[Getsmart64]

I'm no economic scholar by any means...but I have lived in the Far East and am currently living in Europe...for the second time...the one thing I've noticed about citizens of other countries...is that they tend to be more nationalistic than we Americans are....in Japan...the Japanese bought more Japanese products...even if they cost more...same thing in Germany....here in Italy....we do shop a lot on the economy and I mentioned to my wife the other day to remind me the next time we go to their version of Wal-Mart or K-Mart to check and see where their goods are coming from.....when it comes to goods like furniture...you don't see the Europeans buying the cheap stuff that a lot of Americans buy at Wal-Mart etc and that have to be replaced every few years....they invest thousands of dollars into goods that are produced in country and will last them 20 or 30 years......

[NHResident]

Actually, France will only allow French-made goods to be sold in France by French manufacturers e.g. Izod and Facconnable can sell clothes made in China or Brazil or anywhere else in the US (or the world except in France - in France all the clothing made by these manufacturers will have been made in France - not efficient nor cheap for the French consumer but it works for them.

[Pinetop]

Agent 99 has observed that Japanese tourists in the U.S. will stay in Japanese hotels. Just an example to bolster your point.

[trashcanbred]

I do to. I don't buy IKEA and most of my furniture was made in North Carolina. That said I do buy oil, filters, and the occasional video game for from Walmart if the price is right.

In addition I do not mock anyone who does buy their furniture from walmart or any other store cause I was the poorest kid in my neighborhood and I discovered that people should "mind their own business" when it comes to an individual's economic situation.

[jveritas]

That is why your EU economy is stagnant because you do not spend money continuously.

You make less money than us, you are taxed more, and everything is more expensive. You are doomed for failure.