Made in China!!!!

[S. Heisley]

Someone told me that Walmart used to advertise that everything they sold was made in the USA; but they stopped doing that. When asked why they were now selling things that were made in other countries, they said that they had been unable to compete with the other retailers' prices.

People go where they can get the most bang for their buck. Most of the time, it isn't until later that they look at where it was made.

[4x4chvy]

I'm with you on wanting to buy American made. But there are 18+ million (un/under employed) Americans who have no choice right now.
Many are lucky to still be able to afford kmart/china/walmart crap.

No one has mentioned that "Made in the USA" is often followed by "from imported parts/ingredients" from China, Indonesia, India, Brasil, Costa Rica, etc.
Or worse, that "Made in USA" is a blatant lie, because the product is actually imported and only labeled and distributed by an American vendor.
When China poisoned the high end "Made in America" and "Made in Canada" pet foods, I learned more than I ever wanted to know about how consumers are tricked and outright lied to by our own kind.

As far as the out gassing Urea-Formaldehyde used in bonding layers of plywood - good luck finding any plywood, made anywhere, without it. Home Depot sells a very expensive formadehyde-free brand. It's called PureBond. It's $25 per 1/4" x 4 x 8 sheet. I can't afford it. I double sealed all my plywood on both sides and all cut edges with Shellac. (All natural product and it makes the wood look nice.) Maybe that could work for you?

[djsrtr]

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[eamarquardt]

[quote="djsrtr"]¡¡¡pɹÉ

[Dant]

I'm not going to worry too much about where things are made. Why should my loyalty go to some rich guy who runs a company in America where the top executive makes 475 times what the average worker makes, compared to Japan where the ratio is 11:1?

Certainly there may be some inequities about environmental restrictions, but in general I am going to pay the lowest price I can for the best product. If American companies can't compete, that's their problem.

Why should I voluntarily contribute to American greed, just because I was born here? When I meet someone, when I make a friend, his nationality is not as important to me as his character.

[eamarquardt]

I'm not going to worry too much about where things are made. Why should my loyalty go to some rich guy who runs a company in America where the top executive makes 475 times what the average worker makes, compared to Japan where the ratio is 11:1?

I agree American Executives' (and a lot of government employees) compensation is out of line with their contribution to the bottom line. I'm going to start going to local government meetings and start asking questions!

Certainly there may be some inequities about environmental restrictions

China's polution gets here in record time and is a growing problem for us.

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/59 ... index.html

Your attitude is short sighted at best. We're all stuck on "spaceship earth" and we better start cleaning up our act before it's too late and we really and permanently screw up our only home.

I am going to pay the lowest price I can for the best product. If American companies can't compete, that's their problem.

It pays to be "cost effective" but I will try to buy American even if there is a premium. Cost isn't everything.

Why should I voluntarily contribute to American greed, just because I was born here? When I meet someone, when I make a friend, his nationality is not as important to me as his character.

Fine, but by purchasing Chinese products are we not furthering their human rights abuses? Ours is not a "perfect state" but I believe it to be the best going. If one doesn't like it here, one is free to go anywhere one choses to enjoy a "better system". If you aren't part of the solution, IMHO, you are part of the problem.

[djsrtr]

[quote="eamarquardt"][quote="djsrtr"]¡¡¡pɹÉ

[Dant]

Your attitude is short sighted at best. We're all stuck on "spaceship earth" and we better start cleaning up our act before it's too late and we really and permanently screw up our only home.

I am going to pay the lowest price I can for the best product. If American companies can't compete, that's their problem.

It pays to be "cost effective" but I will try to buy American even if there is a premium. Cost isn't everything.

Why should I voluntarily contribute to American greed, just because I was born here? When I meet someone, when I make a friend, his nationality is not as important to me as his character.

Fine, but by purchasing Chinese products are we not furthering their human rights abuses? Ours is not a "perfect state" but I believe it to be the best going. If one doesn't like it here, one is free to go anywhere one choses to enjoy a "better system". If you aren't part of the solution, IMHO, you are part of the problem.

You go wrong so easily because you rely on platitudes and cliche's instead of actually thinking the problem out.

You use 'spaceship earth' and forget that includes the fact we have a global economy. The 'Buy America' jingoism is a masquerade for nationalistic bigotry.

You last sentence is a gem of combining chauvinistic cliches, without the least bit of original thinking. "Go somewhere else" if you don't like it here" was the first resort of those who backed the US misadventure in Viet Nam.

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem" is another lame attempt to substitute cliche for analysis. It's a meaningless statement. By buying the highest quality product at the lowest price I am encouraging the very system you claim to "be the best one going."

[Kevin A]

Woah, take the political pissing matches to PM's or a forum that allows them. They don't belong here.