Buy American!!!!!!!

[jerite]

hey all Shovel-lovers-
Its my duty as a citizen of this great country to say it 'Please Buy American"! I know its gonna be hard, we have all been buying and not looking at the tags. But the politicians cannot fix this mess we are in totally on their own. We have to raise our standards as Americans and say enough is enough. Yeah we may not be able to just run into wal-mart and grab what we want quickly! We may have to go to another store or shop online to see who carries American-made products. But if we as citizens don't do our part who will??? I am the furthest thing from a politician, matter of fact I don't listen to much of what they have to say. But when I heard that our new President has written into this stimulus package that all infrastructure work will be done with American Made products only and that other countries feathers were ruffled I said "Hell Yeah"!! We can sit back and bitch about what the politicians don't do, but what do we do? We settle for less! I posted this here because though I don't know any of you personally, I do know you cuz you are just like me most likely! Hard workin' blue collar guys who earn their money by workin hard! If we demand American made products they will have to supply them. Choices my friends. Maybe we start walking into those stores and say where the hell is the Made in USA tag. Put it back and walk out. We can turn this thing around if we pull together and make the change as well!! I am sorry if this offends anyone reading this over seas, but dangnabit I am tired of this crap! I am proud to be an American, and if we as joe-worker and consumer dont raise our standards and say I am willing to spend a little more to keep my money here then we are just as guilty as the politicians of not doing all we can! And as more American made products are bought the more they will be made and the quality will get better and prices will go down. The idea that the clothes I am wearing today were made by some poor human in a foreign country for 12 cents an hour really pisses me off. We have an obligation to this country. Just like the soldiers who are fighting wherever because its there duty. Our duty as citizens is to take our country back one product at a time!!!
Sorry for the rant but I am tired of this nonsense!!!
Jer

[hotham]

What you say is all fine and well.  The problem is we are in a world economy.  Before I retired, I worked for the largest industrial distributor in this country.  People for the last 35 years have asked for American bearings, chain, etc.  I said except for Diamond's best chain, everything else is off shore.  There isn't a ball bearing that isn't made off shore.  Lets face it.  The companies in this country have been forced to go off shore to compete.  Bearings, for example were invented in Europe,  and that is why they are almost always measured in mm.  Twenty plus years ago I had the pleasure to ride with the president of Harley.  Rich" Terlink".  I asked why Harley used so much foreign made goods.  He said we would lover to make every bike out of 100% American.  We can't do it.  Usually the American companies can't meet the manufacturing schedule, or are priced much to high.  He indicated that every year they looked everywhere to buy American.  No body can make shocks, forks ,etc in the mass quantities they needed.  This was in 1988.  It is worse now.

[JamLazyAss]

"He indicated that every year they looked everywhere to buy American.  No body can make shocks, forks ,etc in the mass quantities they needed."

And I'm supposed to believe this line of bullshit?
Give me a frigging break.

USA; can't keep up with Harley's manufacturing demand.
Please edit this thread. It's the most ignorant line I've ever heard.
There are standards here, don't insult the members like this.

[Hoist!]

"He indicated that every year they looked everywhere to buy American.  No body can make shocks, forks ,etc in the mass quantities they needed."

And I'm supposed to believe this line of bullshit?
Give me a frigging break.

USA; can't keep up with Harley's manufacturing demand.
Please edit this thread. It's the most ignorant line I've ever heard.
There are standards here, don't insult the members like this.

I agree man! It's about the bottom line and return to shareholders with the HD of recent years! They could really give 2 chits about us or even their employees. It's all about the greedy shareholders that drive this. Engineering relegated to accountants! Charge me a lil more and give me an American quality part anyday!!! But don't insult me with that "we can't get quality American parts" BS!!!

Hoist!

[jerite]

We have been sold the bill of goods by the higher ups in these companies that they cant get quality parts or materials in the USA. We have bought into it and done it to ourselves! I'm tellin' ya, its gonna hurt at first to kick this thing in the butt, but in the long run my kids and grandkids will be happy we made the change and raised our standards!!!
Thanks for the replies...
Jer

[v10ole]

We all know whats it all about! THIS IS ABOUT GREED PEROID. They say they cannot pay what americans demand as a fair wage so they go over seas and pay them people as little as possiable and sell the crap to us here in the US for big bucks. So ln my opinion they are screwing them people overseas to. Americans can build and make anything possiable with the highest quality and in any quanity. Most of us americans are very hard workers and always have been, but we demand a fair wage in exchange. I think it sucks that americans who own companys that manufacture products overseas and bring them back to the US to sell. These people should be made to live in what ever country they do this in. But no they are living the american dream here and could careless about the US and only that their profits are high as possiable and screw who ever doesn't like it. This is just a chip off the iceberg, but botton line is simply greed. My 2 cents. Ole

[shovelbill]

i try real hard to buy "made in USA" stuff. some specialty items just plain ol aint made hear but i do my best. i don't shop in them big "Potty mouth" stores like wallmart and i support local merchants as much as possible.
go try and find a pair of Carhartt jeans made here. the fuckin Red Wing boots i used to wear are made in gookville. i'm sick of reading 'made in mexico with American parts'. tags with country's names i cant even pronounce. "cant meet up with demand", fuck that "Potty mouth". greedy motherfuckers, period! American flags made in fuckin china...............i should have never opend this thread.

