 

Thanks for the post. At my office I have a list of American made products. From toothpaste to cars. Tomorrow I will send you a pm. Thanks again. Good points.

[PRDATR]

It's not as easy as it would seem and the truth is it is just not possible to do on some products. Wrangler and Levi have been making Jeans in Juarez since the 90's. The Justin work boots I have are Made in USA and are twice the price of the other Justin's I looked at at $185, but not everyone can afford that.

The Carhart jacket I bought last year allotted me two choices. Assembled in the US from materials manufactured in Mexico and Assembled in Mexico from materilas made in the US. It all just depended on which style coat you picked off the rack at Sportsmans Warehouse.

Thankyou Bill Clinton adn NAFTA for that one which accounted for 500 Billion in trade with Mexico who is our largest partner for our products.

Can you say Global Economy. Biggest problem I see is that we all want to make $50K a year (or need to)but we are quite content to wear $15 jeans and $12 shirts. Have you looked at the prices of Cotton on the market? Without the govt subsidies for the last 30 years we wouldn't even have a cotton industry when we try to compete with Egypt (high quality) and China (low cost).

Believe me, I look all the time and I am as disgusted as everyone else when it comes to finding products made here. Last year when I went looking for some new camo I went to the big three here in the valley and everything I looked at, even name brands, was made somewhere else.

[Jimmer Negamanee]

My Nissan Xterra was made in Tennessee while my dad’s Chevy Tahoe was made in Mexico. We’ve argued for a while which one was more “American.”

 

Personally, I go by where it was built, not where the CEO lives. (Plus, American CEOs get paid many times what the average American worker gets paid, whereas for most foreign CEOs, the multiplier is much smaller.)

 

My logic is that if I buy something made here it will stimulate our economy because American workers will get the benefit (a pay check) and will, in turn, buy stuff here with that pay check and stimulate our economy even more. I’m not an economist but that seems to have a magnifying effect.

 

Here are my preferences, if given a choice:

 

1. American made by an American company.

2. American made by a foreign company.

3. Foreign made by an American company.

4. Foreign made by a foreign company.

 

Needless to say, I love my Outdoorsmans tripod because it’s made in Arizona (Payson) by an Arizona company. (And it’s super light, works great, has a great warranty and Outdoorsmans in a CWT.com sponsor!) I’d love to buy a Ruger made in Prescott too (but I’m not sure which pistols, if any, are actually manufactured there).

[Jimmyc]

It's not as easy as it would seem and the truth is it is just not possible to do on some products. Wrangler and Levi have been making Jeans in Juarez since the 90's. The Justin work boots I have are Made in USA and are twice the price of the other Justin's I looked at at $185, but not everyone can afford that.

The Carhart jacket I bought last year allotted me two choices. Assembled in the US from materials manufactured in Mexico and Assembled in Mexico from materilas made in the US. It all just depended on which style coat you picked off the rack at Sportsmans Warehouse.

Thankyou Bill Clinton adn NAFTA for that one which accounted for 500 Billion in trade with Mexico who is our largest partner for our products.

Can you say Global Economy. Biggest problem I see is that we all want to make $50K a year (or need to)but we are quite content to wear $15 jeans and $12 shirts. Have you looked at the prices of Cotton on the market? Without the govt subsidies for the last 30 years we wouldn't even have a cotton industry when we try to compete with Egypt (high quality) and China (low cost).

Believe me, I look all the time and I am as disgusted as everyone else when it comes to finding products made here. Last year when I went looking for some new camo I went to the big three here in the valley and everything I looked at, even name brands, was made somewhere else.

 

I agree with you 100%, as a matter of fact I went to buy a pair of red wing boots two years ago. The only boots made in the USA were $200 and up. Once again, I agree with you, not everyone can afford that. I guess my point was try to buy Amercian when you can. Thanks for the post.

[DesertBull]

I own a small company, and I am amazed at how difficult it is to buy american made products from an american owned business. Buying a product made somewhere else by an american company does add money to the economy, though at the cost of jobs. Buying something made in america by a foreign owned company helps keep americans employed, but the money goes to another countries economy.

 

No easy solutions, and any little bit helps - but to truly "Buy American," you will need to dig pretty deep to get real answers.

 

FYI, I tried to find an american made flat-panel TV recently when shopping for a new 46"... Let me know if anyone sees something like that.

 

 

There are no TV's or DVD/Blue Ray players made in the USA.

[Ringer]

We make custom wood and upholstered furniture and have done it on the bench for the last 31 years. Just about starved since the crash but the wealthy are starting to spend again and they can afford to buy American. Our TV lifts are made here but they cost 4 times as much as imports but I still buy them. Made in America by Americans will be on my products from now on. I am tired of designers asking me to repair Chinese junk furniture that fell apart in the first six weeks and it happens a lot. I won't touch it.

[bradne]

Years ago, when my wife and I were first married, we had all of the cheap Walmart/Kmart furniture. After realizing that every couple of years we had to replace some piece of furniture because it would simply fall apart, I figured out that if you buy quality, then you will save in the long run. Quality usually means made in the USA (there are a few exceptions though). Now, I go out of my way to buy Made in the USA products and I find it difficult to impossible for some things. Especially electronics and appliances (I havn't seen an american made TV in a long time). Even if someone started a factory in the US to make TVs, all of the components would more than likely come from China. We have a lot of natural resources but our manufacturing plants are either closing down due to the economy or the increase in taxes. I don't blame some companies for moving their operations to Mexico, they simply cannot afford to do business in the U.S. Companies such as Ford and GM will build part of a vehicle in the U.S., put it on a train and send it to Mexico to put the interior or other parts on it and then ship it back (then say its made in the USA). I have no idea how much it costs to put a vehicle on a train and ship it accross the country, but obviously its worth it to the auto companies. The savings in labor apparently makes up for the cost of the train trip. The same thing applies to a refrigerator. How much are the companies saving in labor and taxes to build that refrigerator in Korea, put it on a ship and send it to the other side of earth?

 

With all of that said, even if someone decided to start a manufacturing facility here in the U.S., where would the skilled labor come from? How many kids any more actually learn a trade (or want to learn). All of them want to just do something with computers (I am having backflashes of my father ranting about the same thing 30 years ago). The vocational schools where someone went to learn how to run a mill or a lathe don't exist. The skilled people that can repair refrigeration, or do plumbing are dissapearing. I know of a copper mine in New Mexico where they CANNOT fill open employment slots. There simply are not any qualified applicants that are able to be welders, electricians, haul truck drivers, etc.. They actually are willing to train some people fot these slots (apprentiship) but the applicants cannot pass a drug test or a background check or they don't have a HS disploma or GED. This is a sad revalation of what our labor force has become.

[DesertBull]

It's less about the taxes and more about having to provide healthcare insurance for employees, the power of unions, etc. Whoever it was that came up with the lame idea that your employer should be mandated to provide your healthcare coverage was a moron.

 

Your employer should have to provide a safe work place and coverage for anything that is work related, but why should they be liable for all or a portion of your healthcare?

[CouesWhitetail]

Interesting question db...i never thought about that....anyone know the history of the way employers provide insurance ?