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Tonight I was cleaning up a piece of Revere Ware. As I was polishing the bottom it proudly proclaimed “MADE IN CHINA” C’mon guys this product is named after Paul Revere!
My son recently showed me his new “Milwaukee” lithium drill driver.“Made IN CHINA”

I know I am beating the proverbial dead horse, but this sucks! Maybe Milwaukee tools should change their name to reflect the country of manufacture. How about “Beijing” Tools”?
And Revere Ware can be renamed “Mao Ware”

I have refused to put any parts on my vehicles including the Pantera that are “MADE IN CHINA”. This is getting more and more difficult. But with the suspect quality of their products I will not put my family’s safety at risk.
“MADE IN CHINA” products are a ticking time bomb. Lead in paint is just one example. And for my Green friends China is a septic nightmare. Their environment may never recover.

But it all comes back to $$$$$. Cheaper to make outside N. America. Millions of jobs are lost and never replaced.

Will someone please turn off the light in the last manufacturing plant in the US?

Jeff –
Depressed, Angry, and Mad as Hell!
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I understand your frustration but we have only ourselves to blame. We tend to look at the price tag rather than the "made in" tag, thus with two items being equal, we go with the cheaper one. We Americans want what we can get best for our dollar.

I for one can tell you that going over seas means big profit. I work for a rather large comany that was ready to manufacture in China, but when it came down to the non-disclosure agreement on the process the Chinese government made it clear that they would retain the rights to reproduce our process, the deal was off and jobs stayed in the USA.
A story that was related to me at a training session at work.
As you know all of the American auto companies are building vehicles in China. GM was coming out with a small car for that market I believe it was called the "QQ" to be sold for $8400.
Just prior to its launch another automaker came out with a car called the "Cherie", for $6400.
Yo and behold it was identical to the QQ, I mean identical to the QQ.
GM took the competing auto company to the Chinese court system. The judges who were hearing the case looked at the two cars and decidied that the two cars "dont look the same to me" BOOM down came the gavel.
The Chinese government has a major stake in all companies that build and do business in that country. Thats how they were able to get the plans for the QQ and let the other car manufactuer build it.
Nice huh??
Jeff
Unless you voted for Ross Perot, you have no room to complain. I can complain because I did vote for him, even though everyone said I was throwing my vote away. He was the last politician to run for president, that wasn't bought and paid for by globalists special interests. If you vote for a repub or a dem you are throwing away your vote. The lesser of two evils is STILL evil. So you just pipe down and take your medicine and struggle through the worst depression in the history of the world and remember you could have done something about it when it wasn't too late. Too late was anytime after 1992.
This is an issue I considered carefully when choosing garments and contract printers for Rever Clothing.

In the end, we chose shirts proudly made in downtown Los Angeles...and we pay through the nose for them, but they are soft, fabulous shirts.

Our printer is in LA as well, and says all the big jobs he used to do for Red Bull, etc. have all gone to China. Now he just gets the rush jobs that would take too long to get from oversees.

I could shave 30-50% by going to China for product, but I am hoping "made in America" still means something. Unfortunately it means "more expensive" but I have my fingers crossed that I can always keep production local, even when I expand into different products.

I know it is dangerous to let personal causes dictate how I do business, but this issue was important to me. And I can tell it is important to many of you. Is it important to enough people to make it the right decision? We will see.

R.
This all reminds me of a multi level marketing scheme. If I remember the semantics it's called 'free enterprise' (sic)
Do you know that Walmart sends roughly 20% of the US GNP to Japan. Free trade agreements have taken away any duties and tarifs which makes those products competitive. Beleive me those Hondas assembled in America do little else but support assembly line jobs here, contrarily to US manufacturers. In the process it's killing millions of domestic jobs. I'm not defending some of the crap produced by the Big3. Today they are just as good. Always remember you get what you pay for, the quality of many offshore products are inferior to those made at home. Clothing is an example, remember when getting one of you uncle's shirt was a treat. Look at offshore auto parts; rotors used to last a long time now the cheap one either rust or warp at the 1st power stop you do, offshore toys with lead paint, to name a few. How the hell do you decide to put melamine in milk to make it whiter. Money makes the world go round, sorry BIG money makes the world go round = lobbyists. At the same time our parents had much less than we did and we have many people and companies picking our wallets (there were no cell phones, microwaves, computers, coulour tv's, iPods, wine refrigerators, cable, satelite, private school, daycare, restaurant meals several times a week 50 years ago and there was only 1 phone in the house and it was bolted to the wall. Mom was at home and she cooked meals with real local ingredients. the 50's was all about manufacturing, the 90's were about buying products from large scale producers and shipping the products half way around the globe. Call Dell help and you'll call India. Domestic manufacturing jobs supports 5-10 jobs directly or indirectly in your community. The middle class is getting squeezed out of existence, yet it supports the economy. the poor don't pay any taxes (let's say little) and those who make lot's of money have accountants to make sure they don't pay any taxes. In time world's average salaries should stabilise. That assemblyline worker in Japan or Shri- Lanka or India was working for a $1 a day and now is earning $5 a day, in turn they are now wanting more. There are 2 ways to make more profits sell more or cut costs and CEO are making multi million dollars for what, cutting jobs,
My 401K is now in the dump, still I'd rather live in North America.

