Irrelevant
Well-known member
I'm in the wrong biz...
Buying American again.
- Thread starter hank4elk
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2rocky
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- Jul 23, 2010
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I try to spend my money where I know the people selling it to me. I've seldom been disappointed in that, regardless of the item.
Every dollar we spend in our LOCAL economy turns over FIVE TIMES. I'm more invested in my local store than I am in a Factory in Indianapolis, or Cleveland. We need to make sure we maintain the infrastructure to support local business.
Even in the Organic Certified Feed ingredients we have to rely on off shore production for a steady supply. But it is the local grain elevator who is warehousing it because their local growers can grow higher value crops.
Every dollar we spend in our LOCAL economy turns over FIVE TIMES. I'm more invested in my local store than I am in a Factory in Indianapolis, or Cleveland. We need to make sure we maintain the infrastructure to support local business.
Even in the Organic Certified Feed ingredients we have to rely on off shore production for a steady supply. But it is the local grain elevator who is warehousing it because their local growers can grow higher value crops.
D
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I've had a number of experiences like this; on a forum, at a bar, on a ski lift and some person is explaining to me how to build a metal tube that can propel a tiny piece of lead multiple times faster than the speed of sound and hit a target at a 1,000 plus yards. They can tell me how gravity, wind, altitude, humidity, etc all factor in and can explain why. They can tell me how/why the grooves in that metal tube and the length of the lead glob are important.
-and then they say they were no good at school, and now work in x,y,z job.
Clearly the status quo is broken.
My position is that we need to invest in Americans and retool the way we teach our citizens.
Maybe, it needs to be something like government subsidizing entry level jobs in various key industries. Those companies get 'free' labor but they have to teach people specific skills and the 'students' are paid a living wage. Kinda like a residency for MDs but for building satellites or whatever.
Anyway ^ that's "education" to me as much is being a chemistry major at MSU. I think it's important that we support both routes, and the net goal is to have a person that earns more money and thus pays back their 'education' as increased taxable earnings, as well as making the country more competitive in the global market.
I think other countries have figured that part out and that's why we are losing.
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'Factory Job' is going to (in a ton of cases, already does) mean something different than working the line installing part A into part B. Manufacturing, where it's feasible in the US, is already changing to be more akin to 'screen time' than it is to manual labor. I don't believe that part of the education puzzle is being adequately addressed.
The technological savvy of the average American is fairly high whether they know it (or admit it) or not just to participate in society. It needs to get much better as automation, robotics, etc continue to evolve and become the norm rather than the exception, and I hope that's a genuine focus of trade school curriculums/co-ops, etc.
An illustrative example here that I was involved with for a year or so: https://www.thesmartfactory.io/home#
elkduds
Well-known member
Just googled https://www.usaproductsonly.com/
You and me both
noharleyyet
Well-known member
Yes, but of course the investment reaps dividends that are unrivaled...
Elkmagnet
Well-known member
I personally believe that autimation and robotics programming,design, setup and maintenance will be a good trade for the mechanically inclined.
Heck you might be drinking milk that was milked by a robot. Things have changed.
Hank I promise not to derail your thread any further, but I wanted to add to this post.
When you buy a new rifle, you will sometimes buy new ammo to go with it, perhaps even a new scope, perhaps a sling, -----my point is when your wife buys those Jimmy Choo boots you realize she will need a new purse to match the boots and more important than that, she does all of this to look good, for you!
Hank, kinda like when Rio wants/needs a new collar
Believe me, I know how lucky I am. And if I ever even….possibly forget it momentarily. I am sure I will be reminded very quickly. If not by my wife than by one of her “she team members”Hank I promise not to derail your thread any further, but I wanted to add to this post.
When you buy a new rifle, you will sometimes buy new ammo to go with it, perhaps even a new scope, perhaps a sling, -----my point is when your wife buys those Jimmy Choo boots you realize she will need a new purse to match the boots and more important than that, she does all of this to look good, for you!
