Is ANYTHING made in the Good Ol' U.S. of A. anymore???

[Paul B]

I don't see anyone complain about stuff made in Europe (think Ikea). And you think Ikea furniture ain't cheap? It seems that ppl only complain when things are made in Asia. Ugh...

Also, when they say it's made in China, it's really just engineered in the US, and let the cheap Chinese labor crank out the final products. If everything was actually produced in the US, someone would probably ***** about "Why is everything so expensive in the US?"

Btw my skimmer is made in Hong Kong and it kicks ass. Those who has seen it can vouch for that.

I have nothing against Japanese, Chinese, or Europeans. They all manufacture fine products, there is no question about that.
But I would rather see an American family affording their food and housing than someone in another country. Let them pay for their own economy without sucking money out of ours. Most of our money is now in China, doesen't that bother anyone.

We as Americans have larger expenses than many of those people in third world countries.
I have been to Viet Nam, Mexico, Japan, Europe and most of the Caribbean. Except for Europe and the main Japanese cities the rest of those places are practically living by fishing and farming. It takes very little to live in some of those places. They can pay their people next to nothing to work and even children work as adults.
In Viet Nam I say old wimen digging drainage trenches and being paid in rice.
We as Americans can't work for rice. It cost more to live here and if we keep sending our money overseas, soon we will be working for rice.
I will gladly pay much more for an American item than a foreign one.
And I am not wealthy, just a proud American

 

[inkblue]

:wow: aS an ASIAN, i think i just got offended by this man's comments.

modS: pLease cLose thread before racism eRupts here.

:thanks:

 

[Paul B]

I have quite a few Asian friends, Wingo is one of them and he has been on my boat twice and I think he is also coming out this summer.
Hey Wingo, did I ever offend you?
I don't have an English car either. I like everyone, even you and I don't even know you.
This has nothing to do with people. People are all the same.
It has to do with supporting your country. This country is all sorts of people. My family was also Immigrants.
So if I personally offended anyone, I am sorry and you read my meaning incorrectly.

 

[NYreefNoob]

paul ink is just complaining, nothing offensive in there, and that's one of the down fall's of america to me, can't say what you think or feel because of fear of offending someone, and i totally agree about supporting our own people { american's } reguardless of race or nationality

 

[Paul B]

ReefNoob, I re read my posts a few times and can't find anything offensive.
My family was from Sicily, Either us or our families were all from somewhere else.

 

[knugenx]

he's just messing with you...

World has changed...those little small fishing villages and rice patties are far more economically sound and productive than us here in America. You and I, as well as others chose to live in this type of society to be lied upon with empty promises and blind-folded by people who lead us having no clue in making this nation a better place to live. We choose to pay for water...we choose to drive...we choose to be unproductive...we choose to be selfish...this is the American standard of today...unlike the American Dream of decades ago.

Don't blame other nations for taking the stand to be better than America because we did it to ourselves and the new wave of leaders...let's just say, let's hope because in this generation of selfish "Me"s...we going to end up remembering America.

As we are still fixing the BQE (15+years) and thinking of how to build the Freedom Tower (8yrs)...look a new 150-story tower in Dubai...look a 50 mile- tunnel- bridge connecting two other countries....look...look around this is America. What have we done to be proud of? What? I have house, a family, a job, friends, time to kick back...then what?

"America" is what is inside...not what we look like, wear, drive, or talk...it's what flows in us.

 

[Killerdrgn]

It cost more to live here and if we keep sending our money overseas, soon we will be working for rice.
I will gladly pay much more for an American item than a foreign one.
And I am not wealthy, just a proud American

But you also have to factor in their quality of living. We in America can live exactly the same way. But we all want our fancy cars, healthcare, environmental protections, police force, military, social services, TV's, other goods and services, etc. We could quickly erase our national debt if we stopped spending on all of these items. However our economy would be in the gutter just as fast.

You have to admit that since globalization has taken place the prices of goods and services have stayed low, thus increasing the majority of American's standards of living. Anyone remember when decent computers made in America cost $8,000+? and now people can buy a decent computer for under $500. This increases our ability to spread information and become leaders in the thought economy.

If you take a look at just about any successful company (so that means not GM or Chrysler) you will see that the majority of the money goes toward new R&D and leadership, NOT manufacturing. This is the crucial time to build America to become that R&D and Leadership capital of the world, making stuff doesn't matter because 2/3 of the worlds population lives in the places that are making stuff. When they are employed they can start spending money and the Patent holders and company owners will start reaping the majority of that money coming in. We have to make the short sacrifice in letting our manufacturing industry die, to make the long benefit of keeping America strong.

