Made in the USA

[He Man]

theres a lot of problems with chinese manufatured toys. i wouldnt buy them for your kid. In fact id stay away from them is possible. who knows what kind of plastics they use.

[sbrguy]

i think unfortunately like someone here said if you continue shipping jobs oveseas what is left here to buy?

the answer is nothing.

basically what will happen in all likelihood is that boutique things that have to be done here will be but a majorit of things will be shipped off overseas... american wages will have to come down in price since afterall the reason for shipping jobs overseas is so that we can ge our walmart prices on things, etc.

the US wages and standard of livin will have to go down there is no other way unless we borrow even more.  i think maybe the US will then be like a france or somethingstill a civilized country but no longer the marketing capital of the world with the most prosperous economy or such.. but who knows right.?

[derby]

gotta love irony of the ad at the top of this page:

[redxblack]

There's a great scene in the documentary THE BIG ONE where an outsourced worker (in 1996) is talking about how globalization will wreck the US economy because no one will be able to afford a house, a car (etc) on $6.50 an hour, and that would create a snowball effect leading to unemployment and default on loans.

The best thing is because of his regional accent, he sounds rather unintelligent.


I try my best to buy non-sweatshop. Usually that means buying MADE IN THE USA, but not exclusively. There are legal sweatshops located in the Mariana Islands that can legally say MADE IN THE USA. It has become easier in the last 10 years to get American made shoes. New Balance puts out a lot of USA styles, plus there's always Red Wing for the dress shoes/work boots.

[Howie]

i think unfortunately like someone here said if you continue shipping jobs oveseas what is left here to buy?

the answer is nothing.

basically what will happen in all likelihood is that boutique things that have to be done here will be but a majorit of things will be shipped off overseas... american wages will have to come down in price since afterall the reason for shipping jobs overseas is so that we can ge our walmart prices on things, etc.

the US wages and standard of livin will have to go down there is no other way unless we borrow even more.  i think maybe the US will then be like a france or somethingstill a civilized country but no longer the marketing capital of the world with the most prosperous economy or such.. but who knows right.?

So, we should lower wages to increase US manufacturing of products that American workers cannot afford to buy because of their low wages?  What am I not getting?  

You may also want to read this:

Keep in mind, the year of the report is 2007.  My guess is things are worse now.

[herm]

if american workers dont have jobs, then they cant afford to buy anything, even at walmart prices.

[redxblack]

The gap between the wealthiest and poorest was relatively small after WWII. American families could afford to survive on one salary before the late 70s. When we stopped making stuff at a livable wage, we lost our standard of living. It's a bit cliche now, but there is a high cost to low prices. Is a race to the bottom one anyone can win?

I drove past a steel mill in Cleveland a couple days ago. A lot of what used to be manufacturing capacity has been razed to create a shopping plaza (steelyard commons). It's painfully ironic that a wal-mart super center now sits on a site that used to produce essential infrastructure materials.

[mitt]

So, we should lower wages to increase US manufacturing of products that American workers cannot afford to buy because of their low wages?  What am I not getting?  

You may also want to read this:

Keep in mind, the year of the report is 2007.  My guess is things are worse now.

My opinion, is that we should pay more for our goods.  Most of us, me included, have way more stuff than we need, and that would help several things like conservation of resources.  You look at the typical house and car portfolio today versus 1960, and things seem skewed.

mitt

[LMT]

I try to buy less, but buy better.  I just got a new pair of black loafers for work.  Made in America, women's 12 narrow.  I can get shoes made in Italy too, but none were my size in the style I wanted.

They were $179 and will last 20 years.  I could go to WM and get a pair of cheap shoes that do not fit well and then replace them soon.

I look for made in the USA labels.  I also try to make sure we really need it before we buy it.

[Vindingo]

So, we should lower wages to increase US manufacturing of products that American workers cannot afford to buy because of their low wages?  What am I not getting?  

You may also want to read this:

Keep in mind, the year of the report is 2007.  My guess is things are worse now.

Low wages?  The article you posted said that the avg compensation for a manufacturing worker was $25/hr.  That is a pretty decent amount of money considering the job probably requires no formal education or training.  You don't think someone can live in Detroit on 50k a year?  If they can't make it work they are doing it wrong. 

I bet if you look at the countries where workers get paid more $ per hour, they get to pay a hell of a lot more taxes.  They get to pay 20 or 30% on their ducati where we do not.  They probably live more modestly, don't have as many kids, or if they do, have them later in life. 

Everyone here could live on less money.  The US labor force has cut off it's nose to spite it's face...

[Grampa]

So, let's have it, what does "Made in the USA" mean to you?

it means extra tax revenue to pay off taliban members and cash for clunker cars made overseas

[ducatiz]

The gap between the wealthiest and poorest was relatively small after WWII. American families could afford to survive on one salary before the late 70s. When we stopped making stuff at a livable wage, we lost our standard of living. It's a bit cliche now, but there is a high cost to low prices. Is a race to the bottom one anyone can win?

The difference (one of them) today is that people now have 2 or 3 cars, at least 3 televisions, multiple phone accounts, "entertainment" rooms, and so on.  I have two relatives who have had a boob job.

My parents had one car thru the 1960s and mom got one later.  It was fairly unusual for people to have 2 cars in the post-war period.  Few people had TVs, phones, etc.  Boob jobs?  nope.

Moreover, kids shared bedrooms.  In my neighborhood there are 4 and 5 bedroom homes and some people with 3 kids are moving out sayign they need more room.  WTF?  They need an office and a den too, they say.  A couple down the street moved into a 5 br home -- 3 kids -- and they are building an addition onto the 3000 sq ft house.

Do we really need >500 sq ft per PERSON?

Sure people in the postwar people could survive on 1 income.  THey spent less, owned less and didn't get cosmetic surgery.

[Grampa]

and they were happy

[ducatiz]

and they were happy

my parents were very happy, at least that's what poppa said.  they used to go to the cinema about twice a month before i came along, and after, less often until i was older and then they took me with them. 

the theatre they used to go to had a "cry room" upstairs so you could watch the movie, but it was behind glass so no one else could hear.

old school.

[cyrus buelton]

I get what Tizzy is saying.

I grew up in a 1300 sq ft, 3 bedroom house.


Parents had one room.
oldest brother got the middle room
middle brother and me got the last room.

We had 2 TV's.
One in the family room
Parents had one in their room

of course later, we got a TV for the basement.

This was a basic tri-level house. I'd love to own a house like that and will one day.


I don't want some big ass 4,000sq ft house. I just want a make the beast with two backsing fenced yard for my doggies.


My parents could have well afforded a bigger house, but why?


My brother and I had a great time living in that room until my oldest brother graduated college and he was able to take over that room (my Mom made him wait....pretty funny).