'Made in America' must make a comeback

[BAMAPHIN 22]

One thing the financial crisis shows is that the United States is in trouble because Americans have stopped making stuff.

It used to be that we made a lot of stuff: televisions, clothes, washing machines, radios, typewriters, shoes, telephones, and furniture. And we also used to make the stuff out of which stuff was made: steel, aluminum, plastic, rubber, glass, and electrical components. Today that's largely made overseas. They send us their stuff and we send them our money.

Nowadays, young people want to work in the financial industry (at least until recently). While money managers may be worthy occupations – we do need capital to meet payroll and buy the goods and machinery used to make stuff – focusing solely on such jobs removes us from the mainstream of making useful things, which, in turn, provide jobs and help to make everyday life more enjoyable and productive.

This is where we have to start questioning what's at stake. Are we truly satisfied with letting someone else make everything we need? If so, when the time comes for repair and maintenance, who will do the work?

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1128/p09s02-coop.html

[swordfish54]

That's the way it should be but it won't happen. Big business has to make every dime they can squeeze out of anybody. They'll never return back to America where they have to pay a higher wage and keep up with environmental standards, safe working conditions and such. Companies aren't loyal to America they are loyal to the All Mighty dollar. The quality of the products a US worker made used to be something to be proud of. Now everything is made elsewhere and it's cheap crap. Big business loves it that way because we have to keep buying more of this cheap crap because it doesn't last as long, more money in their pockets. We get what we deserve. We want everything on the cheap (walmart) and that's exactly the quality we get. Nobody wants to pay the extra dollar for quality. That's what happened to specialty shops on mainstreet, nobody wanted to pay an extra buck to local business. They had to go get the rollback prices at walmart. Our individual greed has hurt us all as a whole. We've made our bed and now we have to lie in it.

This is one thing I don't get about some conservatives and I mean some. They staunchly support big business even if it hurts them and their loved ones. It's like they support it out of stubborness. I say some because a lot of the traditional conservatives are making a lot of money with outsourcing, but some conservatives barely get by. I guess the ones I'm talking about put a higher priority on other things aside from the economy or their own well being. More power to them, I just don't want to hearing the b***ching when it's their turn to pay the piper.

[ih8brady]

With the exception of some electronics, nearly everything physically produced in the usa is sub-par at best for the past two or three decades. Ironically, the worst of the worst is automobiles which now wants a blank check for their own **** ups.

[Dolphins9954]

Originally Posted by ih8brady

With the exception of some electronics, nearly everything physically produced in the usa is sub-par at best for the past two or three decades. Ironically, the worst of the worst is automobiles which now wants a blank check for their own **** ups.

I've been saying the same thing. We need to start making better products first. Then more people will buy American.

[swordfish54]

Originally Posted by Dolphins9954

I've been saying the same thing. We need to start making better products first. Then more people will buy American.

No they won't. People want cheap not quality. They've already made their decision. We reap what we sow.

[finintheburgh]

Originally Posted by swordfish54

That's the way it should be but it won't happen. Big business has to make every dime they can squeeze out of anybody. They'll never return back to America where they have to pay a higher wage and keep up with environmental standards, safe working conditions and such. Companies aren't loyal to America they are loyal to the All Mighty dollar. The quality of the products a US worker made used to be something to be proud of. Now everything is made elsewhere and it's cheap crap. Big business loves it that way because we have to keep buying more of this cheap crap because it doesn't last as long, more money in their pockets. We get what we deserve. We want everything on the cheap (walmart) and that's exactly the quality we get. Nobody wants to pay the extra dollar for quality. That's what happened to specialty shops on mainstreet, nobody wanted to pay an extra buck to local business. They had to go get the rollback prices at walmart. Our individual greed has hurt us all as a whole. We've made our bed and now we have to lie in it.

