John Stossl: "Buy American" A Bad Idea

[KevDen2005]

I had several pairs of levi's, not that long ago, made in US...still love levi's but I just have to be upset that they are not made here.

[KevDen2005]

Oh, and I really like 511 gear, but the most recent pants I bought (ordered online) says made in Vietnam...My dad would be super pissed about that. He refuses to even consider something made there.

[Jer]

This is what I've thought for many, many, MANY years now and the sad part is my prediction at an early is is turning to be accurate. I wish I was wrong though. It always seemed backwards to me that people bought American just because they were told to and there was so many marketing campaigns pushing American products and my thought was.. isn't it up to American manufacturers to make us want to buy American? Superior products at affordable prices is how it's done. Rewarding inferior products at higher prices by blindly buying American is what has got us where we are. Left the door open for 3rd world countries to make cheaper products that, in some cases, are just as good or better. We're experiencing the worst part of that now IMO where people are tired of buying American just to buy American and manufacturers are so far behind the times that they are going to be playing catch up for a while to try to come up with innovative ideas once again to earn people's business rather than just expecting it.

[jmg8550]

I admit it. I go out of my way to buy American-made products as often as I can. Especially durable stuff like tools, guns, furniture, etc... Sometimes it's very hard to find what I want without a "Made in China" label but I look anyway.

I don't necessarily avoid foreign-made products from most any country except China. I really hate buying something with a "Made in China" label. Anywhere but China is OK. China just gets under my skin.

Many American products that could, at one time, be counted on to carry the American label are now produced in China:

• Leupold
• Danner
• Burris
• Lots of food items
• Pretty much anything else you can think of

So, while I think Stossel has some interesting points, I doubt I'll change my buying habits any time soon. I'm still going to avoid anything made in China if at all possible.

Burris is still mostly made in America. Yes there are some products from China. Most foreign products are from the Phillipines. Either Asia Optical or Kenko. Scopes like the Black Diamond, Handgun, XTR, Signature, And Scout are still made here.

[Delfuego]

You want good ol made is USA products to make a comeback? Tell your Rep to get rid off EPA, Energy Dept, capital gain tax among all the stupid bureaucracy which prevent us to compete against China.

Yeh totally!
We should get rid of the Bill of Rights too and open sweat shops. I'm calling Sofa-King on this one

[kidicarus13]

Buying based on sympathy never works in the long run. I'll continue to purchase the best bang for my buck no matter where it's manufactured. I believe in true capitalism even though it's currently not a level playing field with tariffs, subsidies, unions, and the like.

[DOC]

Yeh totally!
We should get rid of the Bill of Rights too and open sweat shops. I'm calling Sofa-King on this one

I'm with mb888 on this one. The government agencies have been and always will be a hindrance not a help.
You want to ruin American car makers saddle them with emissions and greedy unions. And you will end up supporting them in the long run.

Ronald Reagan said it best "Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them."
Another good one.
"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it" Was he talking about GM?

[Delfuego]

The government is now responsible for companies making sh**ty products? Tinfoil baby... Lots-o-tinfoil...

[ChunkyMonkey]

The government is now responsible for companies making sh**ty products? Tinfoil baby... Lots-o-tinfoil...

Nope, but the govt forced many companies to shut down. In the 90s, EPA shut down few muffler manufacturers in Denver for example. Do you think you are better off w/ chinese made mufflers filled w/ asbestos? Or you prefer the chinese made catalytic converters which are stamped ULEV usage yet resulting over 15% in nox etc?

One thing about the tree huggers, they are mostly hypocrites. They are using the same made in China products where the labor and environmental standards way below US, yet rally against the US manufacturers over pollution or 'labor dispute.'

[Delfuego]

You calling me a "tree-hugger" now?

I'm done with you douchebag... get a clue. Maybe you can Google "clue" and post the link for your bibliography