Termyn8or
Posts: 18681
Joined: 11/12/2005
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That's a mouthful. How American do we need to be ?
I have a 1987 Buick. OK, the ignition system is obviously Delco, you can kinda tell, so is the radio. But the fuel injectors are made by Bosch.
So where do we stand on that ? Bosch is not in a third world country, they are a world leader. They developed a gasoline engine fuel injection system that did not use a computer. This is much more difficult to do than in a deisel engine, actually a White engine. A German engineer stole the design and took advantage of the then extant copyright laws.
In the 80s, Sony moved their CRT production facilituies to the US. That is when they became 20" and 27" instead of 19" and 26". They were then assembled in the US or Mexico, and I'm sure shipping weight had alot to do with it.
I still like my old Sony, and even though I am displeased with the moves they have made in the last few years, I do not forget that if it weren't for Sony we would not be allowed video recorders. The MPAA sued Sony for selling Betamaxes because they could be used to violate copyright laws. But Sony won. I'm sure money was their motive, but the end result was good for us.
The only thing I've gone to Walmart for was an eye exam because I needed it NOW. Actually I needed glasses right now, or I can't drive. Very thorough exam I say. But the people working in the optical dept are probably not getting foodstamps like the rest of them. Optical is probably seperate from Walmart because of liability and other business issues. They probably just pay the rent and some vig off the top. Other than that they are probably autonomous.
I broke my glasses in the BIG power outage, and running around to get glasses was a trip. One place couldn't make them right away because they didn't have water at the time.
OK, anyone with a serious need can get a little off the narrow path. Real needs are real needs. Case in point, gasoline.
When you fill up your tank, you are supporting greedy multinationals and criminal governments. But what does one do, walk ?
It is nice to try, and be concious of the origins of what we buy. But we will never make a big dent in it. It simply is not possible.
Some Hondas and Toyotas are made in the US, some US cars are built overseas. One of the first imports of mass market was the Checkoslovakian Skoda, imported by Chrysler corporation in the 50-60s. Somewhere around there.
I remember the story in the late 70s early 80s where a whole warehouse full of imported cars literally rusted out without ever being titled nor driven. People wouldn't buy them.
Face it though, we are not the cat's ass when it comes to building things, and haven't been for awhile. Telarc had to bring in overseas experts from Phillips and Sony to produce the first US pressed compact disk (that played). Our folly into building VCRs was a joke too. Now we got CD and DVD, and have very rarely built a player here, and never one that was competitively priced for it's feature level and reliability.
You can buy a Lowe TV, which I think is about 6 grand for a 26". The remote control is about the weight of a small caliber handgun. Can anyone say where all the parts came from ? You can buy a Mercedes, are all the parts German ?
Everything is all mixed up now. It is nice to try to support those we want to support, and deny those who we do not, but it is quite difficult today.
Since it can't be done, I don't blame people for giving up. Let's face it, if you make less than about 20-30 an hour, you need some things cheap. If you need to buy a Kia, that is what you will do or you will walk or take the bus. If you want to watch TV and one is $2,000 and the other $200, I'll give you one guess what will happen.
I still maintain a strong aversion to big chain stores though. I would rather buy my junk at a mom and pop operation than a huge megamart. I think it was Bestbuy that recently fired a bunch of employees and offered their jobs back at like ½ the rate.
If they did this to me I would retaliate. Details not available due to CM rules, but it would not be pleasant and I would probably be gone forever. I don't mean from CM, I mean from the planet, I would just make sure not to be alone.
What Walmart does is sickening, they get government money, sometimes use eminent domain, sell under cost until all the competition is gone and then jack the prices up.
I remember a railroad using business tactics like that to quell the competition, and that resulted in the Sherman anti-trust act. Then that action was perverted to force the phone companies to disband and it seems they are all back together now. If I am not mistaken, Sherman was never repealed, but no worries, it was just reinterpreted.
Yes fellow children of big brother, the rules are very simple. They do what they want and we have to do what they want. Is it clear now ?
If you really want to buy a US made product, I mean really US made, let me suggest a box of paper clips. Missiles would be a good choice too, but the US made ones are falling behind in technology. I don't think the French would sell Exocets to private citizens, but I bet you can get some Moskits from the Russians.
I just don't see many other choices to buy American.
T
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Would you pay more for a product if you knew in doing s... - 
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). I always end up ok, I rarely stress over money, and I feel better about my choices. 
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