Buy American (simple vanity)

(vanity) | November 9th, 20122 | (self)

[Cringing Negativism Network]

OK I'll go ahead and start this vanity, because I think it's a topic whose time has come:

We spent billions more last year than we took in.

Billions. On all sorts of junk.

Every country in the world is building factories, selling their stuff to us.

China in particular, is selling us all sorts of junk.

It is time for us to sell, not buy.

Just saying.

Sell stuff. Sell stuff made here.

Thanks for listening. :)

[dfwgator]

I’ll only buy from Wisconsin because of Walker.

[stillonaroll]

The Mrs. and I do something similar: avoid spending money in deep blue cities.

We'll sightsee in San Francisco once or twice a year, but make a point to avoid spending money there. Don't book a motel there, dine in the suburbs.

[Two Kids' Dad]

I haven’t been to San Fransicko in years. Thankfully there’s a Boudin Bakery near me that has the awesome sourdough.

[Salamander]

LOL!

I appreciate your optimism.

:)

[Salamander]

I’m a fiend for good maple and that stuff is gorgeous.

Very simple “Mission” style, which I also love.

You are an artisan.

[dfwgator]

Go to Monterey instead. Much better. As screwed up as California is, I’d move there in a heartbeat if I could.

[stillonaroll]

I love Monterey! Hotels can be relatively cheap, as long as they are not right on the water.

Point Lobos, just south of Carmel, is one of the most beautiful places on earth.

[Jumper]

I would say for the record that not buying US Made Goods under the Unions helps to shut down the Dem party support; home schooling further reduces federal support to local schools and the Unions. Anything that detracts from support Unions is acceptable. A case in point is buying a car from a non-Union producer like those in the South.... Anything the Unions touch automatically cost more, and oftentimes the work ethic sucks causing the product to be substandard - look at the Schools. Buy Republican!

[tomkat]

Thank you, Sal   :-)

[Daffynition]

This came in an email the other day...all the *American* references were made to Canada. Same same.:

Christmas 2012 -- Birth of a New Tradition

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labour.
This year will be different.
This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans.
There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by Americans hands.
Yes there is!
It's time to think outside the box, people.
Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?
Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber? Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.
Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates. Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the dollars on a Chinese made flat-screen?
Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway ploughed all winter, or games at the local golf course.
There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates.
And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint.
Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town American with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open. How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?
Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.
My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.
OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.
Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.
Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.
Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of lights, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip. You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about us, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams.
And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine.
This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn't that what Christmas is about?
BUY AMERICAN - BE AMERICAN - The job you save might be your own.

[trebb]

Why? To keep the teetering, once-great nation staggering for a bit longer before the inevitable happens? Of course, that would also be leveraged as a great success by those who have destroyed us. Let it collapse and let them own it. Until real pain hits across-the-board, there is no hope of straightening this mess out.

[Mase]

I think individuals/families should make the decision as to what product and price point is best for them with every purchase. Most Americans would prefer to purchase American made goods, but no one wants to pay more for lesser quality. American companies can compete with anyone if the government would get the hell off their backs. But, after Tuesday, that ain't gonna happen.

You should be more careful. I say that because you have a history of advocating for something similar to "Everything in the State, nothing outside the State, nothing against the state." Sound familiar?

[Cringing Negativism Network]

Right on.

Good post.

Thanks.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

See therein lies the rub:

One does not eliminate Dem voting by eliminating Dem voter jobs. One merely eliminates the current source of income.

Part of union employees vote Dem, yet part vote GOP.

The problem is when a plant is closed, all the employees vote Dem. We have been LOSING GROUND.

All this internationalism, has been counter-productive.

This is what is wrong.

Bring back jobs. Close our markets just enough to balance trade.

Do it now.

[meyer]

Buy conservative American. Do NOT buy union. Do NOT buy from blue states, especially deep blue states. Do NOT buy from known liberals.

And, go Galt as much as possible within the confines of your life.

These people, these communists have taken this country to the edge of the cliff - it’s time to let the momentum of the liberalization of America finish the job.

From the ashes, we can rebuild our constitutional republic.

[meyer]

Buy conservative American. Do NOT buy union. Do NOT buy from blue states, especially deep blue states. Do NOT buy from known liberals.

And, go Galt as much as possible within the confines of your life.

These people, these communists have taken this country to the edge of the cliff - it’s time to let the momentum of the liberalization of America finish the job.

From the ashes, we can rebuild our constitutional republic.

[Jumper]

While your statement is true that some union workers vote both ways, the major sources of financial support for Dem party are Unions (UAW, NTA, NEA, etc.). By defanging these unions we take back some of the voting bloc. Stopping teachers unions was what the Wisconsin fights were about. Failure to understand hope Union money awash in Dem Party Coffers, and then accepting the substandard products in Autos and Education may be for some here at FR but for myself it is time to vote the pocketbook and to heck with some segments of America - why buy American when those whose unions they support vote for socialism?

[Cringing Negativism Network]

That has been the traditional view.

Export jobs, free up workers.

That is turning out to be the opposite of reality. What is actually happening is by exporting jobs, we are simply increasing unemployment which drives voters to Democrats.

We must stop. Bring back US jobs.

Now.

[Jumper]

How do we bring back jobs in a global economy. An employee in China is still an employee of a US company, and at less 95% of the cost, producing goods at a cost savings to the American consumer. Our problem is that in the actual factories where American employees work, the unions increase production costs about 15-20%, for example: In the Northern States where GM, Ford, Dodge produce Union made goods, a comparable vehicle produced in the South for Toyota, Honda, VW, or MB can produce a vehicle with the same labor being about 14 dollars per hour less in wages, meaning that they save that amount times 300 hours in production costs (This makes production of MB or VW cheaper in the US than in Germany/Europe). Americans are employed by foreign ownership just as you advocate is wrong for the USA to employ foreign workers.

You want to know the funny thing about this comparison, these foreign producers sill import vehicles that cost more overseas to produce and they still beat the Northern Auto producers; and the vehicles they product in North America's southern states free of the Unions provide them additional profits because they only meet the Union Market Place price for comparable vehicles, e.g., they could sell their products for about $1,800 less per vehicle but instead of killing the Unions they just reap a huge profit because of the Unions - they profit. This is the crux of the American problem - UNIONS suck the life out of the Company.