boycott "made in china"

[norgeway]

CHINA

This is why I drive a Ford,I may have to live in this day and age ...but I dont have to like it...also why I use a 63 Hotpoint fridge and a 59 Caloric range ,I do not want anything new ....Well maybe a Speed Queen set!! but seriously, A Men to this post

 

[toploader1984]

alot of u are wrong about poeple wanting to buy cheap, i know TONS of people who bought new washing machines myself included that spent EXTRA and opted for the FRONT loadeers, people are spending 2500 dollars for a washer and dryer that lasts only 7 years IF YOUR LUCKY.... the new speed queen top loader retails for about 1300 dollars for the pair, and will last AT LEAST 20 years!!! people think they are getting a good deal because of the water and energy savings but all reality if u do the math... the machine would AT LEAST have to last 20 years just to even recoup the difference.

 

[toploader1984]

yes it is possible, think about it... if EVERYBODY didnt buy products from china what would happen???? we r not forced to but JUNK from china.

 

[toploader1984]

u say our goods are sold overseas? heh NOT MUCH, china limits the amount of goods WE sell over there.... less than 10 percent, we buy close to 30 percent from china and mexico.

 

[toploader1984]

think about it guys! if we dont do something this economy is going to fall apart!!! you will be sitting there with your engineering degree standing on the corner with a sign "will work for food" in the past couple of years it has gotten WORSE! now gm was trying to manufacture cars in china too !!!!??? OMG! IM GOING TO HAVE A MELTDOWN. its pretty bad when u go to the store to buy an AMERICAN flag and it says made in china... give me a f@#$%ng break!!! do we live in china or america... pretty soon we will be making 50 dollars for a 60 hour work week just like china.

 

[jeffg]

True free market capitalism and competition haven't existed in the U.S. since the late 1970's. Today, "competition" means Safeway puts Stoeffer's frozen dinners on sale this week, and Marie Callender's next week. And then Stoeffer's again.

All major industry is controlled by multinational cartels who have virtual (or outright) monopolies on their respective markets, and instead of being determined by supply and demand, prices are set by mutual extortion.

And the irony is, the only place in the world where competition is still alive and well is in Communist China.

 

[danemodsandy]

I've Long Thought...

...That the solution to the problem we're discussing lies not in trade barriers or boycotts, but in demanding that workers of all nations receive wage and benefit parity.

That is the only thing I can think of that would truly level the playing field again, and benefit people into the bargain.

 

[bobbyderegis]

My two cents:
I think there should be a list of products still made in America. Those of us who are willing to spend a little more for an American made quality product can go to this list and see what is available. Examples: Speed Queen W&D's, Kirby vacuum cleaners. I know many people who would patronize these companies and hopefully we could strengthen what little is left of American industry.
Bobby in Boston

 

[cadman]

The game "isn't over" just because some declare it so and have no qualms buying the cheapest available goods. There are still some of us that flip the package over, check the origin, and are willing to pay 2x or 3x as much for an American manufactured product, or shop elsewhere if said item isn't available at that store.

Re the Hondas, 'yotas, etc built in the states. Good cars to be sure, but the engineering, drivetrain sourcing, head offices, etc. where the bulk of the profits flow back to is not American soil, despite a lot of warm-fuzzy justifications that get tossed around.

 

[brisnat81]

Thats why we have the Australian Made campaign here and have done since the 80's

The logo is on Products that are made in Australia and can cover clothing, Food, Whitegoods etc.

Unfortunately the number of products made here is on the decline, but the logo is supposed to be an easy way of picking them out.

We've always paid much more for Whitegoods here than in the US, it was never ecconomical to import that stuff until Korea, Malaysia and the such really ramped up production. So it was all mainly made here or Japan, with the corresponding high prices.

Once the cheap imports started to arrive Our Local manufacturing got sold to Electrolux, and now its moved off shore to be competitive with the cheap imports.

Fisher and Paykel was the last to go, but their Queensland factory has now shutup shop.

