Made In The USA

Off Topic Politics and World Issues
1

This morning I was thinking about what ways the economy could really turn around. What could help create american jobs, get our workers more money, and as I pulled my shower curtain closed a couple words caught my eye. Made in china.

It all hit me at once. Why did I buy this shower curtain? does no one in the USA make a shower curtain? If I had found one that was made in the USA and it was a dollar more than the chinese one would I have bought USA instead?

Of course I would have I said, I likley just went to walmart when we were picking out some stuff for our new house and grabbed the first white shower curtain I found that fit. I mean either that or it was the cheapest, I mean isn’t that all how we shop? But what if our instincts are working against us?

In the effort to save 20 bucks at the checkout line, over and over and over we send our money over seas. NOT back into hardworking americans hands. This is obviously not a good thing, and as you can imagine I went around my bathroom and counted, no less than 38 items in my bathroom had “made in china” on them somewhere. I found one product which said Made in USA.

Now this is basically just luck of the draw, I mean I don’t intentionally buy things from china, the products are just that saturated in the market. So whats an american to do? Well I said to myself, someone should make a website, and approach as many people who make stuff in the usa, and put em all on one website, either a link to thier own websites, or an outright place to buy ONLY products made in the USA.

How good would this be for the economy. You could buy anything you needed, and have it shipped to you, which also provides good american jobs. You can’t outsource UPS or Fedex to china.

Needless to say besides thinking this would be great for the economy, I was like. Hey what if I am the first person to think about this I’ll be rich! lol yea, not this time. http://www.madeinusa.com/ already exists, so good for us. Now please take a look through the site and if you are feeling extra patriotic, or just want to help turn the economy around in a way no politician could ever hope to, pass it along, post a link, put a baner on your facebook or whatever. Sharing information on the net is really easy, and if you do decide to share this , make sure you ask whoever you share it with to do the same and for them to ask other to share it etc… etc… One good concerted effort on our part now and we could really start a landslide of support for american companies and the american worker. Hell some of us might benefit directly from a movement like this, but no doubt we will all benefit indirectly.

V

2

Its too late. The system has to collapse, like an old rotted house.

3

You’re a bit late to the party. Ever heard of the Buy American Act, that came as a slap to the face of all WTO-friendly countries? Heck, they even built a clause into the so-called stimulus bill to buy American. Then there’s the racial slurs after Japanese cars started flooding the US back in the 60s.

So, it’s not exactly a new topic.

Instead of appealing to primal tribalism, you should focus on the gage of quality the Made in USA stand for. But in a fast-paced instant-gratification world, it’s hard to convince people to go the extra mile.

4

[quote]lixy wrote:
You’re a bit late to the party. Ever heard of the Buy American Act, that came as a slap to the face of all WTO-friendly countries? Heck, they even built a clause into the so-called stimulus bill to buy American. Then there’s the racial slurs after Japanese cars started flooding the US back in the 60s.

So, it’s not exactly a new topic.

Instead of appealing to primal tribalism, you should focus on the gage of quality the Made in USA stand for. But in a fast-paced instant-gratification world, it’s hard to convince people to go the extra mile. [/quote]

I’m talking about individuals making decisions not government nannyism. Also how the fuck is buying american to keep american dollars in the USA tribalism? You can’t just take a concept and tag it with a word which has a negative connotaion associated with it. It’s a fucking sound method to help americans when we need the help, hey lets help ourselves.

And if you would get your head out of your ass for a second, you would realize the the entire world benefits when the USA is booming. You seriously will take any topic in which amereicans can be the winner or loser and strongly support the position that will help the americans lose. Sometimes I can stand your bullshit a little, but your one trick pony act is just so fucking old.

V

5

[quote]Vegita wrote:
I’m talking about individuals making decisions not government nannyism. Also how the fuck is buying american to keep american dollars in the USA tribalism? [/quote]

How is it not?