This is one thing I don't get about some conservatives and I mean some. They staunchly support big business even if it hurts them and their loved ones. It's like they support it out of stubborness. I say some because a lot of the traditional conservatives are making a lot of money with outsourcing, but some conservatives barely get by. I guess the ones I'm talking about put a higher priority on other things aside from the economy or their own well being. More power to them, I just don't want to hearing the b***ching when it's their turn to pay the piper.

i dont understand the blame on big business. dont you see were to blame for the loss of jobs. your feeling of entitlement is scary.

how can you expect a company to say here and pay 50% of there profits to the gov when they can go else where and pay less than 15%. thats the problem we have. its not the wages that drive business away. its the taxes. yet we want to raise taxes on them more. that will force those who can go to go. if you lower taxes enough so that shipping there goods half way across the world would hurt them. then they will come back in record numbers.

[swordfish54]

Originally Posted by finintheburgh

i dont understand the blame on big business. dont you see were to blame for the loss of jobs. your feeling of entitlement is scary.

You need to reread my post more carefully, I blame people for wanting to save a buck. I don't feel entitled to anything, what am I supposed to feel entitlement towards? I don't know if you were reading something else but you clearly missed the mark on my post. You're either reading too much into it or you had a problem understanding what I wrote.

[shula_guy]

NAFTA needs to be ratified

[Ferretsquig]

Originally Posted by finintheburgh

i dont understand the blame on big business. dont you see were to blame for the loss of jobs. your feeling of entitlement is scary.

how can you expect a company to say here and pay 50% of there profits to the gov when they can go else where and pay less than 15%. thats the problem we have. its not the wages that drive business away. its the taxes. yet we want to raise taxes on them more. that will force those who can go to go. if you lower taxes enough so that shipping there goods half way across the world would hurt them. then they will come back in record numbers.

So why does Germany, with its higher cooperate taxes, strong currency, crippling income tax rate, and high unemployment lead the world in exports?

[finintheburgh]

Originally Posted by swordfish54

You need to reread my post more carefully, I blame people for wanting to save a buck. I don't feel entitled to anything, what am I supposed to feel entitlement towards? I don't know if you were reading something else but you clearly missed the mark on my post. You're either reading too much into it or you had a problem understanding what I wrote.

the entitlement i meant is that businesses should not do whats best for them, but they should do whats best for the people of this country. the thought that businesses owe people who dont work for them.

i dont blame places like walmart. nor the people who shop there. the fact is that with all the good manufactoring jobs leaving they need to do what they have to do. to some people a small difference in price means alot.
dont get me wrong you wont find a foriegn car in my drive way nor is my bike foriegn. i buy american when i can its just becoming harder to do so.

my father in law owns a body shop. sometimes on the weekends i go over to help him get caught up. and its a shame how many american made cars import alot of there parts. headlights either come from mexico or one of the asian countries. panels come from canada. and theses all come with the american name on the box. its a shame and we need to do something to get these companies to bring there jobs back here.

[PressCoverage]

Originally Posted by finintheburgh

i dont understand the blame on big business. dont you see were to blame for the loss of jobs. your feeling of entitlement is scary.

how can you expect a company to say here and pay 50% of there profits to the gov when they can go else where and pay less than 15%. thats the problem we have. its not the wages that drive business away. its the taxes. yet we want to raise taxes on them more. that will force those who can go to go. if you lower taxes enough so that shipping there goods half way across the world would hurt them. then they will come back in record numbers.

in other words, despite your qualifier in post 10 above, ultimately profit trumps patriotism and keeping the american work force healthy? i'm tired of this "it's just business" "gotta do what they gotta do" line of rationalization....

please don't pretend its all about taxation for these greedy besturds... it's about payroll too...

have you been laid off in your lifetime?