We've found that almost all Kraft/Nabisco products are now made in china, and as such buy the Australian Made alternative. Food is the one area I refuse to buy Chinese.

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www.australianmade.com.au

 

[frigilux]

Chuck---Sorry, I worded that statement incorrectly. What I meant to say is that we were not willing to pay more for products produced in the US, where workers are paid a living wage.

I need to proofread.

 

[sudsmaster]

When I bought my Neptune in 2001, the choices were fairly limited:

Large drum: Neptune (solid door), Frigidaire/Kenmore, Staber.

Small drum: Miele, Bosch, Asko.

Since I wanted a machine with a large drum, and an internal heater, I chose the Neptune. Buying American had little to do with it.

Nowadays there's far more selection and one can still buy an American machine and get good capacity and performance: Frigidaire Affinity, Electrolux, Whirlpool (including Amana and Maytag). And some good imports: GE, Samsung, LG. None of these existed in the winter of 2001.

If the prices are not too far apart, of course I'll buy American over an import. But quite often there is no other choice on the shelves.

I also think what will gradually happen is a leveling of wages, globally. Let's hope that means increasing wages in other nations, and not lowering wages in the USA.

One thing to remember: this nation went through most of its history being regarded as a minor power. It wasn't until WWI that the USA emerged as a world power, and not until WWII that we emerged as one of the few major powers. Seems to me we got by just fine before being a world power...

 

[tolivac]

Boycott things from China-its very difficult to do now.So much stuiff is built there-and to varying quality standards.For example NORINCO-they make guns-their copy of the Colt 1911 .45 pistol was BETTER quality than the models made by Colt.But their M14 rifles were actually UNSAFE to fire-the barrels and recivers split from firing-causing powder gases to go into the shooters face.
For Kirby-the disposable bags are now made in CHINA-its marked on the bag packages with the Sentria machines.The Filtrete bags are decent quality.However what is starting to hurt "made in China"is the shipping of raw goods and parts there -the Chinese factories build the items and ship them back.The shipping costs are starting to hurt.So some companies are considering returning building items in the countries they are to be used to save on these shipping costs.And as Sudsmaster points out the labor unrests in China could force companies to abandon building products in China-their labor prices will then go up like what happened in the US.
And for the US upcoming energy reforms passed by Congress started by Obama may hurt US even more-the cost of energy for both You and Industry will climb up.This will force US companies to close and have products built elsewhere.Just hope this energy reform isn't passed in the Senate-If it is WATCH OUT!!Your electric bills will climb-your natural gas and fuel oil bills will increase-and yes-gasoline prices will climb-SOME CHANGE-change we can do without-reject this energy reforms-the final nails in the US industry coffin!

 

[jeffg]

Oh please. That sounds like something an ExxonMobil lobbyist would write.

How can moving to renewable and sustainable energy be "the final nails in US industry"? Green energy is one of the few remaining industries where U.S. technology and manufacturing capability outstrips most of the world.

 

[toploader1984]

i was actually at walmart the other day and was pleasntly surprised to find out they DO actually have alot of products made in usa! u just have to look, i catch myself looking at EVERYTHING i buy now! i saw a pillow that said internal filling from china, assembled in usa, alot of the dishes and plastic cups were made in usa, if something says made in china i literally will put it right back on the shelf unless i cant avoid it, and if i know i can find one thats made here i will spend extra money. i dont care if its made in australia, europe, japan, just NOT CHINA.

 

[tolivac]

Changes to renewable energy supplies may be nice and good-but you can't do it overnight-remember you are trying to replace or change and energy infranstructure that has been in place for almost a century-The costs to change will be born by YOU and the energy companies which will pass the costs to YOU!This is not something Exxon or Mobile will come up with-its reality of costs you will have to pay-and of course industry and any other energy user in the US.And if it was by them-they may be RIGHT in this case.This is something that is not pointed out in the changes.You may want to be aware of the real costs.The US needs to preserve its low energy costs to be competive-with this legeslation-the cost will no longer be competitive.The US has the largest coal resources in the world-we should continue to make use of it.