[CraigArizona85248]

Alright... enough with the language and the racial slurs or I'll dump the topic.  I realize it's a passionate subject for everyone.  The only requirement is that we stay out of the gutter.

-Craig

[shovelbill]

alright Craig, i just read the rules and rules is rules. i apologize if i offended anyone's delicate sensabilities and won't do it again.

[stroker800]

   There are many things at work with topic,,,1st of all ,,,lets say its my job too get production up and lower my cost..and if I can't I could be replaced!!! So lets stop using the union shop down the street and farm out to the east...I don't have pay for there benefits, property taxes,over paid labour and overpaid CEO....Lets face it my taxes are goin up, fuel is goin up and raw material cost,,,,,,So I hate too say it ,,,it makes sense to farm out too an overseas supplier ,,,lets face it ,, we want to get paid big$$$$ and pay out as little as possible. I'm no different,I like a deal. I try too shop for made in North america stuff,,,its gettin harder too find, but also findin out that "Made in the USA" doesn't make it quality. The corperate greed has to STOP.
Dave

[CraigArizona85248]

In addition to corportate greed we also need to put a stop to consumer greed.  Everybody wants more and more but they want to pay less.  We just can't have it both ways.  If we learned to do with less, and were will to pay a little more we could have everything made here in the US.  But people often choose value for their money over whats best for their local economy.  More and more, I'm trying to put more important things first... and right now the US economy is more important.  Its hard at times.  For example... if I want to buy a High Def LCD TV what choices do I have?  I can't think of anything actually made here in the US that fits that bill.  But on other things I do have a choice.  I've been buying RedWing boots for years.  But last year when I needed to replace my 9 year old RedWings I went a different direction.  I bought from West Coast Shoe in Oregon.  They make all of their boots at one factory in Oregon.  Cost me dearly at almost $600 for a pair of custom made boots.  But I'd rather pay that then pay $150 for a pair of boots made in China.

Shovelbill, you don't need to apologize.  I do understand your passion.  But these things snowball if we let it go that direction.  It becomes just a bitch session rather then a discussion about what we can really do about it.

-Craig

[iiggii]

HECK YEAH I AM AMERICAN !!!!. Buy what you can made here, yes it is hard , Do what you can do !!!!.I agree with Craig about consumer greed.There are other things Bleeding us to, I will keep my mouth shut. iiggii.

[jerite]

Thanks Craig, that was my initial point of the thread, pointing out what WE can do to raise the standards. doing our part as the consumer to turn it around. I wasn't saying anything about the companies, heck i know i don't have no control over them. All i have control of  is what I can do, turning it around one product at a time. And as far as the union comment goes, I am more then willing to pay more for union made products.Knowing I have paid a little more has provided people a FAIR wage, health insurance for their families and the ability to provide years of service knowing they can have some retirement monies. If all the companies provided this across the board there would be no need for the unions, but it doesn't work like that. Those union folks make good union money and spend it right here in this great country. I am biased on that point because it provides me and my family all that and we appreciate it greatly when its time to go to the doctor or get our kids prescriptions  when they are sick. Oh yeah and if they want me to work over the weekend and spend that valueable weekend time working instead of being home with my family the union has made it so that i get compensated extra for that time because it is so valueable to me and my family. Thats really what you pay for when you buy Union Made or Build Union.
Anyway I hope none of this gets too heated, i was upset the last couple of days when trying to find some american made stuff. I love this site for shovel stuff and I was sharing my passionate opinion on the matter with you fine folks and apologize for posting this on the bike thread if it gets carried away....
Jer

[hillbillybiker]

sounds all well and good but unfortunately theres really no such thing anymore.i still get a laugh at people thinking harleys are all american but they have`nt been in years...sad but true

[hotham]

I read the other day that foreign cars made here, have more American parts in them then American cars do.  American companies buy as cheap as they can and wonder why nobody will buy their cars and trucks.  A friend, who knows nothing about cars, bought 2 Toyotas before he retired.  His thinking was with a fixed income he wanted as few problems as possible.  Seems to be the case.  His 4 Runner has over 200,000 miles and except for routine maintenance, he hasn't done a thing to either vehicle.  Then,  I have a '93 Ford Clubwagon van with a 5.8 liter motor.  I haven't spent anything on repairs.  Terrible gas mileage, but I expect that.

