Survey,does It Really Matter If You Buy American!
2/2/10, 05:35 AM
#42
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I believe in supporting American business and engineering whenever possible. If any of the big three make at least 1 decent vehicle, I will buy American. It doesn't have to be the best out there (though I prefer that it is). Think of it like supporting your local sports team. Are they the best out there? No. They are your team. America is my team.
I worry that capitalism will eventually be our downfall. Other countries, unable to match us in military might, will instead use our own capitalist system against us, running what American businesses they can out of business, and buying all the rest, until the day comes that we don't own or control any of our own country anymore. We don't even own our own beer companies anymore.
I worry that capitalism will eventually be our downfall. Other countries, unable to match us in military might, will instead use our own capitalist system against us, running what American businesses they can out of business, and buying all the rest, until the day comes that we don't own or control any of our own country anymore. We don't even own our own beer companies anymore.
2/2/10, 05:10 PM
#43
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Dont Quit Yet !!!
I believe in supporting American business and engineering whenever possible. If any of the big three make at least 1 decent vehicle, I will buy American. It doesn't have to be the best out there (though I prefer that it is). Think of it like supporting your local sports team. Are they the best out there? No. They are your team. America is my team.
I worry that capitalism will eventually be our downfall. Other countries, unable to match us in military might, will instead use our own capitalist system against us, running what American businesses they can out of business, and buying all the rest, until the day comes that we don't own or control any of our own country anymore. We don't even own our own beer companies anymore.
I worry that capitalism will eventually be our downfall. Other countries, unable to match us in military might, will instead use our own capitalist system against us, running what American businesses they can out of business, and buying all the rest, until the day comes that we don't own or control any of our own country anymore. We don't even own our own beer companies anymore.
Unfortunately that time is approaching faster than a lot of folks care to believe. I don't think it will be capitalism alone that will be an ultimate demise, rather unchecked greed, crooked politics and leaders, unrealistic laws, and double-standards applied to all of the above that will be the main reason(s) that may cause capitalism itself to fail (if it indeed ever does).
I however, being the defiant born REBEL that I am, refuse to give up without a fight and raising all the hell that I can.
2/2/10, 06:26 PM
#44
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I'd rather deal with a company that is up front about who [and what] they are and what they stand for ...
one with integrity.
So if (may god forbid) GM were to become the last U.S. car company,
I'd be walking or driving a foreign car.
one with integrity.
So if (may god forbid) GM were to become the last U.S. car company,
I'd be walking or driving a foreign car.
2/2/10, 07:12 PM
#45
Legacy TMS Member
Necropostage is fun!
But while I'm here...
The real key is not to Buy American. That's hard to do, and honestly, doesn't do as much as you think. Ford, for example, doesn't offer exclusively made in the USA products across the board. That Ford Flex? Made in Canada. Is Canada close enough to American to be ok with? I'm reasonably curious, but in my book, Canada is not the United States of America. They have government healthcare, for one... (ok, really wholly other topic there, let's not, k?)
No, the real trick is not to Buy American. It is to *Buy FROM An American.*
Like a stock broker, the American makes money on the trade itself. Doesn't matter where it comes from (unless it's been stolen or such), or where it's going (unless it's a weapon and it's going to a terrorist... then it kinda matters, but that's a whole other subject.)
Obviously this isn't cool with workers in American factories, because they won't stoop down to the pay level of an Indonesian, Chinese, or whatever other lesser paid worker you come up with. And so they wind up having to either conceed, or die. That sucks, but that's American too: If you can't do it, go figure out something else to do, and success will await you. Or so something somewhere says...
Naturally, this is the part where Americans become hypocritical. They want more than they deserve, they want to pay less than they ought, and are willing to except situationally their morals to get the desired item... hence, amazingly, the not-buying-American-items thing happens.
Which is why the illegal immigrants keep coming across, the jobs get shipped overseas, imports keep coming in... American do, by and large, turn the other way in regard to the source of an item if it's acquired for 50% less than the Americanized version. Fact. And you all do it yourself... anyone who claims otherwise probably needs to *really* look at what they're buying and where it comes from. Including your food, btw, and your fuels, just for starters.
I, for one, don't know where *exactly* my gasoline comes from... but it's about 66% or more "not American". And by that, I mean not even North American. There's not much I can do about it except go get a plug in, non-gas using car... which is probably going to not be American, maybe. Or a bicycle, not good enough for what I need to do.
And that's my overall point. I'm supportive to the idea... even though that's really rather self centered and arrogant... it is a grand idea, one that dates back to... oh... late 1700s somewhere... er, anyway, the idea is nice, but it's going to be a *really* hard thing to do (if not impossible)... and, in this economy especially, really expensive. Good luck with it and all.
So, for my part, I'm gonna do what I can: I'm gonna go sometimes and buy a few somethings from a few stores now, and support my local Americans.
And if it happens that I can live with the price of the American item, and am happy with it's quality, then I'll buy that. If not, then an American got money from the trade itself, and I've done my part either way.