And if you say what happens if theres war, etc. Like I said before Weapons Manufacturing in the US is still very very HOT!

 

[Killerdrgn]

World has changed...those little small fishing villages and rice patties are far more economically sound and productive than us here in America. You and I, as well as others chose to live in this type of society to be lied upon with empty promises and blind-folded by people who lead us having no clue in making this nation a better place to live. We choose to pay for water...we choose to drive...we choose to be unproductive...we choose to be selfish...this is the American standard of today...unlike the American Dream of decades ago.

Actually those small fishing villigaes are not more economically sound. Their GDP per capita barely registers compared to the rest of the world. We're #8 per capita and #2 overall most productive nation.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/eco_gdp_percap-economy-gdp-nominal-per-capita

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/eco_ove_pro_ppp-economy-overall-productivity-ppp

Luxembourg is #1 overall because they let their manufacturing of steel die, let in foreign workers, and became financial capital of Eurpoe.

Growth in the financial sector, which now accounts for about 28% of GDP, has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign owned and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about 60% of its labor force.

 

[Paul B]

We have to make the short sacrifice in letting our manufacturing industry die, to make the long benefit of keeping America strong.

I don't agree with this. America was much stronger compared to the rest of the world in the fourtees. People were flocking here from everywhere. We were attacked and in a few months produced the most powerful force on earth and won a war on two fronts. We did build most of our defenses with our own money and we had one of the best standards of living in history. After the war (when I was born) America saw growth like was never seen anywhere.
Our factories were the best there was. We exported much of the materials we built. Now we would have trouble making a toothbrush.
I am not blaming other countries for our problems, we did bring it on ourselves by buying the cheaper foreign product.
After the war we re built Japan's factories, they are now better and newer than ours.
Our steel mills are ancient and we can't compete with foreign steel. It is cheaper to buy Japanese steel and have it shipped than to make it ourselves, it is our fault.
I am very proud that I do not buy non American things if I have a choice.
I was a Union electrician for 40 years. Unions do have problems and they solved some problems, if I buy a car I really don't know if it was made by a Union or not, I just want it made by an American. That American could be Asian, Mexican, Taiwanese, Vietnamese or Martian but I would like the item to be made here so the money stays here.
All of those 2000 people in China making Christmas trees for America, do you think they are buying American cars? That money is staying in China. How does that help an American who lost a job because the thing he was making is now overseas?
If your computer breaks and you call service you get someone in India. Is that Indian person sitting on American furnature?
Does any of that money ever come back to America? or do we just keep sending it overseas and feel that this will make our economy stronger.
As I said I have been to many places and I think I could count the American cars I have seen on one hand.
I have a patent on a reef feeder. I sold many of them and needed a faster way to build them. I received a letter from a company in China willing to build them very cheap. I just needed to buy thousands of them.
I chose to go out of business.

 

[Killerdrgn]

All of those 2000 people in China making Christmas trees for America, do you think they are buying American cars? That money is staying in China. How does that help an American who lost a job because the thing he was making is now overseas?

Yeah they are, In a previous post when someone asked where all the american made things are, I said they're in China because they are very into Western Culture. But the real big money isn't from commodities like toothbrushes and cars. It's in the big items that not everyone can make. Intel (A US company) and AMD (Also US) control pretty much 100% combined of the worlds PC market (Includes Mac). Yes they make them in Taiwan, but all the profits come back home to the R&D base and Leaders of the company.

There is no money in manufacturing because any monkey could do it. If you read my previous posts then you'll see what a lot of people see America going towards in the future. The advent of the thought economy, where we sell Technology and Expertise. That guy that lost his job in manufacturing could turn around get a bit of education and become a QA inspector for imported goods. Or even better learn about ISO 9001:2008 and join a company that provides the certifications (This is going to be extremely important REAL soon).

Almost everyone in America is already geared toward providing knowledge but just haven't taken the leap from just thinking about making things, to providing the expertise on how to make those things efficiently. We have to kill the manufacturing now, while we still have the expertise to be able to successfully transition the expertise. If we wait any longer and let kids believe they could just get a manufacturing job and not get higher education America will be doomed.

PS. I already provided an example, Luxembourg, that has surpassed the US in growth and productivity because they let their manufacturing sectors die.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

With all the "buy American" fever, why are we so into corals not made in US like Aussie and Indos?

May be I should stop buying Fiji and Tanga rock but Florida Bay ones.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Ok As many have said :dead: