What the H is wrong with buying American

[Duster]

I don't give a flip if one dong steel in Japan makes one dime off the US taxpayer.. Seems like the Republicans care more for companys that moved from the United States or ones that undercut our basic industrys such as steel.

[maxcam]

Sounds like to me the Republicans understand more about the economy than Obama does......But given the record number of democrats in the news failing to pay their taxes, I dont think that comes as a surprise to anybody....

You can read all about it at on this link....

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article5655115.ece

[Zeb]

Funny that this was posted today. I'm waiting on hold for GE repair as I'm typing this. I usually buy US goods, or at least I think I do. Most parts are probably from overseas anyway. I can't help but think that I'm causing myself grief by sticking with some major US brands. Example 1 - bought the wife a new little SUV- Mercury Marineer- all of the stuff on it- within four months the entire transmission had to be replaced. It was all covered by warranty but we were without the car while it was repaired and now question it's reliability. Example 2- Bought the wife a new washer and dryer- GE front loading things, supposed to be energy efficient- the washer will shred clothes. It's really hard on under armour stuff. GE's insurance paid us for some damaged athletic gear but you have to be very careful what gets washed together or clothes get damaged. Also the washer will shut down from getting out of balance during a spin cycle leaving the clothes completely wet with no way to run an additional spin cycle. Maybe a little off topic but it's getting really hard to stick to US goods.

[headoftheholler]

For me I try to buy American when I can, but be it my truck or a gumball, I'm going to buy the best quality at the best price. Sometimes thats an American product, sometimes not.

[slickhead slayer]

Seems like the Republicans care more for companys that moved from the United States or ones that undercut our basic industrys such as steel.

Thats no doubt someones view who worked for an American Steel supplier. Telling people to only use American steel sounds hunky dorry, if your on the side of the steel supplier. What about those of us who use steel? We took it in the shorts for a long time. The problem? US steel companies were raising prices ten fold, despite very little change in their cost of making steel. Frankly, the US steel suppliers got too darn expensive, which opened the door for competition.
Bush put tarrifs on incoming steel, to try and stop competition, when making the stell makers more competitive should have been the goal. As a consumer of cold rolled steel products, I can tell you that the US steel makers were fat and happy for a long time, and the US consumers expense.
Also remember, that steel prices are still at record highs, because of so much demand from Asia. So if Asia is using US steel, why shouldn't the US use Asian steel?

[JDMiller]

Dont have a horse in this race but do have an opinion on quality of steel.

From experience of welding & piping.... asian steel is not of the best quality. I dont know if its their processes in making steel , ore ..whatever..but it is nowhere near the quality of US steel.

Several years ago we got stuck at work with a shipment of Asian steel...actually each piece was tagged Booko, China. This was a state low bid order for several fabrication projects on-going. It was terrible... material itself was pitted which was probably due to the salt air of shipping. Several applications required breaks & bends... this stuff literally would distruct in the fabrication equipment.

Welds and or the welding process for the project was just as bad itself. I questioned the tensile strength and honestly to this day believe this steels integrity would destroyed by any heating process of our welds.

We also ran into similiar circumstances on sch 40 & 80 piping made overseas. Interior piping seams were terrible and in threading applications was basically unusable. The process of reaming would literally split the seam before you even began threading. This was supposedly their #1 grade.... in the US..it would'nt have never left the factory.

When you consider steel usage in bridges...buildings / skycrapers..other areas where integrity is demanded...its a big deal in my book on quality used. Nothing against shipping or selling our steel to the foreign market just as long as were getting the same quality back. I personally dont think we are and scares me to death on what is going in on some construction projects.

Apparently their processes ..or at least then ..were not of equal standards. If all steel produced in the world was the same .. I wouldnt object but unless things have drastically changed... foreign steel is one we should avoid.

[Luckybuck]

We need to stick together and start buying products only made in the4 US not the ones "assembled" in the US. I bet if more of us did that we would save some jobs and help our economy. I am as guilty as anybody trying to get a good deal but I am trying to look at things a little closer before I buy them now.

[killinmammals]

I'd like to buy only US made goods...but like everybody else in this country....I buy who makes the best, most reliable product...

[slickhead slayer]

I guess it depends on what kind of steel we are talking about. Toyota, Honda and Nissan have started calling out some Japanese steel in their prints, because its a little bit higher quality steel than the US steel. Thats coilled steel for stampings and drawn wire for machined parts and such. I am not familiar with steel used for building and construction, just manufacturing.

[Pugs]

For me I try to buy American when I can, but be it my truck or a gumball, I'm going to buy the best quality at the best price. Sometimes thats an American product, sometimes not.

Exactly. I go out of my way to often buy American, particularly on hunting and fishing stuff but I'll be damned if I give Detroit another dime until they meet my standards for engineering, build quality and service.

It has nothing to do with political affiliation, unions or anything else. I work hard for my money and I intend to wring every morsel of value out of it.

[ky_horsetrainer]

Exactly. I go out of my way to often buy American, particularly on hunting and fishing stuff but I'll be damned if I give Detroit another dime until they meet my standards for engineering, build quality and service.

It has nothing to do with political affiliation, unions or anything else. I work hard for my money and I intend to wring every morsel of value out of it.



this is kinda off topic but fits in kinda....go listen to John Rich's song "Shuttin' Detroit Down" pretty good song and very true

[duckslayer870]

Detroit nailed thier own coffins shut. I havent seen a US built vehicle in years that would hold a candle to honda or toyota, BTw toyotas are built in the US by American hands where most of the so called American products are built in Canada or mexico. Its just that Japanese Cos. hold qaulity to a higher standard. and the CEOs arent worried about building golf retreats for high paid union bosses.

[AteUp]

I can't agree with that. I bought my Ford truck new in 2003 and it's never given me the first bit of trouble. Of course, now it probably will.;)

[slickhead slayer]

The issue isn't as black and white as so many think. My Chevy Tahoe was mostly made in Mexico, I think its hard to say I am driving an American car, but the guy driving a Toyota isn't. My truck is made in Mexico, his car is made in Ky. I think the Toyota would have contributed more to the US economy than my Tahoe.

[ptbrauch]

What's the rationale behind buying just American? I've heard that it protects American jobs, but doesn't it really only protect American manufacturing jobs? When stuff is imported, you have dock workers, truck drivers, and railroad employees. Have you seen some of the docks--there's as many workers there as there are in many factories. And do you really know who owns the company? If its private, could it be that its held by some foreign holding company and if its a public company, then couldn't a foreign entity easily own a large portion of it anyway? If that's the case, then wouldn't you be enriching them as well?

And if I can buy something manufactured that been imported and have some money left over, then wouldn't that be better because I could then use that money to go out to eat? There definitely aren't too many foreign owned restaurants. That's the one market in the world where the US still has cornered (just look at where Yum is expanding).

[Duster]

To those of you who favor foreign made products so much there can be no complaints when your job gets cut...price or not for a reason.

I don't see one darn thing wrong with useing American made steel in the rebuilding of American roads and bridges. As said some of the steel producers located in the United States are either fully or partly foreign owned but those working there are mainly Americans...you know those tax payers that will for years to come footing the bill.

[MikeKy]

I guess I'm old school. I always look for American made products first and use that factor for making my buying decisions more and more. I figure if a factory worker is going to be laid off I'd rather it be some chinaman than my neighbor.