Have a good one.
But while I'm here...
The real key is not to Buy American. That's hard to do, and honestly, doesn't do as much as you think. Ford, for example, doesn't offer exclusively made in the USA products across the board. That Ford Flex? Made in Canada. Is Canada close enough to American to be ok with? I'm reasonably curious, but in my book, Canada is not the United States of America. They have government healthcare, for one... (ok, really wholly other topic there, let's not, k?)
No, the real trick is not to Buy American. It is to *Buy FROM An American.*
Like a stock broker, the American makes money on the trade itself. Doesn't matter where it comes from (unless it's been stolen or such), or where it's going (unless it's a weapon and it's going to a terrorist... then it kinda matters, but that's a whole other subject.)
Obviously this isn't cool with workers in American factories, because they won't stoop down to the pay level of an Indonesian, Chinese, or whatever other lesser paid worker you come up with. And so they wind up having to either conceed, or die. That sucks, but that's American too: If you can't do it, go figure out something else to do, and success will await you. Or so something somewhere says...
Naturally, this is the part where Americans become hypocritical. They want more than they deserve, they want to pay less than they ought, and are willing to except situationally their morals to get the desired item... hence, amazingly, the not-buying-American-items thing happens.
Which is why the illegal immigrants keep coming across, the jobs get shipped overseas, imports keep coming in... American do, by and large, turn the other way in regard to the source of an item if it's acquired for 50% less than the Americanized version. Fact. And you all do it yourself... anyone who claims otherwise probably needs to *really* look at what they're buying and where it comes from. Including your food, btw, and your fuels, just for starters.
I, for one, don't know where *exactly* my gasoline comes from... but it's about 66% or more "not American". And by that, I mean not even North American. There's not much I can do about it except go get a plug in, non-gas using car... which is probably going to not be American, maybe. Or a bicycle, not good enough for what I need to do.
And that's my overall point. I'm supportive to the idea... even though that's really rather self centered and arrogant... it is a grand idea, one that dates back to... oh... late 1700s somewhere... er, anyway, the idea is nice, but it's going to be a *really* hard thing to do (if not impossible)... and, in this economy especially, really expensive. Good luck with it and all.
So, for my part, I'm gonna do what I can: I'm gonna go sometimes and buy a few somethings from a few stores now, and support my local Americans.
And if it happens that I can live with the price of the American item, and am happy with it's quality, then I'll buy that. If not, then an American got money from the trade itself, and I've done my part either way. Have a good one.
2/4/10, 11:53 AM
#46
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If it is truly a free world market, then foreign countries should lift import taxes on American cars too. A Mustang purchased overseas is phenomenally more expensive. Yet, an imported Honda doesn't face the same charges coming in. I'm not for protectionism, but all markets need to have equal access.
Don't assume foreign companies pay taxes on their profits made in the USA either. When local governments lobby to bring a new plant to town, tax breaks are often used as an incentive.
Don't assume foreign companies pay taxes on their profits made in the USA either. When local governments lobby to bring a new plant to town, tax breaks are often used as an incentive.
2/4/10, 08:50 PM
#47
Legacy TMS Member
Agreed, but reverse that... they should all charge what Americans charge to do the same jobs, i.e., tech support and making shirts, for example.
That's not happening either, and America should 'import tax' any corporation who would ship jobs overseas until their wages come up to the same level. Make it impossible for an American company to 'save' money by sending the job outside the border. A telephone answerer should cost the same in Cincinatti, Ohio as it should in Budapest (just pickin' one, thanks). There ya go. American jobs saved because America made it less profitable to go elsewhere. USA! USA!
But then... by that idea, the value for a 1 bedroom apartment should be the same no matter if it's in New York, LA Houston, Boulder CO, or even Wenatchee WA. But you can bet that's not the case...
Also, all gas prices should be the same in all cities. But it's not.
Etc. etc., ad nauseum.
The point of this one? That it's not going to happen, unless the workers are all making the same... which is communistic by nature, and you know THAT is not happening around the world.
/or is it inevitable?
//hopes not.
That's not happening either, and America should 'import tax' any corporation who would ship jobs overseas until their wages come up to the same level. Make it impossible for an American company to 'save' money by sending the job outside the border. A telephone answerer should cost the same in Cincinatti, Ohio as it should in Budapest (just pickin' one, thanks). There ya go. American jobs saved because America made it less profitable to go elsewhere. USA! USA!
But then... by that idea, the value for a 1 bedroom apartment should be the same no matter if it's in New York, LA Houston, Boulder CO, or even Wenatchee WA. But you can bet that's not the case...
Also, all gas prices should be the same in all cities. But it's not.
Etc. etc., ad nauseum.
The point of this one? That it's not going to happen, unless the workers are all making the same... which is communistic by nature, and you know THAT is not happening around the world.
/or is it inevitable?
//hopes not.
Last edited by houtex; 2/4/10 at 08:51 PM.
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