6

[quote]Vegita wrote:
lixy wrote:
You’re a bit late to the party. Ever heard of the Buy American Act, that came as a slap to the face of all WTO-friendly countries? Heck, they even built a clause into the so-called stimulus bill to buy American. Then there’s the racial slurs after Japanese cars started flooding the US back in the 60s.

So, it’s not exactly a new topic.

Instead of appealing to primal tribalism, you should focus on the gage of quality the Made in USA stand for. But in a fast-paced instant-gratification world, it’s hard to convince people to go the extra mile.

I’m talking about individuals making decisions not government nannyism. Also how the fuck is buying american to keep american dollars in the USA tribalism? You can’t just take a concept and tag it with a word which has a negative connotaion associated with it. It’s a fucking sound method to help americans when we need the help, hey lets help ourselves.

And if you would get your head out of your ass for a second, you would realize the the entire world benefits when the USA is booming. You seriously will take any topic in which amereicans can be the winner or loser and strongly support the position that will help the americans lose. Sometimes I can stand your bullshit a little, but your one trick pony act is just so fucking old.

V[/quote]

Comparative advantage.

Look it up.

This idea is stupid and dangerous but as long as it is done on a private level, who cares, your money.

7

Plus, until now you have exported all that inflation created by the Fed.

Do you really, really want all US dollars to stay in the US?

Can you say Weimar republic?

8

Econ 101… now if China showed some reciprocity with the way we buy their products, then we’d be cooking with gas.

9

The outsourcing that took place has killed us financially, all so companies could save on labor and wages. Trying calling a customer service number for AOL, HP, or some other computer company. You are calling India most likely. It’s a joke.

10

It’s a joke, but it’s sound business. If we American’s didn’t expect to be paid as much for menial jobs (like customer service for example) they never would have outsourced. Why would I have someone in the States do a job I can have someone else do for 1/4 the cost?

11

I’m not following some of the sentiments against this idea. If I spend $10 dollars on a shower curtain made in china, lets assume the US retailer gets $4 out of that. the rest of the money goes to the chinese company who made the product, and the shipping company who shipped it over here.

And if I bought an $11 dollar shower curtain that is made in the USA, $11 of those dollars (minus tax of course) are able to be re-spent by an american. So this decision I made has kept approx $6 more circulating in the american economy.

How does this not help our economy out. I’m seriously asking i’m not being rhetorical or anything, it just seems like it would make sense to me.

V

12

Vegita,

You doing that is beneficial at some minute level. The problem is systemic. We had a $266 billion trade deficit in 2008 with China. We buy their products, they don’t buy ours, we implement WTO ordinances, they don’t.

They confiscate foreign businesses/assets in China all the time and revoke visas, but there’s nothing you can do about it. They pick and choose what rules they play by in the world market, because no one can bully them.

American businesses have invested $28 billion in Chinese infrastructure. What makes it worse is that China may erect further trade barrier with the US, yet we will still buy their sub-standard crap.

Now, if SOMEONE could enforce WTO edicts on China all our pretty economics would work like in the books. You would buy a Chinese curtain, and someone in China would buy an American curtain. Oversimplification, but I hope you get the point.

13

[quote]Vegita wrote:
I’m not following some of the sentiments against this idea. If I spend $10 dollars on a shower curtain made in china, lets assume the US retailer gets $4 out of that. the rest of the money goes to the chinese company who made the product, and the shipping company who shipped it over here.

And if I bought an $11 dollar shower curtain that is made in the USA, $11 of those dollars (minus tax of course) are able to be re-spent by an american. So this decision I made has kept approx $6 more circulating in the american economy.

How does this not help our economy out. I’m seriously asking i’m not being rhetorical or anything, it just seems like it would make sense to me.

V[/quote]

comparative advantage, or rather the loss of it, and inflation.