[oldhippie765]

wish i had 600.00 to spend on boots

[76shuvlinoff]

I don't know what the  pedigree of parts in a 91  3/4 ton 4x4 GMC pickup was but my old man's was at 385,000 before he gave it to my nephew a couple years ago to use for parts. He'd been through a starter, an alternator, a water pump, a couple of brake jobs by then but the motor and drive train had never even had a gasket replaced. At 385K she smoked cold but kept right on rollin.

[JamLazyAss]

Did you guys watch ABC news last night with Charles Gibson?

ABC news was in China.
The reporter was saying even there they now feel the economic sqeeze.
They interviewed a laid-off worker who used to make plastic shower curtains.
He and many others were saying that they used to have good paying jobs. They were upset at losing them.
The reason for these layoffs and yes, even plant several plant closings are the fault of the American people.
The workers stated that the American people no longer want to buy merchandise made in China.

So the next time you/we purchase something, be sure to look at the country of orgin.
If it doesn't say MADE in the USA, put it back (whenever possible).

As mentioned earlier, one person at a time, one purchase at a time.
Your purchase does matter! 

[crash1292]

I went to Ace hardware to get some brass fittings....holy s##t they where all marked MADE IN USA....WOOHOO

[iiggii]

Right on !

[CraigArizona85248]

JLA,

I saw that report you were talking about.  And I had to chuckle out loud when I heard them blame the American people for their trouble... more specifically, they blamed the American economy.  What they fail to realize is that they play a big part in what has happened to our economy.  But I don't expect them to see that.  People, no matter where you come from, are always looking for someone else to blame for their predicament.  I have to say, I felt bad for the guy they featured.  He's just out there trying to make a living and better his life the same way we do here in the rest of the world.  He faces a bleak situation.  They reported that in China 11 million jobs were lost last year.  It definitely shows that people everywhere are suffering because of this situation.  Oh... and did you notice what the wage was for this guys "good paying job"?  $250/wk (and that's probably a 12 hour day + working on Saturday). 

-Craig

[China twin 88]

to be honest, at least in the major cities, people don't seem to even be aware of a problem.. instead ..it looks like the Chinese will save even more then they normally do.. Credit Cards are almost unheard of.. and home loans are a recent instrument,  many of these folks own their homes outright an buy in cash.  the rural areas will receive the bulk of the out of work factory personal, and they will return to farming or will be included in the infrastructure rebuild.

As to quality, many Chinese think that made in the USA is a sign of quality and will pay the extra money to posses items from the US, Germany, Canada, and Aussie down under. Shanghai Buick's are some of the most favored rides of the business class.

Just a note but it may indicate the spending practice of the chinese at this time,. firework sales for spring festival were up by 24 %

[mite5255]

but i'm australian 

[China twin 88]

the chinese havent become educated about the "Holden" yet.

[flhswingarm]

wish i had 600.00 to spend on boots

Craig..........I buy Redwing boots,made in Redwing ,Minnesota, that are a special fit..................for around $200

[flhswingarm]

I heard on the news that the Chinese want some remuneration from us because of the plant closings, that they bla :hyst:me on us

[Ultrashovel]

About two years ago I bought some sheepskin lined boots from the Ugg company. Austrailan right? I wanted to help out my buddies down under. Anyway when they arrived, they were marked "Made in China".  I never wore them. Just put them on eBay and sent them to someone else.

I wouldn't have minded if the website would have said that they were made in China. It was rather a dissapointment. Oh well.

[ricochet]

Jeez!  I'm so conflicted!  See I live in this World Economy environment and want to do the right thing by those standards but also want to do my part to save the good old USA but also want to keep my job so I can play in both areas.  I work for an multinational company (French owned) as a purchasing agent FORCED to buy the best quality products for the lowest price.  This to ensure the companies longevity and remain amoungst the employed so I can pay taxes to help us all, the deserving and not so deserving.  This brings me to those same ungodly places you all say we should shun in search of just that.  I love my country and love my job both.  So I do my part and buy American when I can for those things that really do matter to me like cars, most of my bike parts and some tools that warrant it.  But I'll be damned if I'll pay a premium for something like jeans, electronics, and day to day living stuff.  You got to remember that a large percentage of we American consumers are employed by those so-called un-American companies.  I have to think like a company too having to balance between the cost of quality and risk of bankruptcy.

BTW,  lately I'm finding that there is a good amount of bike stuff still being made in the USA if your willing to look for it and it's not necessarilly that much more money.  This is more the hard goods, metal, engine stuff, etc.

What a rant hey!

ricochet