The Buy American thread

[WileE]

And... if you read closely, all these comments... the word "depend" comes to mind... if some products are imported (wine ? ) ok... but when your entire product base is dependent on an outside source ( you know who... ) we, you and me, all of us, are screwed.

 

[WileE]

I didn't find Jenn-Air kitchen appliances on there. They are American made. I just replaced all my old Jenn-Air appliances with new. My last set was great quality. I will never knowingly buy appliances that aren't made in North America.

So, why do you disagree with my statement ?

 

[Hey-O]

I have an "Element" TV... Element the only major television company assembling TVs in the United States.. if I could, I'd buy a USA made ANYTHING instead of china garbage.

I wasn't trying to say you aren't who you said you are. I truly wish everyone had your desire. My only point was in some respects, we can't be who we should be for lack of opportunity to buy anything and everything made for the masses in our own backyard. I'm like you, I do my best and for now, that's the best we can do!!

 

[drpreposterous]

I agree!! Show me where you bought your made in the USA phone, computer and TV, I want one........

pTotally (and I mean totally) missing the main point. Support local jobs and tax base if you can (without compromise); buy Taiwan or Japan or France if you can't; This in no way tells you disregard free enterprise, market economies and free trade.
Rather,the purpose here is remove the PRC where you can due to its:

• Putting one million Uighur and Turkic-speaking Muslims in concentration camps
• Employing Chinese Christians as slave labor
• Eliminating Hong Kong's representative democracy
• Stealing technology and intellectual property from the West
• Actively planning an invasion of Taiwan
• Irresponsibly (if not deliberately) loosing the Wuhan virus upon the world and closing doors to investigation. (you can swallow their BS about it coming from bats 2,000 miles away if you want).

No one's asking you to give up your made in PRC goods. Just shop elsewhere when and where you can!

 

[WileE]

pTotally (and I mean totally) missing the main point. Support local jobs and tax base if you can (without compromise); buy Taiwan or Japan or France if you can't; remove the PRC where you can due to its rank evil. Hop the clue bus!

But the point is, that he made, is "what is available" that's made in USA anymore. And that... is the problem... it's not a little problem... it's a HUGE problem.

 

[drpreposterous]

But the point is, that he made, is "what is available" that's made in USA anymore. And that... is the problem... it's not a little problem... it's a HUGE problem.

Agreed. So let's all demand a better manufacturing policy from our idiots in Washington. Germany is a Western democracy that has well-paid workers and equivalents of the EPA and OSHA. Yet they also have a manufacturing policy that motivates their biggest companies to keep factories at home!
Moreover, I just dropped two dozen websites on your lap. Is there overlap and maybe dead links or outdated info? Sure, probably. But there are also a fair number of USA alternatives. And plenty of made in Indonesia, Canada, Brazil etc alternatives. Fight the PRC!

 

[drpreposterous]

You know, in the end, what I think the PRC wants to really export is authoritarianism.
Think they have no motive beyond their own shores? Wrong. Taiwan's representative democracy threatens them. Cause it shows their own people that Chinese cultures are not necessarily in conflict with an open and free society.

And it a wide-open, connected world, so does our representative democracy (for as long as we can keep it).

 

[Photon440]

I have an "Element" TV... Element the only major television company assembling TVs in the United States.. if I could, I'd buy a USA made ANYTHING instead of china garbage.

But is it really assembled with American components?
https://answerthirst.com/is-element-tv-made-in-america/
https://ourfuture.org/20141121/walmart-and-element-claim-tvs-are-assembled-in-usa-but-they-arent

The comment about distinction between 'made in USA' and 'assembled in USA' was brought up by the OP in the very first post.

 

[WileE]

But is it really assembled with American components?
https://answerthirst.com/is-element-tv-made-in-america/
https://ourfuture.org/20141121/walmart-and-element-claim-tvs-are-assembled-in-usa-but-they-arent

The comment about distinction between 'made in USA' and 'assembled in USA' was brought up by the OP in the very first post.