 

[tolivac]

There is a darkside to renewable power sources"Prime movers"-they are not easily "throttled" or controlled.energy companies like power sources they can vary or control.Wind and solar sources cannot be controlled or throttled.And the equipment for them is costly-and to many unsightly.Do you want electric power "windmills" built near your place?Ted Kennedy rejected having them built near his Mass summer home.The home is in an area that is favorable to wind conditions for the windmills.Also power sources such as coal plants,nuke plants,and hydro plants can "store" the energy by bunkering the coal(most coal plant bunkers can hold a 30 day supply)and nuclear plants a fuel storage on site.Hydro by the water behind the dam.And these power sources can be varied or "throttled" to meet demand.Solar and wind supplies are good for peaking or supplementing main sources.Please remember that coal energy sources have been refined over the decades it has been used-it is not as "dirty" as some beleive.A properly running coal powerplant is a good neighbor.More of the exhaust is being "recycled" by using it for sulpuric acid production.The C02 can be captured as well.And the ash goes into building products and land fill cover.Coal plant boilers are the most effeicent in capturing the heat energy from the coal burned.A typical power plant turnbine has three sections-high pressure section-after the steam goes thru it the steam goes back into the boilers "reheat" section-then it goes to the 2nd high pressure stage-next it goes thru a "crossover" pipe to the low pressure stages-you may have two of these per turbine unit on each generator.After the low pres stages-the steam is condensed and goes back into the boiler.Nuclear turbines are similar but they don't have reheat.they run at lower steam pressure but higher volume than fossil fuel plants.The nuclear boiler runs at a lower steam temp and pressure.And they run at slower speeds(1800RPM) fossil fuel turbines run at 3600RPM.Power plants are intersting peices of equipment-large masses spinning at high speeds-a power gnerator rotor may weigh 100tons!imagine this turning at 1800 or 3600 RPM-the energy stored in that!Power plants along with large rockets are the most powerful machines presently built by man.

 

[drhardee]

Even in death....

Guess who the fastest rising star in the US casket business is? Nope, it's not Batesville Casket of Batesville, IN (country's largest)..it's CHINA! They copy American casket design, and then manufacture and ship the units (metal or wood) for pennies on the dollar. They have no qualms about using rare woods or protected species.

"Big deal" you say. "Caskets are too expensive, and besides, I'm going to be cremated". Point taken. But, it's just another example of "market creep", those areas and industries which used to be proudly American made are now giving way to much cheaper Chinese made products. People want inexpensive, and the Chinese are willing to fill our shelves and warehouses. Our Wal Mart mentality will be the true "nail in the coffin(casket)" of our non-information manufacturing sector.

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www.wayodd.com

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[retro-man]

We had a Batesville Casket Co manufacturing plant here in our city for over 50 years till last year. Yes it was closed down because of the chineese casket manufacturers and us importing them. This was a great downcast on employement in the area because it was a common assembly line labor type job. People had worked there for generations. All lived in the apartment buildings in that area. There is nothing in the area for these type of labor people. Unemployment went up quickily when they closed. It put over 300 people out of work.
Jon

 

[everythingold]

Americans are stupid. In general Americans are more concerned about American Idol than the social and civic crises facing us. TV has rotted our brains. The average American watches FOUR hours a day. Organizations that used to bind us together (PTA, Kiwanis, Mason, Moose, and Elk Lodges) are all dying if not dead. The mentality I see is a "Titanic mentality" the ship is going down so grab all you can while you can and F everyone else. We slit our own throats just to save a nickel on some product. I see little hope that anything will change because Americans will not change. Turn off the TV. Ever notice how during a power outage, people emerge from their House/prison like Rip Van Winkle, and actually talk to their neighbors and work together to clean up any storm damage etc? Then, as soon as power is back.....you know what happens, back to sitting in a vegitative state in front of the idiot box. I see a lot of people, and we are no longer an industrius, innovative, involved and idependent people. We are weak, lazy, and want someone to take care of us. A sad fate for a once great people. matt