Made in China
- Thread starter rchance
- Start date
. It was a funny speech. I miss all of those humorous speeches.
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USAF385
US Veteran
My S&Ws weren't made in China!
TheShootist1894
Member
I was all proud when I bought my 627 Performance Center, felt good to have an American Made large frame 357 Mag in my collection again. . . . .but guess what the sticker says on the bottom of that fancy aluminum case????????
Really. . . .c'mon Smith
Really. . . .c'mon Smith
USAF385
US Veteran
OH! I recently bought another flag with a wooden pole for my deck.. the flag was made in the U.S.... but the pole was made in China. Lame.
Pasifikawv
Member
It's not just "made in China" and the economic impacts of imbalanced multinatinal trade. The loss of the US manufacturing base in general is a real threat to our future stability.
I think of the Greatest Generation and WWII. It was not only the GI's that won the war, but also the hard work on the homefront by women, temporary guest workers, and the seniors of the time. Our factories were re-tooled to meet the war effort and supply our forces. If such an emergency arose today, we would not have the manufacturing base to rely on to meet our production needs in a national emergency...
I think of the Greatest Generation and WWII. It was not only the GI's that won the war, but also the hard work on the homefront by women, temporary guest workers, and the seniors of the time. Our factories were re-tooled to meet the war effort and supply our forces. If such an emergency arose today, we would not have the manufacturing base to rely on to meet our production needs in a national emergency...
HAWKEYE10
Member
This is very true. DonBLACKHAWKNJ
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Nor would we be able to call on a corps of business executives who throughly understood their products, how they were made, etc.
Guess you might not have been around when 'made in Japan' was cheap trash. Try to find some electronics that isn't these days. Right now it's the same thing all over again. It's cheap and its not so good, but people buy it cause it's cheap. Later it will get good. Find a TV, Stereo, Camera etc. made in USA anymore - don't happen. Not saying it's right, but it's a fact that people will buy the least expensive stuff they can.
Never mind TVs, try to find a T-shirt made in America(north that is).
Never mind TVs, try to find a T-shirt made in America(north that is).
sourdough44
Member
There are only a few dots to connect to see why companies close up shop & move out of the country. I see no end in sight to it. The other day a WI politician was blaming it on China, as to why jobs left WI. Now we have Harley motorcycles about to leave Milwaukee. They added a new tax on companies that cost Harley 10's of millions extra a year. They keep piling it on to where the cost of the widget is unsustainable in the market. Most shoppers won't pay more for a similar quality item just because it's made in the USA. We are trying to tax our way to prosperity, I guess we'll see how that works out. It's not going well for Greece.
Duke426
Member
My S&W's were made in the USA. So were my Rugers. And my Winchesters. Channel Lock tools are made right here in PA (some of their cheapy stuff comes from China but the good stuff is made here). All my socks are made in the USA. So are my t-shirts and jeans. I could go on and on.
It's not easy but with a little effort products made in the USA can still be found. It's worth the effort to me.
It's not easy but with a little effort products made in the USA can still be found. It's worth the effort to me.
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Texas Star
US Veteran
Parker pens are now made in the UK, as some have been for years. At least, they aren't Chinese...
I just bought several stainless Jotters, and the quality seems to have held up. Just can't find refills at Target or the grocer now. Have to go to an office supply.
I don't trust canned goods from China. They have sanitary standards that differ from ours. I've pretty much given up mandarin oranges.
T-Star
I just bought several stainless Jotters, and the quality seems to have held up. Just can't find refills at Target or the grocer now. Have to go to an office supply.
I don't trust canned goods from China. They have sanitary standards that differ from ours. I've pretty much given up mandarin oranges.
T-Star
Apple juice in every store I've been in - Chinese apples!
It has to be printed on the container, btw.
But Chinese apples? What in the world is going on here?
You really have to look at a lot of bottles to find USA apples in your apple juice. Motts will have USA apples in it one week and China or a South American country's apples another.
It has to be printed on the container, btw.
But Chinese apples? What in the world is going on here?
You really have to look at a lot of bottles to find USA apples in your apple juice. Motts will have USA apples in it one week and China or a South American country's apples another.
X2 - Me too!
I had a Honda once -
My dad said - You've got to be kidding! The Japs didn't want you on the planet and you buy their stuff?
I said - Huh? What are you talking about?
He pointed out that they spent 3 years trying to kill him - No him, no me.
Buy American - The job you save may be your own!
Saving a few bucks by buying Asian? Yeah right...
Forester
Member
Where to begin? Probably by putting on my flame suit. I think I'll need it.
We priced ourselves out of our manufacturing capability. It is not that it is so much cheaper to make products overseas. The problem is that it is so much more expensive to make products here. What's the difference, you say? A lot I think. The main issue being that we did it to ourselves and not from external factors.
As alluded to above, oppressive tax systems for successful industries, higher than warranted labor costs, and yes, the big box store mentality.
High taxes: The quickest way to stifle innovation and success. Time and again it has been proven that lower taxes bring more revenue because more people are willing to invest in growth and capital.
Labor costs: Here is where the flame suit comes in. Unions had there place in history and still do to a certain extent. Mostly, though, modern unions have just as much blame for the poor manufacturing base in our economy than any other factor. They got greedy. Pure and simple. They keep demanding more than the market can bear and then complain about layoff and the loss of manufacturing base. Personally, I am morally opposed to the idea of unions. I am unwilling to cede any of my earning potential to the "greater good." But that is just me. I am an extremest on this issue, and recognize that fact. I think unions reward people who would otherwise not achieve high success on their own. I think that is wrong on it's face.
