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by Mark_Ockerbloom from Dedham

Last Post 1 day, 19 hours Ago


"Made in the USA"
Jul 2, 2008 | 7:06 PM
Category: News
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"Made in the USA"...time was when those words meant a lot...celebrities like Bob Hope encouraged us to buy American and we did. The products were well-made and they were reasonably priced. But times changed, technology changed, jobs went overseas and foreign countries began to introduce cheaper, more effective products.

However, in the past year, Americans are slowly rediscovering a desire to once again buy American. Contributing factors include the tainted pet food scare in which dogs and cats died after eating foreign made food. On a much larger scale, the toy recall, in which toys made in China were yanked from store shelves after they were found to contain harmful levels of lead. To give you a sense of how many people are concerned about the toy scare, keep this in mind, in the last 12 months, a local web site launched to find US made toys now has 49 more just like it. And then there are the old reasons for buying American such as safety and patriotism during wartime and helping out the national economy which, as we all know, is struggling mightily forcing companies to close and people to lose their jobs. For all these reasons, it's a no-brainer for me...given a choice I buy American and always will. How about you?
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Member Comments Total Comments: 21
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jovanone read my blog view my photos
Jul 2, 2008 | 8:00 PM

Mark,

I think you would be hard pressed to find anything made in our Country,even the American flag is made in China how sad is that?
fenwaydav read my blog view my photos
Jul 2, 2008 | 9:41 PM

Ock, I can vaguely remember Dinah Shore singing about (I think) Chevrolet. Not only is it hard to find things made in the USA, how about finding customer service that's not in India. I can't tell you over the past year needing to speak to one company or another about their product and speaking directly to someone in India. It is almost comical trying to communicate with someone who say's their name is Ralph and you need to repeat things 2 and 3 times and still don't get the proper service. I will always try to buy American when possible.
Chip read my blog view my photos
Jul 2, 2008 | 9:59 PM

I buy from countries based in America. I think it's the best we can do. It breaks my heart everytime I look at the label of something I buy fro LL Bean, the bastion of New England outdoorsmanship...Made in China...Made in Bangladesh...Made in Korea.

I'm the third generation with the same name who has purchased his "Maine Hunting Shoes" from them.
fenwaydav read my blog view my photos
Jul 2, 2008 | 10:42 PM

Does that make you a Chip off the old block?
KidzComfort
Jul 2, 2008 | 11:15 PM

I shop American made and I sell American made. In this volatile economy, we all need to chip in to help each other out. Supporting products that are made in the USA is an important factor in turning things around for all of us(AMONG OTHER THINGS).
Rae lynn
www.kidzcomfort.com
Edward77x
Jul 3, 2008 | 3:38 AM

I don't care where products are made as long as they are of good quality. If we only bought American products we would all be walking. Fords break down too much!
Chip read my blog view my photos
Jul 3, 2008 | 5:44 AM

Dave,

It's funny...my dad used to cal me that. Yep...I am proudly incredibly similar to both my father and grandfather in personality. And I thank God for that. They were my heros.

Oddly, my grandfather did not like the nickname. He referred to me as "the boy" in my youth.
jovanone read my blog view my photos
Jul 3, 2008 | 10:01 AM

The reason there’s not much of anything made in this country is because greedy companies say it cost too much to have their products made in our own country. They blame unions and health care as part of the problem. They would rather go to some third world country and pay them three cents an hour to produce their product so they can make huge profits.
legendkiller34 read my blog
Jul 3, 2008 | 10:03 AM

Mark,
companies nowadays,have forgotten the loyalty
aspect, instead it's all about corporate greed.
all these companies are just sending their work overseas, because you got some little kid in a sweat shop with a bowl of rice hanging just above his head being forced to make the product, then and only if he meets the quota, he gets the bowl of rice.
jobs going overseas for the cheap labor,
these people overseas don't mind working
90 hours a week,and companies love this.
So when you hear these companies say"we are going to broaden our horizons"
actually what they mean is, "we are getting rid of you high priced workers for all that cheap labor that lines the streets overseas"
sirB read my blog
Jul 3, 2008 | 12:31 PM

I have a Ford with over 106,000 miles and it has NEVER broke down! Not even close.

