Trying to buy USA made.

[Qweaver]

I'm making a real effort to buy American whenever I can.  I own chevy and jeep cars.  I check the labels and choose made in the USA when there is a choice...even if I have to pay a little more.  But it's getting harder to do.  The stickers on my truck say made in Canada.  That's OK...at least it's not China.
This morning I start putting together a barrel stove kit.  The box says, United States Stove Company, South Pittsburg, Tn.  But when I open the box the damper casting has CHINA in the casting.  Now maybe only the damper was made in China and the rest made here by American workers.  I hope so.  The company has a web site...I'm going to ask.  I hate it when a company tries to pass off foreign made goods as made here.

[northwoods1]

These days the chinese are making one heck of a lot of the items we use but in particular a lot of the iron & steel items like your cast iron stove kit. I went & bought drums & rotors for my pickup truck the other day and couldn't believe how cheap they are, I mean the quality looked good but $60-70 is all they cost now that is cheaper than ever. Lots of auto parts are now made in china.  I try to by usa made too, try not to go in to walmart ever. I don't know what the answer is but the way things are going in this country I don't know how we will survive if all our manufacturing jobs go overseas. I don't like the idea of having to depend on any foreign entity for goods we need everyday that seems like not a very logical thing to do.

[Tom]

If we want to buy American, we need to put this country back in the hands of people who want to produce here.  The Nannycrats and oversealous environmentalist are the enemies of a producing America.

[isawlogs]

 I would like to buy only made in Canada, but its almost impossible to so, so I resigned to buing north american if at all possible. Even with the broden specs it gets hard to do.  >:(

[Tom]

It stymies us to try to buy "locally" produced stuff.  I think we should be asking ourselves, every day, "why can't I find products made in my country?"

Then we need to identify who is at fault and do something about it.

[scgargoyle]

Are there any power tools made in the US anymore? All of the Milwaukee tools I've seen lately are coming out of China, even the expensive professional ones.

[Peter Drouin]

We need a big inport tariff on all that comes into our country  that will level the field   8) 8) 8)

[jim king]

We need a big inport tariff on all that comes into our country  that will level the field  

There are to many free trade agreements being made for political trade offs that do not permit tarrifs.  They are the craziest things you have ever seen.

Here is an example. 

http://www.ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/peru-tpa

[customsawyer]

The United States of America, Inc. is the way I see things now. How many times have you said the pledge of allegiance and said and to the democracy for which I stand? 

[Cedarman]

I sell cedar into Ky, Tn and Mo.  Those 3 states have huge amounts of cedar and plenty of mills.  Therefore, why don't they buy local?  Because the locals won't produce what my customers want.  At least that is what they tell me when I ask them.

I also want to buy American made products.  I will buy Mexican over Asian, I will buy Canadian too.
I check labels.

We Americans have been brainwashed that buying an item at its cheapest price is more important than anything else.

[Shotgun]

The United States of America, Inc. is the way I see things now. How many times have you said the pledge of allegiance and said and to the democracy for witch I stand? 

I'd guess that I have been saying the pledge of allegiance about 30 years longer than you have, CS, but I don't think I've ever seen it presented just like that.   

Norm

[pineywoods]

Went looking for a new pair of boots today. Everything I could find was made in china. Came home empty handed, still looking.

[Bandmill Bandit]

Hi everybody

some body mentioned tariffs(read taxation)
irresponsible taxation is the very reason for the exodus for manufacturing jobs from Canada and the USA

Tariffs do not create a level playing field. They distort it worse for the country charging the tariffs as our products become less competitive in foreign markets.

If manufacturing companies received competitive advantage tax credit for every 10 jobs that they create to a point where they only paid 10% flat tax on gross revenue, don't you think they would be lining up to manufacture in North America?

There are several small countries that take that concept a step further and continue to reduce the taxes as the companies gross revenue increases down as low as 2.5% flat rate on total revenue. Many companies pass on this advantage to their employees in the from of tax free performance bonus payment.

Greed is very blinding issue in North America. Thanks to big government and Labour unions run-a-muc.
 

