Made in America

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by creditcardfree

they matched some I bought over 5 years ago. They were even similar in price.

You've pointed out a common problem among consumers. People tend to forget about inflation. They want the item they buy today to be the same price as the identical item they bought 5 years ago. It just doesn't work that way. If I went to the store and an item was the same price for a long period of time, I would question how they've managed to keep the price the same. In most cases, they do so by cheapening the product, using lower quality materials, shrinking the package, etc.

We see this all the time at the grocery store. Have you tried to buy a half-gallon of ice cream lately? Good luck. Most brands are now well under a half-gallon. Many brands of orange juice have cut their 64oz packages to 59oz. They keep the box or carton or can the same size but put less in it. It is very deceptive. People don't realize they are getting ripped off. It is hidden inflation.

So for your glasses, the way they kept the price the same 5 years later is to make the glasses a bit thinner. The way they've kept paper towel and toilet paper prices stable is to make the sheets a bit smaller. The way they keep OJ prices stable is to put less in the carton.

We tend to fix prices in our head - $2 for OJ, for example, forgetting the fact that we've been paying the same $2 for the past 8 years and that just isn't realistic.

[creditcardfree]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

So for your glasses, the way they kept the price the same 5 years later is to make the glasses a bit thinner. The way they've kept paper towel and toilet paper prices stable is to make the sheets a bit smaller. The way they keep OJ prices stable is to put less in the carton.

We tend to fix prices in our head - $2 for OJ, for example, forgetting the fact that we've been paying the same $2 for the past 8 years and that just isn't realistic.

Completely agree. I was actually surprised they were still $10. They still work, but likely will break faster with the thinner glass. Next time I need drinking glasses, I will look for better quality.

[disneysteve]

People tend to be much more conscious of price as opposed to quality or value. This directly ties into the made in America issue. Since other countries have lower labor costs and less government regulation driving up costs, they are able to produce goods for a lot less than American manufacturers and sell them at a much lower price.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Last night I stumbled upon a site that was offering a prize if you could let them know of a source of American made ---clothespins! Some clothespins on the market are terrible. Would American made be any better?

I mainly just want to buy well-made, functional, and repairable(!) products, wherever they come from.

[tripods68]

I don't recal things I buy anymore are "Made in America", except groceries or when we go out to eat or movies. From the financial stand point, most American products are a bit expensive if you factor in labor cost (average US $18.00 hourly wage) versus products made in China, Vietnam, etc where hourly labor is less than $1.00 an hour.

[SFIntern]

What we are forgetting is that American made products have been recognized around the world for their quality and durability. My friends work for a farmer while we are home for the summer from college, and the farmer owns hoes from the 1930's! He and his laborers still use them to this day, 80 years old and still holding strong. That is the the quality that America is known for.

I have a cousin in Poland who also works for his parents farm. He has a beautiful horse and wants nothing more than an American made saddle for his horse because he has heard of the quality and the caliber of craftsmanship we had here in the United States.

What we need to do is reduce some of the requlations on manufacturing here in the United States to encourage growth in production so that we can become more self-sufficient as a country. Other industries will branch off of those, and so on and so on. The United States is home to the world's best workers and we have the capabilities to produce quality products here that the world will want.

For example, the auto industry: If we begin to build high quality and extremely efficient cars, ending the political bs that is going on between the govt., lobbyists, and big companies(oil), we can invest in our own domestic talent to develope highly efficient vechicals which every American can afford. Other industries will be revitalized, such as auto repaire shops, and so on and so on.

If we invest in domestic companies we can create more visionaries like Herny Ford:

“I will build a car for the great multitude. It will be large enough for the family, but small enough for the individual to run and care for. It will be constructed of the best materials, by the best men to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise. But it will be low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one — and enjoy with his family the blessing of hours of pleasure in God's great open spaces”.

Once we begin production of quality American products which all Americans can afford, our lives will all improve and jobs will be created. Other countries will want American products which we can export around the world. Our products will last more than just a few months or a few years, like goods from other countries.

Higher levels of exports mean more money coming into the country, which means higher tax revenues. Thus our country can hire American companies to improve our infrastructure. Creating a new programs like the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 can improve our economy by creating jobs all around the country while advancing our country in becoming more modernized. Maybe we could invest in a highly efficient train system increase use of public transportation, which could ultimately decrease our carbon footprint. I live in Connecticut and see tons of buildings all around my state which have been out of use for years and I feel as though no company wants to use/lease these facilities because they are outdated.

My suggestion. Invest in America. Encourage manufacturing in the United States. Buy American. Build goods that other countries want. Export, export, export. Increase cash flows into America. Repair and renew our infrastructure. All that together will provide each American with the quality of life we are all looking for. Once we figure out a system that works, we can expand and help the rest of the world.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by SFIntern

What we need to do is reduce some of the requlations on manufacturing here in the United States

There is a wonderful book called "The Death of Common Sense" that talks about how laws and regulations have strangled businesses. Companies spend so much time and money doing all of the paperwork required to meet the avalanche of government regulations that it impairs their ability to actually do their jobs. And a great many of those laws are pure nonsense. They aren't huge safety or environmental issues. They are stupid rules that exist purely to exist.

[kalimaniac]

You really think America's "decline" is due to the fact that not enough people are "buying American"? You need to dig deeper. It's not that simple and it misses the larger point.