I buy American most of the time. Most people don't do the research.
jonsmom read my blog view my photos
Jul 3, 2008 | 1:13 PM

I have always tried to buy American. I am driving the first "foreign" car I have ever driven and I only drive that because it was my son's and he was a student and could no longer afford the payments. I have always driven an American car. I never had problems with the two mustangs I drove and my Tempo had almost 150,000 miles on it when we finally traded it in on a station wagon (Oldsmobile).
I have a friend who married a guy from France and he will only buy products made in the USA.
Nohiddenagenda read my blog
Jul 4, 2008 | 8:05 AM

Mark,

Buying only American products will increase inflation faster than you can blink an eye. Inflation is already a big enough problem without Librals trying to destroy the Global Economy. We learned our lesson during the tail end of the cold war. No country wanted to pick a side (US or Soviet Union) and we had such terminology as Buy American. All of this made the cost of products increase dramatically (inflation) and the Fed had no choice but to increase rates to 16%. That's why Americans always opt for a 30 year fixed mortgage because they are scared that one day it could happen all over again. If protectionist Libral Obama is voted into office tariffs will increase inflation not help keep it under control. Simple economics that Librals do not understand or fail to recognize for their own selfish reasons (big government). Librals will say inflation is out of hand and we currently have a Republican in office. My answer to that is what goes up must come down. It was either now or after the I.T. Bubble busted. The only difference is now the (smart) common man has a few extra bucks in his pocket after selling a few homes over the past 8 years with little to no investment. Now the smart common man will be able to swallow the natural recession that is due. Natural cycle.

No hidden agenda,

Truth
Nohiddenagenda read my blog
Jul 4, 2008 | 8:19 AM

As far as buying American to help support jobs your crazy. It's like giving poor people money instead of teaching them how to earn it themselves. Politicians have to stop using this as bait and tell the truth to the American people. Invest in yourself. No line of work can exist forever. Should we all keep bying type writers to support type writer companies...no that would be crazy we have turned to the next best thing..computers. So instead of telling people it is impossible to compete against foreign countries when it comes to manufacturing products due to less over head, lower minimum wage, no pension, no retirement and less taxes and you should invest in yourself and move to an industry that thrives in America (service) our politicians say the same thing over and over again. It's not your fault your not smart enough to connect the dots we should all by American and not invest in ourselves, just keep doing the same thing over and over again hoping for a different response (insanity). Librals like to keep the public in need it is how they obtain most of their votes. Why do you think we have pot holes in Boston (Unions). Give me two foreigners and a weakend and I will fix every pot hole in Boston at a mili fraction of the cost. Protectionist think it is best to keep these jobs for Americans and pay millions more to do so instead of telling them the truth it's time to go back to school.
Sandown
Jul 4, 2008 | 9:04 AM

This country is well into an intential transition to a service economy and we are urged to buy products made in the USA. These two objectives are mutually exclusive. Unfortunately, a service economy is not self supporting since we need manufactured goods maintain our expected life style. In this current scenario, the US spends more than it earns in the global economy. This deficit depletes our national financial strength. How long before the US becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of...???
Sandown
Jul 4, 2008 | 9:17 AM

This country is well into an intentional transiton to a service economy and we are being urged to buy American. These two objectives are mutually exlcusive. A service economy is not self supporting since we need manufactured goods to sustain our expected life style. We are buying more on the world market than we sell and this deficit is depleting our national financial strength. If this continues, the US will become a wholly owned subsidiary of ...?
Nohiddenagenda read my blog
Jul 4, 2008 | 10:38 AM

What if we were to just buy american gas? That's right the cost for gas would increase. Why is it any different for any other type of product. The smart people will look to China and other growing econimies as one important part of a US business (the manufacturing part) the profit, consulting, research, sales would still be based in the US that is as long as your state is competitive with taxes. Isn't the global economy great, it keeps our politicians from taxing us back to the stone age.
TheEliteOne read my blog
Jul 4, 2008 | 2:36 PM

Nohidden: Are you suggesting that given a choice, not to buy American? On the 4th of July, you are suggesting buying American is crazy?
One of the theories of the gas problem, is the China economy is too good.
I will stick with American. You should move to China and be happier.
envelope28 read my blog view my photos
Jul 5, 2008 | 6:38 AM

funny about this post, I just read a book called "a year without made in china" by Sara Bongiorni.The family tried not to buy anything for a year that was made in china. quite a difficult feat.From toys to clothing to even hardware ,it makes you realize how much is actually made over seas... It makes you think...
sirB read my blog
Jul 5, 2008 | 9:29 AM

nohiddenagenda,

What are you nuts!! I highly doubt an increase of Americans buying American products will hurt our economy.

Move to China and get one of those awesome .33 an hour jobs.
NorthernObserver read my blog
Jul 5, 2008 | 11:19 AM

I am a label nut. I have made it a point to look for the “made in America” labels on the products I buy. Having said that, I find it extremely difficult to find American Made products on the shelf. Sears Craftsman wrenches are still made in America but all of their power tools are made in China. Stanley tools has very little still made in the US. I think they make one of their more expensive hammers here but little else.

MTD is an American made company that sells motor driven machines like snow throwers and lawn mowers using Tecumseh and Briggs and Stratton American made engines.

Carthart is one of the last manufacturers of heavy work clothing in the US, but even they have stuff made in Mexico now.

Maybe we can turn this around, but I doubt it. That ship has sailed.
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Mark_Ockerbloom

I anchor the Fox 25 News at 5, 10 & 11pm and want to hear from you. Feel free to drop me a line anytime.

Member Since: 10/17/2006


 

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