I think companies and the general public are willing to pay a small premium for US made products, knowing it helps the country. There comes a point, though when the cost outweighs the good.
Big Box Stores: Our family regularly shops at WalMart. There is good and bad to these retailers but I think the good outweighs the bad.
We priced ourselves out of our manufacturing capability. It is not that it is so much cheaper to make products overseas. The problem is that it is so much more expensive to make products here. What's the difference, you say? A lot I think. The main issue being that we did it to ourselves and not from external factors.
As alluded to above, oppressive tax systems for successful industries, higher than warranted labor costs, and yes, the big box store mentality.
High taxes: The quickest way to stifle innovation and success. Time and again it has been proven that lower taxes bring more revenue because more people are willing to invest in growth and capital.
Labor costs: Here is where the flame suit comes in. Unions had there place in history and still do to a certain extent. Mostly, though, modern unions have just as much blame for the poor manufacturing base in our economy than any other factor. They got greedy. Pure and simple. They keep demanding more than the market can bear and then complain about layoff and the loss of manufacturing base. Personally, I am morally opposed to the idea of unions. I am unwilling to cede any of my earning potential to the "greater good." But that is just me. I am an extremest on this issue, and recognize that fact. I think unions reward people who would otherwise not achieve high success on their own. I think that is wrong on it's face.
I think companies and the general public are willing to pay a small premium for US made products, knowing it helps the country. There comes a point, though when the cost outweighs the good.
Big Box Stores: Our family regularly shops at WalMart. There is good and bad to these retailers but I think the good outweighs the bad.
ncy54
Member
I, too, remember the 'made in Japan" joke from the mid-50's. They have obviously moved past that, and now China is also evolving from cheap consumables to quality items and high tech products.
Our country has already lost the heavy manufacturing war to this overseas facilities, where our own companies have shifted their operations there to take advantage of the cheap labor and lower restrictions.
Sad to say that the ChiComs are more "business-friendly" than we are....
The real concern that I see is the flow of high-tech production out of the US to China. Even Japan outsources these aspects of their production now.
I see it in my son's bicycle business, which sells everything from $200. beach cruisers to $10,000+ custom road, triathlon, and mountain bikes. Almost everything comes from China these days, not just the cheap bikes that you see at WalMart or Target, but also almost all of those cool carbon fiber framed bikes that you see in the Tour de France.
Manufacturers have constructed high-tech facilities in China (and other countries in the Pacific rim), trained workers to do the complex jobs to build these frames and various components. In general, the quality is superb on these high-end products.
To buy "made in the USA" bike, one would need to buy a custom frame, wheels, and components from the number of "boutique" manufacturers in the US, and then probably still need to compromise on some of the components, going to a European maker for some parts (even the Euros go to China for some of their production). The quality is great and the cost is significant.
BTW, don't be fooled by formally US brands, such as Schwinn, etc., as the names have been purchased by foreign manufacturers. Even Trek, who pushes "made in USA", uses mostly Japanese/Chinese components on almost all of their products.
As mentioned in the quote, we already should know that almost all consumer electronics are also assembled in China, even mid and high end products branded by Japanese companies.
The future is a major concern, as we become more and more a country of consumers and not producers. Our last stand is our unique creativity and our innovative nature that drives all of the products that we see today. If that ends up somehow farmed out as well, we've had it.
sipowicz
Member
Can anyone find something to buy that doesn't say "made in china"????
Baby girls.
But if we stop buying Made in China stuff, China will not have money to loan the US. If China does not have money to loan the US then how are we going to finance all the deficit spending politicians have become addicted to?
We buy cheap Chinese stuff which causes US factories to close. As US production drops so does the US tax revenue base. As the revenue base drops dependence on Chinese loans increases, which China finances by selling Wally World more merchandise. Like water circling the drain isn't it?
We buy cheap Chinese stuff which causes US factories to close. As US production drops so does the US tax revenue base. As the revenue base drops dependence on Chinese loans increases, which China finances by selling Wally World more merchandise. Like water circling the drain isn't it?
You have not been following the "status" adoption trends have you Sip?
mtheo
Member
It is not just cheap prices for asian goods....any of you try to start a business? You'll have a wave of bureaucrats telling you why you can't do it. After you manage to get past them and all of their legalease and fees then they start with the taxes....now Obama wants a value added tax.
What will a VAT do? I mfg and sell a product here in the US that sells for $8. When I sell this item to German customers the final cost is $40 after VAT is added on. The US government entities, city/county/state/federal is just plain unfriendly to US business and especially US manufacturing.
I qualify US business and US manufacturing because we have had some asian manufacturers set up factories in our area and the politicians fell all over themselves giving tax abatements and other freebies to these foreign companies while trying to come up with reasons my company (machine shop) might be detrimental to the community.
What will a VAT do? I mfg and sell a product here in the US that sells for $8. When I sell this item to German customers the final cost is $40 after VAT is added on. The US government entities, city/county/state/federal is just plain unfriendly to US business and especially US manufacturing.
I qualify US business and US manufacturing because we have had some asian manufacturers set up factories in our area and the politicians fell all over themselves giving tax abatements and other freebies to these foreign companies while trying to come up with reasons my company (machine shop) might be detrimental to the community.
venomballistics
Member
Creeping Death remote control tanks and accessories are US made.
some parts are still foreign, however the owner has been investing a great deal of time and capitol to change that.
all the accessories are built state side. I have been his consultant for electronic development for some time
some parts are still foreign, however the owner has been investing a great deal of time and capitol to change that.
all the accessories are built state side. I have been his consultant for electronic development for some time
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