[terrifictimbersllc]

Went looking for a new pair of boots today. Everything I could find was made in china. Came home empty handed, still looking.

Try Wesco in Oregon!  Made in USA and doubtless of the highest quality.   Start at about $375 a pair, from Bailey's. 

[northwoods1]

Went looking for a new pair of boots today. Everything I could find was made in china. Came home empty handed, still looking.

Shoes have to be about the worst thing to try and find usa made. Wesco boots are nice that is what I wear in the woods in the summer I have the firefighter lace to toe boots. But @$450 per pair they aren't for everyone :-[ in fact they wouldn't have even been for me until I found a very slightly used pair on ebay 10 - 1/2" EE for 1/2 price new. They are nice though I mean you put those things on and it is impossible to turn and ankle you just know your foot is protected. REdwings are nice too, and made in usa, and much cheaper probably $125 for a good pair. I've had a lot of redwings over the years. There is still a old 80 year old man with a shoe shop in town near me that sells redwings. A guy that actually fixes shoes, and that is what I like to buy shoes that can be fixed not just thrown away like everythign else these days. When I stop there we have the same discussion as this thread is about :D

[Qweaver]

We need a big inport tariff on all that comes into our country  that will level the field   8) 8) 8)

I agree with Bandit, big tariffs (taxes) are not the answer.  The problem is...there is no easy answer.  Our workers are expecting big wages for small skills in many cases.  Manufacturers can be more competitive in their pricing building in China paying half the wages of an American worker and with lower taxes or even government supported.  And we are willing to choose the lower priced foreign made products even tho' it kills our local industry. 

[Banjo picker]

Q I don't know about where the stove was made, but there is a foundry in South Pittsburg Tn...I lived about 10 miles from there once up on a time ...The town is famous for making Lodge cook ware...If you are buying a skilet look for Lodge..I still have a friend that works there....they make a large variety of things....might make some stove parts when they can...I have a couple of grills that they made...very nice..but heavy for little fellers...Tim

[northwoods1]

Q I don't know about where the stove was made, but there is a foundry in South Pittsburg Tn...I lived about 10 miles from there once up on a time ...The town is famous for making Lodge cook ware...If you are buying a skilet look for Lodge..I still have a friend that works there....they make a large variety of things....might make some stove parts when they can...I have a couple of grills that they made...very nice..but heavy for little fellers...Tim

You know, you mention that foundry and it makes me think about how for a lot of our manufacturers, i.e. some foundries, the enviromental restrictions in this country make it an un-level playing field when competing against countries like china. But it isn't really that in all cases our laws are too strict, its that there laws and regs aren't strict enough.

[Reddog]

Made in the USA doesn't even mean much any more. :( It could be made here but owned by a foreign corporation. So all of the gross profit leaves the US.

[Bandmill Bandit]

Made in the USA doesn't even mean much any more. :( It could be made here but owned by a foreign corporation. So all of the gross profit leaves the US.

I hate to beat a dead horse, but yet again irresponsible TXATION is the issue here too. Just because the local company may be "foreign" owned doesn't mean it is not ultimately still owned by an a American or Canadian group. Most of the "elected" career political types ( they would like to think they are the ELECT  :D) have established organizations out side of the jurisdiction in which they reside so that they can carry on business locally without breaching conflict of interest regs. Its a game of meeting the home grown regs of foreign ownership and the tax treat regs of the head quarters domicile. At the end of the day the "settlor" of the organization has total control with no apparent or real ownership but saddled with the task of settling ALL affairs of the organization as per the Settlors Deed of Responsibilities" For this the Settlor receives remuneration in the form of stipends, performance bonuses, and expense re-reimbursement. This results in a drastically reduced tax burden in many cases and actually allows the the "Settlor" to expand business or open new operations that he would not be able to afford  if he were to domicile the organization in his region of chosen residence.

If north American governments would eliminate the CRA and the IRS and go to a flat no deductibles tax system, with tax advantage credits issued on the basis of economic impact in the local region and the country, these to countries would not be in deficit positions ever.

