The Failure of No Government Regulation

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by merrylander

That is the job of the Chinese government, not our job. If we keep Americans at work we keep the economy running.

Originally Posted by JJIII

There it is!

Ayup.

Dave

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by whell

Here you go, sir!

http://uwearusa.gostorego.com/umb100.html

Thanks!

Dave

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by hillbilly

I got blasted again last week in Sears. I was needing a tool and asked for COO before going to checkout and a lady shopping over heard me asking and she asked what did it matter. I told her kindly, and explained that not only did it help keep Americans in work but the working conditions in China in which people take advantage of cheap labor were not so good. She came back at me with this: '' maybe so, but if we all decided not to buy products made in China then those people making very little in poor working conditions would be out in the street with nothing ''. I honestly didn't know what to say.

So, she'd rather have Americans making very little, in poor working conditions or out in the street with nothing? Because that's all her attitude gets us. Unfortunately, far too many of us have this attitude.

Dave,

I too look at the labels and I have paid more, sometimes subtantially more, for the USA made stuff. Unfortunately, it's getting harder every day, because some of us can't see past our wallets and don't give a damn about repercussions, so long as it saves them a buck.

In the end, this will be our undoing.

Dave

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

I too look at the labels and I have paid more, sometimes subtantially more, for the USA made stuff. Unfortunately, it's getting harder every day, because some of us can't see past our wallets and don't give a damn about repercussions, so long as it saves them a buck.

In the end, this will be our undoing.

Dave

Perhaps, but it's damn near impossible to buy many domestically made consumer products, regardless of your willingness to pay more them. Consider the attire and footwear on your body at this very moment. I doubt any of it is manufactured in the US (unfortunately).

OTOH, the workers at the Chinese or Bangladeshi plants aren't really much different than the migrant labor force that we allow here (mostly under the table with a wink and a nod) to pick our vegetables. There's exploitation both here and there, but for the most part the exploited are doing things that Americans no longer wish to do (e.g., garment piecework, picking vegetables, slaughtering chickens...).

I wish it were otherwise, but I'm not sure what can be done now to fix it. Hopefully, our higher-value-added products and services will keep us afloat, if the Chinese don't steal them from us first.

[hillbilly]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

So, she'd rather have Americans making very little, in poor working conditions or out in the street with nothing? Because that's all her attitude gets us. Unfortunately, far too many of us have this attitude.

Dave,

I too look at the labels and I have paid more, sometimes subtantially more, for the USA made stuff. Unfortunately, it's getting harder every day, because some of us can't see past our wallets and don't give a damn about repercussions, so long as it saves them a buck.

In the end, this will be our undoing.

Dave

What sucks is when you pay a premium price for USA tools off a tool truck with a no hassle warranty and when you have to warranty something they give you an offshore replacement saying they no longer make the tool in the US. I don't know what more to do to stop this... we do our part but just aren't enough of us willing to out bid places like Harbor Freight. That being said I just added a set of mid-depth Matco 3/8'' drive impact sockets to my 3/8'' impact drawer for 225.00.. made in USA stamped on 'em. Northern Tool and Harbor Freight has a deep or shallow set in 3/8'' drive for about 20 bucks, but they aren't made here.

[bobabode]

T shirt from Indonesia, jeans are from Mexico, Redwings are from the US.

Tube amps are US made but tubes that I changed out are from Limeyland and gasp! Russia!

[icenine]

my 6v6s are from an ebayer who bought them from russia
so there is an expansion effect


It is sort of hard to buy things here....it is more of a first world thing than an American thing....the developing nations relying on cheap labor from the third world, often at a danger to the workers there but alas it lets them eat too....and feed their children.

That underwear factory looks more like a cottage industry that probably employees the owner and a few workers ...nothing wrong with that.

But I do not want to work in an underwear factory.

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by hillbilly

What sucks is when you pay a premium price for USA tools off a tool truck with a no hassle warranty and when you have to warranty something they give you an offshore replacement saying they no longer make the tool in the US. I don't know what more to do to stop this... we do our part but just aren't enough of us willing to out bid places like Harbor Freight. That being said I just added a set of mid-depth Matco 3/8'' drive impact sockets to my 3/8'' impact drawer for 225.00.. made in USA stamped on 'em. Northern Tool and Harbor Freight has a deep or shallow set in 3/8'' drive for about 20 bucks, but they aren't made here.

Those Harbor Freight tools are garbage and dangerous. I walked around in one of them here, more out of curiousity than anything else. My wallet stayed in my pocket but there were a bunch of Harry homeowners buying that crap. I want to keep what fingers I have left. We still have a great secondary market (AKA garage sales) around here.

[hillbilly]

Originally Posted by bobabode

Those Harbor Freight tools are garbage and dangerous. I walked around in one of them here, more out of curiousity than anything else. My wallet stayed in my pocket but there were a bunch of Harry homeowners buying that crap. I want to keep what fingers I have left. We still have a great secondary market (AKA garage sales) around here.

Exactly. When it comes to tools theres more to it than just made in the USA. I've seen guys screw themselves out of money when a cheap socket rounded the head of a hard to reach bolt. Worst time was when a guy was doing a 30 minute job on book time and it turned in to all day. He had bought a set of cheap tripple squares and broke one off in a bolt. He had to raise the car, remove the wiring and hoses and lower the subframe & engine because there wasn't room to get to the bolt and deal with the broken tool inside of it. Book time only covered the 30 minute job, it didn't cover a days work tearing it down to get a broken tool out. He was a pissed off guy, .. but the next time Snap-On truck stopped by he broke down and bought a set of good tripple squares.

[icenine]

The genie, if there ever was one, will not be going back into the bottle.