We must produce and buy American
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Published: November 26, 2008
We have been dependent on the goods made in China for every day life, with concerns of unsafe products, for how long now? I read the other day to “buy American” not imports and I ask myself, “How,
when I can’t find any in the stores?”
Last night on the news, I heard that inspectors will be sent to China to inspect the products coming into America to ensure the safety of the products. Isn’t this China’s responsibility? Why do we have to
do such nonsense to keep importing goods from China? Why not just simply stop the imports?
Many manufacturing facilities were moved out of America to obtain cheaper labor and lesser expenses by the so-called “Free Trade Agreement.” In my opinion, this is not “free trade,” this is “one-way
trade.” How long are we to keep it up? The entire world economy has become haywire today and we are losing jobs and our government debt is sky rocketing. What will happen next?
We must start to change this situation, now! We must industrialize ourselves like before, as soon as possible. We must learn again to work within our means and minimize expenses so that products
can be competitive with the import markets. This may initially cause the worker’s wages to become lower than before (and it must include the top executives and bring their wages back to within reason).
We must stop this latest desire of “big profit” for the time being. We must get back to a stable economy for the sake of this country and its people.
I’m sure the people would understand the situation and be willing to work toward change. We need the government to publicly step forward to explain how to get ourselves out of this troubled economy.
And then act upon it. We have to, once again, fulfill our needs with American products like it used to be. Enough is enough.
MICHIKO W. NORRIS
Woodbridge
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( gwenandgary ) on November 30, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I’m not of any “white aristocracy”, phdee—in fact, I’m not white at all. I’m a Cherokee Indian from western North Carolina.
Coming from there gave ME a rather interesting perspective on those, both white and black, who claim persecution to further their own selfish agendas. Apparently YOU missed out on THAT education.
And by the way, we Native Americans consider YOUR post-Antebellum society to be “ignorant and backward”.
Get your facts straight before jumping to conclusions, please.
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Posted by ( phdee ) on November 30, 2008 at 10:01 pm
G&G: I was born and raised in the South. I can go back to separate but equal. I"ve seen it all - didn’t miss a thing. You must be the “white aristocracy” = the elitists. Southerners are so hilarious in their hiding and justifying - or interpretations - of their racist system. It’s a comp;ete;y ignorant and backward society there. May I say that my coming from there gave me a super education of what went on and happened there. Sadly you have missed out on it.
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Posted by ( gwenandgary ) on November 30, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Why, phdee—you cantankerous old fanatic—nice to see you too! Unrepentant and uneducated as ever, I see!
Wal-Mart, eh? Your rant sounded more like “Stereotypes ‘R’ Us” to me.
I’ll be honest—I’m a product of the South. Coming from that part of the country, I can say that your impressions on lifestyles there are basically incorrect.
Considering your usually closed-minded attitude, I’m not sure why I’m even taking the time to inform you of this. It’s probably all just wasted effort.
If there’s anything “arrogant” or “ignorant” in my posts, it may be because I’m trying to communicate with you in a vernacular you’ll understand.
Happy Holidays, you bombastic twit.
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Posted by ( phdee ) on November 30, 2008 at 3:17 pm
g&g: I see you are back at
monitoring” the website. Try getting a life - and drop your self-appointed arrogance and ignorance.
Sorry you don’t like to hear the truth/
I see the South went overwhelmingly for McCain-Palin. Being ignorant as they are, I am sure they think their economic situation has improved over the last 8 years. Or, do you think - like me - that a lot of white “closet racists” came out to vote?
By the way, I forget or neglected to mention cigs, food stamps, and beauty contests.
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Posted by ( raywilliams ) on November 27, 2008 at 5:34 am
“Why is it the union worker is supposed to take wage cuts?“
Well, according to the same poster, union workers in “most foreign car assembly plants are in the uneducated southern small towns, where a trailer, pickup, gun, 6-pack, and Wal-Mart are the ultimate goal in life.“
So why on earth would they need to earn wages more than slightly above survival level?
Let’s keep them barefoot and pregnant so we can buy their cars cheaper and thus, enjoy a richer lifestyle ourselves - here in the educated, sophisticated North - where a McMansion, BMW, bottle of Perrier and Neiman Marcus are the ultimate goal in life.
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Posted by ( rafaelva ) on November 26, 2008 at 11:46 pm
phdee: from what I have recently read there is very little difference between the average autoworker salary at a toyota assembly plant in Tennessee and a GM plant in Detroit. Toyota said the average salary was $63 per hour (composite wage and benefit), Detroit reports $70 per hour (composite wage & benefit). Also Toyota is cutting back on their SUV lines, and the Camry, due to falling sales.
I raise the question is Citi to big to fail, or to big to LET fail.
An interesting note, FED chairman advised Congress in a committee that the FED is making 7.2 Trillion dollars available for banks to borrow (throught the credit window), when questioned if
the FED would make available the names of the Banks borrowing, and what collateral was provided. He responded that that would be unproductive.
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Posted by ( gwenandgary ) on November 26, 2008 at 10:39 pm
phdee wrote:
“Most foreign car assembly plants are in the uneducated southern small towns, where a trailer, pickup, gun, 6-pack, and Wal-Mart are the ultimate goal in life.“
Sounds like a bit of a slur to me. I don’t like it one bit.
Back off, chief.
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Posted by ( phdee ) on November 26, 2008 at 1:44 pm
My comments:
1. The US has so little manufacturing left. What American made products are left to shop for?
2. Even after seeking “lower wage” countries, the products often are no cheaper - just the business profits.
3. Why do foreign cars assembled in the US cost as much or more than American made cars? Most foreign car assembly plants are in the uneducated southern small towns, where a trailer, pickup, gun, 6-pack, and Wal-Mart are the ultimate goal in life.
4. Why is it the union worker is supposed to take wage cuts? Why not eveyone?
5. The US has a problem in the disparity of wages. The prices of goods and services are so large that the average consumer is priced out of the market. This is an elitist society.
6. The free market concept in economics is dead.
7. Alan Greens**t is very much to blame for the present economic problems.
8. “too big to fail”. We have anti-trust laws on the books, but no one wants to enforce them. Perhaps we need some more - if too big to fail is true. Ironically, the auto manufacturers aren’t too big to fail. Of course, they have “blue collar” workers, someone who earns a living using a wrench, while we today go for the glitzzy jobs 0 like analyzing data, talking on cell phones, shopping, moving up, etc.
List not total - just a starter.
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Posted by ( trickydix2000 ) on November 26, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Wow now that is a well proposed plan, not sure why that wouldn’t work. I would like to point out that the current process to be come legal is very tenuous. I went thru this process first hand when my wife arrived from Germany, if you can afford one it is best to get a lawyer because the paperwork is a night mare and expensive not to mention time consuming. I have hope that the new administration will relook the legalization process making it easier. I think everyone should have the chance to become a citizen.
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Posted by ( trickydix2000 ) on November 26, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Seems to me that the cost of living is more of the issue, housing, Gas, food before it’s over we will all be riding horses again, hunting for our own food and living, homemade mud huts.
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