[finintheburgh]

Originally Posted by PressCoverage

in other words, despite your qualifier in post 10 above, ultimately profit trumps patriotism and keeping the american work force healthy? i'm tired of this "it's just business" "gotta do what they gotta do" line of rationalization....

please don't pretend its all about taxation for these greedy besturds... it's about payroll too...

have you been laid off in your lifetime?

ive had my first 5 real jobs go out of business while i worked there. 3 non union and 2 were union.

and of the 5 2 left for areas with lower taxes.

ever notice that when new companies come to an area that they recieve big tax breaks for the first so many years then after the breaks expire they soon run into money probs or they just pack up and leave. one of the worst for my area was some years ago when vw left becuse they didnt get to keep the tax breaks they had been getting. well the whole community lost it wasnt the business that lost it was us. they just moved to a new area to start agian.

dont believe me. look for vw plant east huntington pa. it has since turned into sony. funny how when sony was getting tax breaks they employed over 2000 people then the breaks stopped and now were down to under 200 and there talking about closing the doors.

you cant keep biting the hand that feed you. and if you work for a living you depend on big business some how

[Eshlemon]

Originally Posted by Ferretsquig

So why does Germany, with its higher cooperate taxes, strong currency, crippling income tax rate, and high unemployment lead the world in exports?

Costs more to import something than make it in Germany due to import duties and value added taxes except from fellow EU free trade countries...which have comparable taxes or get value added taxes.

NAFTA and CAFTA where created in response to the EU and their free-trading one market. With expections of short-term losses in domestic manufacturing for long term success in the region in competition to EU free trade manufacturing. Can only be long term because unfortunately in most cases the countries involved aren't rich as the ones Germany's selling stuff to in Europe. "Made in America" comeback globaly will probably needs some time of us buying "Made in Mexico"...and getting into the EU free market.

Plus you can't discount quality..."Made in Germany" means something in the world. But Germany's high-end quality 'rolls royce' manufactured products will be one of the worst hit by world wide recession as this makes up 70% of their economy.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by finintheburgh

i dont understand the blame on big business. dont you see were to blame for the loss of jobs. your feeling of entitlement is scary.

how can you expect a company to say here and pay 50% of there profits to the gov when they can go else where and pay less than 15%. thats the problem we have. its not the wages that drive business away. its the taxes. yet we want to raise taxes on them more. that will force those who can go to go. if you lower taxes enough so that shipping there goods half way across the world would hurt them. then they will come back in record numbers.

Thats why the "trickle-down economy" gives tax breaks to the big businesses. Where have you been the last 8 years? Your big businesses ARE getting the tax breaks meant to keep jobs in the US, yet they send the jobs overseas anyways. Its greed, pure and simple. Until CEOs and board members start considering the welfare of the country as a whole over their own, this is not going to be fixed. Judging by current trends, we're in for a very long wait...

[phins_4_ever]

Originally Posted by Locke

Thats why the "trickle-down economy" gives tax breaks to the big businesses. Where have you been the last 8 years? Your big businesses ARE getting the tax breaks meant to keep jobs in the US, yet they send the jobs overseas anyways. Its greed, pure and simple. Until CEOs and board members start considering the welfare of the country as a whole over their own, this is not going to be fixed. Judging by current trends, we're in for a very long wait...

That's exactly right. What people think its "free market" or capitalism has been raped by greed and corruption.

Don't get me wrong I love business and free market but not at the cost of the country.

At this point only one way is a fix. Every President sends out those 'stimulus' checks. That is just a band-aid. That money either goes to pay bills or is being carried to exactly those companies who destroyed US jobs in the first place i.e. Wal-Mart. That is wrong.

It has to get worse, much worse, before it gets better.

Tax those companies who save money by outsourcing extending the taxes to those who think the loophole "my vendors are overseas' will avoid such tax, increase import fees, change the rules of 'made in america'.

Give tax break to those companies who can proof that their products are made at least to 75% in the US. Give tax break to those companies who hire in the US and like to expand in the US.

Just to start.

Oh, let's outlaw Wal-Mart and arrest everybody walking into that creepy place.