And that even strenghthens my point. Dependency on anything... parts included... is a formula for failure.

 

[Hey-O]

At end of the day the real problem is our independence or lack of. We need to be able to be mostly independent in case a threat of holding out on us brings undue hardship to our shores. I want nothing from China and I'm a capitalist and make money everyday from business in every corner of the world. We can't go back to the 50's and 60's, that train has left the station years ago.

 

[drpreposterous]

https://www.usw.org/blog/2014/how-walmart-destroyed-u-s-manufacturing

 

[SlinktRR]

My wife and I search out US products, the ultimate find is made in the USA clothing which is pretty rare. The problem is most things made in the USA is expensive, so people will just go to Walmart and buy cheap junk.

One US product I will always promote is Cutco knives from upstate New York. Still made in the USA. When I started grad school I packed a cast iron skillet, clothes, and a Cutco spatula knife. I love that thing. It got me through school, I could cook anything with those two items. I have been using that thing for 15 years without sharpening. Now I have the full set. Not cheap, but if you buy quality you save money in the long run.

 

[slepr1]

So, why do you disagree with my statement ?

Post #6 basically sums up my thoughts. I agree that dependency is not a good position to be in as a country. Canada has learnt throughout this pandemic that we can't depend on our closest ally on some essentials even if we have trade agreements in place. This hasn't changed my (Canadian) mindset on being a good neighbor and trust that comes with it. IMO its us against them...us being North America against China (and Russia).

 

[Slap Stick]

https://www.usw.org/blog/2014/how-walmart-destroyed-u-s-manufacturing

Walmart imports the most because they are the largest retailer. And WM doesn't do anything other companies don't do.
WM wants low prices because their customers demand it. Why buy a widget at Target for $2 when the same widget at WM is $1?

Major German auto manufacturers stayed in Germany? Hmm...Bimmers are made in Carolina. Mercedes has a plant in Birmingham, AL.

All this anti WM spew is from the Steel Workers union because they can't get the WM workers to submit to union rule.
The Steelworkers have been a reason for losing steel plant jobs. And that is a reason unions are being rejected.

 

[MarPar]

Yet they also have a manufacturing policy that motivates their biggest companies to keep factories at home!

Where have I seen this policy in recent times? I just can't put my finger on it.

 

[drpreposterous]

Where have I seen this policy in recent times? I just can't put my finger on it.

Uh, huh
A bit dated--but you get the idea?
https://www.asme.org/topics-resources/content/how-does-germany-do-it
https://hbr.org/2017/05/why-germany-still-has-so-many-middle-class-manufacturing-jobs

 

[MarPar]

Uh, huh
A bit dated--but you get the idea?
https://www.asme.org/topics-resources/content/how-does-germany-do-it
https://hbr.org/2017/05/why-germany-still-has-so-many-middle-class-manufacturing-jobs

I meant in the U.S.

 

[drpreposterous]

https://nonchn.com/how-to-boycott-chinese-products/

 

[Photon440]

https://nonchn.com/how-to-boycott-chinese-products/

That's all well and good, but sometimes the reason people buy Chinese products is because it's hard to get anything else. If you're reading this, there's a good chance that it's on a Chinese built phone or computer screen.

There are, however, a few smart phones that are NOT made in China.

Sony makes their phones in Japan, so they cost a little more.
Samsung phones are mostly made in India, South Korea or Vietnam
ASUS phones come from Taiwan, the non-communist part of China.
LG phones are mostly from India, or Brazil.

Now, if you really want to go all out and get an American mobile phone, you have limited choices. You can get the Librem 5, or nothing else. If you do spend $2,000 for this phone, good luck getting much software for it; it doesn't use Apple IOS or Android. It's a rock solid piece of hardware with great battery life, and no software to track you. It is American. I'll bet nobody here will get one. https://puri.sm/products/librem-5/

 

[1 Wild R/T]

And the true cost of outsourcing our manufacturing...