14

[quote]Therizza wrote:
Vegita,

You doing that is beneficial at some minute level. The problem is systemic. We had a $266 billion trade deficit in 2008 with China. We buy their products, they don’t buy ours, we implement WTO ordinances, they don’t.

They confiscate foreign businesses/assets in China all the time and revoke visas, but there’s nothing you can do about it. They pick and choose what rules they play by in the world market, because no one can bully them.

American businesses have invested $28 billion in Chinese infrastructure. What makes it worse is that China may erect further trade barrier with the US, yet we will still buy their sub-standard crap.

Now, if SOMEONE could enforce WTO edicts on China all our pretty economics would work like in the books. You would buy a Chinese curtain, and someone in China would buy an American curtain. Oversimplification, but I hope you get the point.[/quote]

First of all, the Chinese lend you money to buy their stuff.

Would they not do that they would still not buy your stuff but their own. Be glad they give you goods for IOUs.

Then, even if China allowed no imports it would still make sense to buy their cheap stuff- Just because they ram their heads against a wall does not mean you have to.

Finally, I am glad to live in country that is so small that illusions of economic power do not trouble our politicians.

15

We have run an ever growing trade deficit with China since the 90s, before they were the majority owners of our debt. I was trying to explain the situation to Vegita. I am glad you live in Austria too. I hear it’s beautiful this time of year.

16

[quote]Vegita wrote:
I’m not following some of the sentiments against this idea. If I spend $10 dollars on a shower curtain made in china, lets assume the US retailer gets $4 out of that. the rest of the money goes to the chinese company who made the product, and the shipping company who shipped it over here.

And if I bought an $11 dollar shower curtain that is made in the USA, $11 of those dollars (minus tax of course) are able to be re-spent by an american. So this decision I made has kept approx $6 more circulating in the american economy.

How does this not help our economy out. I’m seriously asking i’m not being rhetorical or anything, it just seems like it would make sense to me.

V[/quote]

Actually you are missing a number of steps.

When you buy the 10 dollar shower curtain, a proportion goes to the store, a chunk goes to the government in sales tax, another chunk to the US distributer(quite possibly US), another wedge goes to the customs broker (almost certainly US), another bit goes to US government in importation taxes, yet more goes to the shipping companies (could be US or from anywhere) finally some of it goes to the manafacturer which is possibly an investment vehicle that also benefits the US economy. And you have a dollar left over which you can spend on something else, quite possibly produced in the US.

17

[quote]orion wrote:
Vegita wrote:
I’m not following some of the sentiments against this idea. If I spend $10 dollars on a shower curtain made in china, lets assume the US retailer gets $4 out of that. the rest of the money goes to the chinese company who made the product, and the shipping company who shipped it over here.

And if I bought an $11 dollar shower curtain that is made in the USA, $11 of those dollars (minus tax of course) are able to be re-spent by an american. So this decision I made has kept approx $6 more circulating in the american economy.

How does this not help our economy out. I’m seriously asking i’m not being rhetorical or anything, it just seems like it would make sense to me.

V

comparative advantage, or rather the loss of it, and inflation.

[/quote]

I do not understand what comparative advantage means and I thought inflation was the result of the fed printing money that is not backed by anything. More money in circulation + less GDP = Higher inflation? Am I wrong? If anything if we kept more money in the US and the fed had to print less as a result, wouldn’t the dollar grow stronger?

V

18

Comparative advantage= in this case, China can make everything America can, cheaper, so noone buys American. which leads to the low profitability of American business, which leads to nothing to back up our currency since it is pegged on a ‘dirty float’-coupled with the fact that to pay our debt, we have to create money out of nothing.

19

[quote]Therizza wrote:
We have run an ever growing trade deficit with China since the 90s, before they were the majority owners of our debt. I was trying to explain the situation to Vegita. I am glad you live in Austria too. I hear it’s beautiful this time of year.[/quote]

If you call really, really hot beautiful, then yes.

20

See orion, we can agree on some things. Isn’t discussion a wonderful thing!