Well over 50% of tax revenue under current regulation is required to operate the tax system not including the payment of the elected Representatives and their staff. When you consider the cost of the collections operation there is very little left for the Government to use on running the country.

A flat tax system eliminates the need for these gargantuan departments and the huge cost of keeping them running. But then I am not sure what we would do with the 30 to 40% of the work force people that have been feeding at that trough for the last 60 plus years. They don't know what the word work means mostly through no fault of their own either.   
     

     

[Qweaver]

It just gets complicated.  The people that invest in companies come from all over the world.  If I want to buy stock in a foreign company it's easy to do.  As an investor, I want my stock to make money and most investors are not really concerned about how that happens.  So if a business in China can make the product that I as an American business want to sell more cheaply, then I have very little choice but to buy from them if I want to be competitive.  So if workers here are not willing to work for the same wages as a worker in China...how can an American business produce and sell a product?  I'm not saying that I want us to start living at a much reduced standard of living.  I just don't see a way to fix our problem unless we can produce goods at a competitive price. 
My Aunt says "But we deserve better wages".  And I say "you only deserve what someone can afford to pay you and still make a profit."

[KellyH]

Ditto on the RedWings but over the last 20 years or so it seems they don't hold up as well as they used too.  Maybe my extra 50 lbs from 20 yrs old to 48 yrs old has something to do with the rate of wearing out!  lolzzz  :D  But they still don't seem as well made as years ago.  Carolina makes a good boot too but not sure if they are USA made or not.  ???

[Captain]

In the history of our nation, we became what we are today based on the ideals of a free, capitalistic society.  Our nation has great resources, and in our history was a great workforce with a great work ethic and drive to succeed.  Some of us still have it.  However, to many in society the idea of hard work for an honest and fair compensation is now lost. 

It is inevitable that other peoples of the world will modernize and industrialize.  One hundred years ago, nearly every living essential and certainly most tools and other fixtures were produced within 500 miles of point-of-sale.  Today, they are produced on the other side of the globe.  Last weekend I went table saw shopping for a portable 10" table saw on a folding stand.  I really wanted a $600 Bosch saw, but instead reasoned for a $300 Porter Cable.  Not a one of them on display at Lowe's was built in the United States.  In many circumstances as pointed out, the consumer has no choice. 

Captain

[Ianab]

Just a thought from the other side of the world.

Here in NZ 100 years ago ALL manufactured goods came from the other side of the world. Mostly from England, which is about as far away as you can get. Ships returned with butter, wool and mutton which paid the bills.

Not much has changed. 90% of the manufactured products are still imported, just not from the UK or America so much.

But looking through my power tools the other day, Japanese (Makita), Swiss (Bosch), German (Stihl) although some is surprising. DeWalt made in England and Taiwan. A new heavy duty Makita electric hedge cutter is English which surprised me.

So for us international trade is vital, and restricted trade practices really bug us. We have to export to be able to import the stuff we need. Our exports are not subsidised, but we can produce cheese, butter, beef, lamb and timber cheaper than most other places because of the climate. So when another market taxes these things, often to protect local producers who are less effecient, it annoying. We need to sell that stuff, so we can buy cars, jet airliners, computers, chainsaws, plasma TVs, etc.

Problem for the US I guess is that you are now importing a lot more stuff, but exporting less? One situation I noticed a few years back was when one of NZs few bigger manufacturing companies (Fisher and Paykel Appliances) actually "outsourced" part of it's manufacturing to a new factory in the US. Basically to save the cost of the freight for bulky things like dish washers and ovens. So now you can buy a US made dishwasher, just it's a NZ design, from a NZ company.

But if it's economic for a NZ (or Japanese or German) company to set up manufacturing in the US, why aren't US companies doing it still?

Bottom line though, is that whether you are mostly self sufficient on food, energy and manufacturing, or rely prmarily on imports and exports, they have to balance, or you are digging yourself into a hole.

Ian

[jim king]

I saw on CNN today that the US trade Deficit was down to $ 38,000,000,000 last month and the Chinese trade balance was down to $22,000,000,000.

They didnt say why but maybe things are turning around a little.