Denis
I see over and over people talking about what 4 post lift to purchase on the PIBB. No one wants to buy the Backyard Buddy because of cost and I just shake my head. Guys, this thing is made in America -- all of it, and there is no comparison to the Chinese lifts. Plus, Backyard Buddy has the best lift and lock mechanism out there -- very important in earthquake land. Some sellers say theirs is made in the USA, but if the lifts are $2500 or less, they are not; ask yourself, how could they be? I put my money where my mouth is and bought American with the Backyard Buddy, and I do not regret it at all. The best 4 post lift out there for the money, I liked it so much I bought another one.
One of the rules in the contracting business is US products have to be 51% US made ... I try my best to buy US and if not we make it our selves .. I;m in a Industrial Park in New York where there are about 80 or so businesses and we all manufacturer just about everything from camera lenses, train parts, weapons, HVAC products, cabinets, nuts and bolts, street decals, toys, etc... our association does its best to keep in in the Park ... but its not easy.

Bottom line we have the people in the US, we have the resourses ..but the politicians got a taste of that Latin ASS down in south america and sold us out for a little Cervesa. We can out produce the rest of the world, but not when the politicians sells you down the river. Dont fool yourself companys like CARRIER Airconditioning Products is having MAJOR issues manufactuering in MEXICO .. the mexicans dont come to work, leave early, and quality control is shit ... Carrier is moving back into the USA ... keep the faith and encourage your children that quality, quantity and intergrity is in a US made product.
I was in a WalMart the other day and I looked around and wondered what percentage of the crap on the shelves was stuff people actually NEEDED. I think it's a pretty small number. Until we get over our "need" to consume like crack-addicts and change our cars, fashions and electronics just because the new ones are shinier or have two extra "features", we're doomed. Also, so few people are willing to make the tough choice between saving for and having a well-made "lifetime" quality product in a few years when they can buy a cheaper product (made off-shore, of course) RIGHT NOW. I'm not preaching anything here because I'm as guilty as anyone in this. I will need to change because the shit-storm of the oncoming recession will leave me no choice. We all need to try to find ways of buying local — if it's even possible any more. Try going one week without buying or consuming ANYTHING made outside of North America. I'm not sure it's even possible, even if you spend the week in hospital!
quote:
I was in a WalMart


Wells there's the first mistake, what are you even doing in Wally World Man!

My wife brought home an interesting DVD with Ex-store Managers blowing the whistle on how Walmart affects the community and their blatent policies and strategies to drive out the small shops and any competition. I try not to shop there based upon that and the way they treat their employees, minimum wage and no benefits. It's mostly sweat shop goods and the Walton Bros. are what like the third or fourth richest in the World.

BUt I'm as much a hypocryt as anyone else and that is why I say "try not shop there". My son is following in my footseteps and is an avid AC/DC fan. I couldn't believe AC/DC cut a sole supplier deal with Walmart, in the end we gave in and my wife went and purchased the new album.
quote:
Originally posted by Joules5:
...what are you even doing in Wally World Man!


Where else can you buy oil at 10 pm??? Sure, I could plan ahead, but like I said "I'm as guilty as anyone"...

I tend to agree about NOT shopping there, but for me it's ALSO because it's a non-Canadian retailer that has displaced many Canadian ones. Still, every now and then one must compromise one's integrity in the name of getting the job done.

This link is not pertaining to Wal-Mart, but relevant to the topic as a whole:

http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.html
Sheesh, Mark, you beat me to posting the Story of Stuff Link - I gotta move faster.

One thought we should also keep in mind is that when we buy the cheap stuff, not only do we end up having to replace it when it breaks, but also we're damaging our local environment when we throw out all of the junk we buy.

Here's a link to another short by the same folks that did the Story of Stuff (Free Range Studios) this one parodies a Garth song and 'Wally World'

Friends with Low Wages

Well, I'm off to buff my Italian car with the logo based on the Argentinian flag, German transmission, American motor, and (If they weren't already replaced) British fans (considering some of the random electrical challenges I have, I'm sure there are some remnants of Lucas "POD" technology in there) ...
Last edited by 5754
I'm not here to pick a fight with anyone. I'm not here to support any political position or party. I am just one vote when it comes down to it and that is all I am worth in our society.

The term "Joe the plumber" is in frequent use as of recent days. Since there is a US Presidential election campaign going on I often watch with equal interest and sometimes pure disgust.

My thought about "Joe" is simply who is it that represents your interests Joe? You are just American labor. I am just American labor.

It seems that for some time the interests of bankers and independent investors have been the interests of preference here in the US. Certainly not the interests of American labor.

To me, when it comes down to it, we are almost all labor of sorts. If you don't own the company, even if you are management, you are still labor.

The time to eat American labor alive has not just come, it appeared quite a while ago. Maybe when Regan fired all of the air traffic controllers, I don't know just when it came in vogue exactly. But I don't mean to be political here. I mentioned Regan merely as a road marker.

We all need jobs, but just not any job. High paying jobs that produce high quality products. I am often surprized to hear that so many Americans are just realizing that now. We all can't be bankers folks. Some of us have to produce the goods.

High quality labor here is not part of the problem, it's part of the solution.

The bankers have had their run. Perhaps it is time for the pendulum to swing back and the American people will once again look for and feel proud once again to read the label, MADE IN THE USA.

I for one understand and appreciate exactly what that label means. Hopefully others will also before it is too late. Smiler
I don't know about the USA, but here in Canada, you can't trust "PRODUCT OF CANADA" as a label. I was disgusted to learn that as long as 50% of the total cost of the product was expended in Canada, then it is considered to have been made here. Those "costs" include transport, marketing, overhead, distribution etc. In other words, take that $1 item from anywhere else, add some shipping and advertising costs and all of a sudden it's "Canadian". Until our governments stop trying to screw us, we're screwed.
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