Hank, kinda like when Rio wants/needs a new collar
elkduds
Well-known member
Hafta take your word on that one, Harley. Sounds like Europe concurs.
noharleyyet
Well-known member
The new pup re-christened em Jimmy Chew...
Mountain Man
Well-known member
Here is a website worth checking out:
I really try to remind myself that I can't afford to buy it American made, I probably don't need to be such a consumer anyways.
One of my buddies always says "My uncle didn't watch his friends die face down in the mud at Khe Sanh so I could buy cheap foreign shit"
One of my buddies always says "My uncle didn't watch his friends die face down in the mud at Khe Sanh so I could buy cheap foreign shit"
Jeez ask a stupid question on HT, and you get some really good answers and thoughts.
I'm ordering some new Lowas from a Alb. gal @ REI and sending the Caminos to MA to be shipped to Germany & back.
? for myself,how many jobs did I just interact with involving a US worker.
Think we need a good kick in the keister and that is rewarded by a good life.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year HT folks!
I'm ordering some new Lowas from a Alb. gal @ REI and sending the Caminos to MA to be shipped to Germany & back.
? for myself,how many jobs did I just interact with involving a US worker.
Think we need a good kick in the keister and that is rewarded by a good life.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year HT folks!
Excellent question. Based on a cursory knowledge of REI's operations (I've never done work for them but friends have), and ignoring some of the more trivial components of the transaction - it's safe to say that when you actually receive the boots, you (your money, really) will have interacted (with either labor, backoffice or transportation) from people in ~5 countries:
US: Website is hosted here, DC and/or store also, plus domestic transport to your door
DE/IT: Lowa is a German company that is part of an Italian conglomerate (Tecnica)
IN: Several of REI's operational systems are managed there
?: Whoever the flagged country is of the carrier that gets the boots across the atlantic
?: The corrugate and packaging materials/label stock are almost certainly sourced from outside the US but hard to say
Suffice to say that virtually no consumer goods transaction in the US only involves 1 country. But most of your $ went to the US and Germany/Italy. And, more importantly, you got a sweet pair of boots.
It is sad that the way our goods and services are made today as a whole. But if China ever......decided to call our debt in. Or like someone else said, stop selling to us all of a sudden, we’d really have problems. I am still Very Proud to call myself an American. But I worry about the road we’re on..........
Revues.
American Made Jean Co. I bought 2 pairs last year. Excellent fit & finish. Wear excellent.
I had gotten 2 pairs of wranglers a month earlier. They are about gone now, firewood grade now.
The American Made were faded style and they look new if I wash them good. No wear on the knees, which go in other jeans fast for me.
Darn Tough Socks. I bit the cost and will not buy any other socks now. Med. grade work & light weight. My feet even stayed warm in the uninsulated boots with the Med.
Victor Dog Food folks. I just tried the crunchy treats for Rio. He will not eat the others unless I give him no choice. Just was told to get the food for Rio from a dobie expert. Made in TX.
American Made Jean Co. I bought 2 pairs last year. Excellent fit & finish. Wear excellent.
I had gotten 2 pairs of wranglers a month earlier. They are about gone now, firewood grade now.
The American Made were faded style and they look new if I wash them good. No wear on the knees, which go in other jeans fast for me.
Darn Tough Socks. I bit the cost and will not buy any other socks now. Med. grade work & light weight. My feet even stayed warm in the uninsulated boots with the Med.
Victor Dog Food folks. I just tried the crunchy treats for Rio. He will not eat the others unless I give him no choice. Just was told to get the food for Rio from a dobie expert. Made in TX.
FairWeather
Well-known member
They’d have an even bigger problem. China’s stability relies on economic growth, in order to maintain that, they need to sell their stuff. We buy a whole lot of that stuff.
Same reason they peg their currency to be worth less than ours. Keeps their exports cheap, and foreign imports expensive.