[maat55]

Originally Posted by rj.phila

maat, you seem to have a pretty "pro free market" perspective, im curious-if there IS a market for this, why do you think it hasn't taken off yet? organic veggies, bmw's-consumers certainly will pay a premium for a better made product.
or do you think that its just a matter of time; that this issue of foreign production is relatively new in our free market?

I think americans are becoming more aware of why jobs are leaving the country. I think a store based on american products could be a new novelty.

[maat55]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

People tend to be much more conscious of price as opposed to quality or value. This directly ties into the made in America issue. Since other countries have lower labor costs and less government regulation driving up costs, they are able to produce goods for a lot less than American manufacturers and sell them at a much lower price.

Which begs the question: Why are we trading with them? I thought the whole point to competition and regulation of monopolies was to provide a level playing field.

[maat55]

Originally Posted by kalimaniac

You really think America's "decline" is due to the fact that not enough people are "buying American"? You need to dig deeper. It's not that simple and it misses the larger point.

Feel free to enlighten us.

We have an unemployment rate over 9%. IMO, it is not solely due to the crisis. In the last four years, the minimum wage has increase from 5.25 to 7.25 per hour.

The unemployment rate for those under 25 has increased substantially. Our country is moving further towards a service economy than producing economy.

Fact is that most americans are driven by price, which is lower for foreign products due to their lower wages and regulations. It is not easy finding product made in american any longer.

As ABC pointed out, many people would have next to nothing in their homes if they removed everything not made in america.

I could make a long list of reasons why america is in decline aside from economics, but filling our homes with junk made elsewhere is a major factor in our lack of industry.

[wincrasher]

Well there was no "global economy" until our Govt/politicians prompted by US big business engineered it.

They offshore our jobs not just to lower labor costs, but to shield all income from taxation. They are now lobbying to get a rate of 2% to repatriate the profits, so they can "start hiring again". What a load of BS. American business is sitting on a ton of money already - so another windfall will not add jobs. They don't want more US jobs - they just want us to buy their junk.

What's even funnier is these same politicians who are wrap themselves in the flag and push their propaganda that we all have to change to "compete" in the new world order.

Even in the depressing state of the global economy, the US is still the primary trading partner. We can still set the rules, if we choose to do so. The Gov't doesn't really want to, so maybe the individual consumer can give it a try. If the Tea Party wasn't controlled by the Koch brothers, this would be a good issue to gain some political traction.

[jpg7n16]

I personally think the 'American decline' is due to overspending from debt, and media hype.

We took on a bunch of debt, bought a ton of products we couldn't afford - which fueled American businesses that were making those products, but was producing beyond our income.

So American business got (for lack of a better phrase) too big. ie. - our economy was inflated by businesses producing enough goods to satisfy 110% of income. And also hired enough workers to keep up that level of production.


Which is completely unsustainable.

Then, demand came back to reality a bit, bringing demand back to say 95% of income or so (say something like a 15% drop from the high), and then the media hypes the 'decline of America.'

American businesses are still strong, but obviously employment levels and revenues had to shrink due to decreased demand - so several people lost their jobs. Unfortunate, but explainable.


The American consumer becoming more thrifty is bad for the American economy (in the short run).

[jpg7n16]

Plus, I guess I disagree with the whole premise. Buying American has a little benefit, but that's about it.

Let's tell the story of a Cell Phone made in China.

Cell Phone was made in China. Used parts from American technology. Used patents designed by American designers. Installed American software into the operating system, for use in America. Also used parts/materials/labor from other countries. Finished product.

Cell phone is ready to deliver. Chinese firm sells Cell Phone to American business. Cell phone is delivered either by Seaport or Airport (probably American ships and planes, since America's largest exports are capital goods -including airplanes- at 49% according to Economy of the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ). Lands in US airport or Seaport, manned by American employees. American customs workers inspect the shipment, approve and okay transport.

Cell phone is loaded onto a truck built in an American factory, with American tires and parts, and gas purchased at an American gas station. American driver leaves the airport, to the distribution center for the electronics firm. American workers at the distribution center package, and ship to the specific store.

Cell phone is displayed on a shelf (designed and built by American contractors during the last store remodel) by American staff at the electronics store. The staff also adjusts the lighting, powered by American utilities to perfect the display. An American salesperson sells the Cell Phone to a customer, and helps pay the salary for an American family.



Soooo much of the supply chain is American based, and only the labor for manufacturing, and a few raw materials were paid elsewhere.


IMO - the real driver of American economy is consumer spending, not origin of product.

[Mjenn]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I found this commercial on an old VHS a few years ago -

Its from 1986 - all about buying american and starring none other than OJ!

‪Made in the USA (1985)‬‏ - YouTube

[photo]

Originally Posted by Joan.of.the.Arch

I mainly just want to buy well-made, functional, and repairable(!) products, wherever they come from.

I really wish more of us felt this way. Unfortunately, a lot of people can't tell the difference between "cheap" and "good value." The latter isn't necessarily the cheapest. Too often, people just want the cheapest prices they can find, which increases demand from poorer countries who produce inferior quality. Yet these same people end up spending much more on items because those cheap things break down much sooner and yet, more cheap junk has to be bought.

Do you remember on Sesame Street, there was (or maybe still is) a fix-it-up guy who was always repairing toasters or clothing irons? He may have well been from Mars. It doesn't begin to pay to repair those items anymore, so our landfills are bursting with cheap junk.