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Household Appliances Were Cheaper 40 Years Ago—We’re Getting Ripped Off
National Economics Editorial ^ | May 12, 2017 | Spenser P. Morrison

Posted on 05/13/2017 9:10:35 PM PDT by grey_whiskers

What do flat-earthers and economists have in common?

They both mistake their models for reality. They confuse what ought to be with what is.

And that’s why economists are often wrong—even when they all agree, like when it comes to global free trade.

Ask 10 economists about global free trade, and 10 will say it’s good. Always good.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationaleconomicseditorial.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; History; Society
KEYWORDS: appliances; freetrade; greedymbas; obselescence; offshoring
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Sometime in the past, some accursed MBA came up with the idea of having Third Worlders make American goods; then lying through their foul teeth to the public that the American consumer had *demanded* it; even though most people went through the five states -- anger, denial, bargaining, etc. while threatening / cajoling vendors into selling quality American goods again.

I sometimes think that the entire C-level suites (and their families, heirs, and assigns) of most Fortune 500 companies should be sold into slavery to make reparations for what they've done.

Or, we could just follow Shakespeare and hang all the lawyers first thing...

1 posted on 05/13/2017 9:10:35 PM PDT by grey_whiskers
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To: grey_whiskers

Chinese appliances now. 3-5 year life spans.

Old fridge or washer/dryer would last 20-30 years.

Total ripoff!


2 posted on 05/13/2017 9:12:56 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: grey_whiskers
Or, we could just follow Shakespeare and hang all the lawyers first thing...

Could we do both?
3 posted on 05/13/2017 9:16:04 PM PDT by Garth Tater (What's mine is mine.)
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To: grey_whiskers

He is comparing apples to oranges. His 2017 prices are for upper tier. You can get cheaper with more features than in 1976.


4 posted on 05/13/2017 9:16:07 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: grey_whiskers

appliances are built to fall apart now too. It’s called “shortening the replacement cycle” or “planned obsolescence”. Everything you buy has a fatal flaw incorporated into its design which ensures that the product will become unusable at some point and things are being designed to fall apart faster and faster. Americans ought to be furious about this.


5 posted on 05/13/2017 9:17:28 PM PDT by RC one (The 2nd Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those exceptionally rare circumstances)
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To: TigerClaws

“Chinese appliances now. 3-5 year life spans.”

All of our appliances are on year six with no problems.


6 posted on 05/13/2017 9:17:46 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: TexasGator

how many features do you really need? More features just means more things to break and a shorter replacement cycle.


7 posted on 05/13/2017 9:18:49 PM PDT by RC one (The 2nd Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those exceptionally rare circumstances)
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To: TigerClaws

“Old fridge or washer/dryer would last 20-30 years.”

My mother’s fridge is on year 17.


8 posted on 05/13/2017 9:19:21 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: TigerClaws

My GE washer is a 1976, my GE dryer is a 1973, still going strong. New appliances are junk. I know what I’m talking about, I was a GE service tech for 31 years until last October.
As a result of the sale to the Chinese I was eligible to take my pension early and I got out. Couldn’t stand trying to explain why the product sucked.


9 posted on 05/13/2017 9:19:22 PM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizen Means Born Here Of Citizen Parents - Know Islam, No Peace -No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: TexasGator

You’re doing well then.

I have a fridge and was told by a Sears repairman that they and washer/dryers are made to last 3-5 years.

Then they stop manufacturing the darn parts to make sure they’ll be obsolete.

I have an older one that’s like a tank. Never replacing it.


10 posted on 05/13/2017 9:19:52 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: grey_whiskers

11 posted on 05/13/2017 9:19:59 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
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To: RC one

they actually have obsolescence departments now that work day and night to figure out how to shorten the life of a product

So basically when someone asks someone who does that work what they do for a job the answer, if honest is “I try to make products way more expensive for people by shortening the product’s lifespan”


12 posted on 05/13/2017 9:20:45 PM PDT by Bob434
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To: RC one

“how many features do you really need? More features just means more things to break and a shorter replacement cycle.”

You can do your wash in the sink!


13 posted on 05/13/2017 9:21:48 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: Lurkinanloomin

Thanks for chiming in.

Sad, too, because that’s a MAJOR expense to the average family trying to replace that.

Then Sears pushes the charge account - 18% interest.


14 posted on 05/13/2017 9:22:17 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: grey_whiskers

This article describes planned obsolescence, but misidentifies it as a problem with international trade. I just wish one manufacturer — and I don’t care if that manufacturer is located in South Bend or South Korea — would reject planned obsolescence and manufacture appliances meant to last 30 years.


15 posted on 05/13/2017 9:23:24 PM PDT by SSS Two
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To: TexasGator

we replaced a washing machine and an oven that were both 37 years old a few years ago and I have an original coke machine in my kitchen made that is well over 50 years old and is still running like a champ. It can freeze a beer in fact. The only things that are made that well these days are firearms IMO. appliances? definitely not.


16 posted on 05/13/2017 9:24:51 PM PDT by RC one (The 2nd Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those exceptionally rare circumstances)
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To: TexasGator

Like I just said, we recently replaced a 37 year old washing machine. It had all the features you could want and the best feature of all, we didn’t have to replace it for 37 years.


17 posted on 05/13/2017 9:26:41 PM PDT by RC one (The 2nd Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those exceptionally rare circumstances)
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To: RC one

Ditto. We had a stove for 30+ years. If it’s working, why replace it?

Americans are making less money and are broker. Welcome to globalism...


18 posted on 05/13/2017 9:27:31 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: smokingfrog

Notice it says “assembled in the USA”. The parts are still crap from China. GE does the same thing. Assembled here from crap from elsewhere.
When I started with GE in 1985 we made every part, wiring, fan motors, elements, valves, everything was GE. Now they are just assembled with parts from Indonesia, China, Mexico, etc.


19 posted on 05/13/2017 9:27:48 PM PDT by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizen Means Born Here Of Citizen Parents - Know Islam, No Peace -No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: grey_whiskers

He points out that: “Although most appliances are assembled in America, their “made in America” stickers are totally worthless,” then he concludes: “Help fix the economy, and do yourself a favor. Buy American.”


20 posted on 05/13/2017 9:29:46 PM PDT by iowamark
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