For those that think imported goods sold in America are a good thing. (Page 5/28)
Pyrthian JUL 23, 12:52 PM
if it is to be sold in the USA it must be made to USA standards - which include disability, min. wage, EPA, FDA & OSHA
cliffw JUL 23, 01:38 PM

quote
Originally posted by lurker:

the unions are a part of the problem. there was a time when they were the solution, when workplaces were very dangerous, and the workers were paid just enough to keep them alive for another shift. there was a reason they were called "wage slaves". unions helped change that, and it was good.

however, in the last 30 years unions have gotten out of control.



Steve, you know I am not a Union hater but the fact is, unions have management also. I do not contest your claims that management did the Big Three automakers in. I submit the same thing has happened to unions. Bad management. With the approval of the union members. See, as you have said, every union deal has to have the vote of every union member. Not so with auto companies. Every worker does not have a say in management. Though I could not argue it, an argument can be made that union workers bought whole heartedly into union socialism. At the expense of the companies. I do believe that unions also had a part in killing unionized businesses.
That said, I would like to get a union started in the oil fields. What lurker said is just about true with the oil fields. We do make more than enough to barely stay alive but, . Safety came from insurance companies forcing OSHA to mandate rules.
I ask, how is it that things can be made for less over seas? I can not give an answer but only venture to guess. Mostly because people will work for less. But shipping will jack up that offset. Cheap materials and quality help support import products. So do lax safety rules. I guess many things do. The number one thing is the cost of living. Here and there. Well, the cost of living and personal pride. We will not work for less. The fact is, a Fiero will only sell for what people will pay for it. America is a throw away society. I do not know the exact definition of "third world country" but I think America is well on the way. Life here that depresses people would be a welcome life all the world over. Don't get me wrong, nothing wrong with not accepting life. We don't have to.
I would think that our initial products were not that good. We had to perfect the process, improve quality control, build the better mousetrap. Consumer backlash helped. So did seeing the competition get better and make more money. History repeats it's self. Back to the cost of living. As more and more people are out of work they will be able to afford less and less. Which will drive down the cost of living.
Into another thought...America is great in part to capitalism. A part of freedom. I am glad to see this spread throughout the world. Nothing speaks like money. One man, one vote, one dollar.
I guess I could add that Vodka is imported. Even though I don't drink Vodka, I spent $20.00 last night finding out I would rather have my potatoes mashed, . Thinking about it, my Schlitz, my Crown Royal, my Jack Daniels, they are all imports.
Steve, this post is not directed at you. Just your belief of Union haters.
lurker JUL 24, 12:10 AM

quote
Originally posted by cliffw:
Jack Daniels, they are all imports.


that's odd, the distillery is about 20 miles from me. true, sometimes middle tennessee seems like a foreign country, but we still use the same postage stamps and money as you guys....
2.5 JUL 24, 08:30 AM
As with anything I buy, I choose it individually based on its reputation, or if I think it has quality, not what store it is in.

In general I think it is not a bad thing for our country if we buy foriegn items, as long as teh foriegn countries keep buying items we make.
AquaHusky JUL 24, 10:58 AM

quote
Originally posted by 2.5:

As with anything I buy, I choose it individually based on its reputation, or if I think it has quality, not what store it is in.

In general I think it is not a bad thing for our country if we buy foriegn items, as long as teh foriegn countries keep buying items we make.



That's the problem, they don't buy our stuff. GM that I know of is/has built a Buick, Caddy, and Chevy plant in China instead of shipping the cars in from here. As far as I remember, China tells US what to do when it comes to consumer goods. We keep taking in more and more from there openly, but the government fights to get a 1% increase in what we can ship there and lower tariffs? You want to stop the problem? Stop the ships that deliver goods from China! Because, remember, Kids! When you buy things made in China, you're supporting Communism!
aceman JUL 24, 11:09 AM
Everyone complains about cheap foreign products and jobs in the US going overseas until they look around their houses and remember back 30 years ago or so....

How many TV do you have in your house? I now have 4. When I was growing up we had 1 color (lasted 15+ years) and one black and white. TVs were expensive back then.

How many computers do you have in your house? I have 5 computers. When the computers started to really come out 15 years ago, they were $2000-$3000. Gateway...Built in North Sioux City, SD! Now....they're $500-$1000 per computer.

I can go on with a list. We have become a nation of wanting all of this technology and material goods at a cheap price and more of it. Yet, everyone wants to make $50,000-$200,000/yr, from the unskilled laborer to the highly skilled doctor. So if you want to correct all this wrong, then we need to suck up the pay cuts to everyone and realize we don't need more than 1 of all these items. Sometimes we don't even need some of the items we have. But, the US is a proud and materialistic country and we'll continue down the path we're on.
Pyrthian JUL 24, 11:11 AM
the USA does have exports, besides technology.
the biggest one is food. also, we have steel/iron.
but, these sure dont outdo the imports.
people cry about the "national deficit" - yet every chinese item they buy adds to it. nickel & dime the nation.

oh, and while we are at it - how y'all feel about chinese being the new "world language"?
it is happening. they are now no longer learning english to converse with us. english became the "wolrd" language, because to do business, you needed to learn english. china is now expecting people to speak their language. the largest problem right now is chinese pilots. the front of the chinese wave. airports around the world now need chinese speaking controllers - or not service the chinese. being the world indusrial powerhouse - you dont want to NOT service the chinese. so. learn the language. run by mexicans, dominated by muslims, and speaking chinese. welcome to the new millenium.

has the US done anything right/good in the new millenium? have we got anything to stand up for? any source of pride? last great thing that comes to mind is the Space Shuttle. and thats pretty weak. alaska pipeline was a mighty venture.
2.5 JUL 24, 12:13 PM
Most of what we have to stand up for is freedom. We still live in the best country for that. Corruption is our problem, China has plenty of that to go around too.
84fiero123 AUG 01, 09:05 PM
Another example of an American company outsourcing and what happens.

Fisher-Price to Recall Nearly 1M Toys


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Aug 1, 7:51 PM (ET)

By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO and NATASHA T. METZLER

(AP) Fisher-Price toys subject to recall including Birthday Dora, bottom, and Prince Diego,' top, are...
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p {margin:12px 0px 0px 0px;}
WASHINGTON (AP) - Toy-maker Fisher-Price is recalling 83 types of toys - including the popular Big Bird, Elmo, Dora and Diego characters - because their paint contains excessive amounts of lead.
The worldwide recall being announced Thursday involves 967,000 plastic preschool toys made by a Chinese vendor and sold in the United States between May and August. It is the latest in a wave of recalls that has heightened global concern about the safety of Chinese-made products.


http://apnews.excite.com/ar...70801/D8QOHPNG1.html

These are small children’s toys, children that will put this toxic crap in their mouths.

Still feel the same about overseas products when your kids are involved.

------------------
Technology is great when it works,
and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't.
Detroit iron rules all the rest are just toys.

ryan.hess AUG 01, 09:28 PM
I dare you. Go 1 week without buying anything made in China. Seems simple, no? It's virtually impossible.

The plastic containers your strawberries come in? China.
Fluorescent light bulbs? China.
80% of Vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid is imported from China. Used in a lot of drinks and as a preservative.
Fish? A lot is imported from China.

I would bet 100%, yes, ALL electronics has at least some Chinese components in it.

You are probably going to read this on a Chinese monitor, type on a Chinese keyboard, and click reply on a Chinese mouse.

"But Ryan! I have a MICROSOFT mouse! So there! Made in the U.S.A. with mexican labor "

WRONG. Try again.