I've never been big on making New Year's resolutions, mainly because mine never seemed to last past about February. I think most people fall off their resolution wagon long before they meet their goal, so why bother? Yet here we are starting a new year....again, and all over the blogosphere I see people proclaiming their resolutions for 2012. OK, I'll make one, too.
Well, actually, mine isn't so much a "resolution" but a pledge, as it isn't a black-and-white issue where you either win or fail. *drum roll* I pledge to do everything I reasonably can to buy products made in America, and to avoid as much as possible buying products made in China. Understand, if you want an iPhone, it's going to be made in China. If you want the latest, greatest child's toy, it's probably going be made in China. You just can't escape it entirely, but I think in many instances we DO have a choice, and I'm gonna go out of my way to look for those products made in the USA, and I'm willing to pay a little more for them, too.
I think it's time we face the fact that saving a few bucks on a cheap imported product actually costs us more in the long run than we save. Yes, as you walk out of the store you may feel like you saved $5 or $10 or whatever, but stop and think how many Americans are NOT working because their jobs were "outsourced" so the company could hire cheap foreign labor and make a little higher profit margin. (The stockholders demand it, they say.) Whatever you saved is indirectly eaten up in welfare/unemployment benefits (your tax dollars). At this rate, pretty soon we'll all be either cutting each other's hair or flipping burgers. I say "enough"!
Anyone care to join me?
S
Sure, and as a small gesture lets stop buying American flags made in China. On holidays I fly my father-in-law's flag that he flew for years. It was made in the good old USA but its now practically a rag. I need to replace it but most are now made in China. I won't replace it until I can find one made here.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I've had that on my mind lately. There was an article this year about a house made entirely of US products and it wasn't that much more expensive.
ReplyDeleteBut, is your Audi made in the USA or Germany? :-)
ReplyDeleteWe have the same problems here, lots of companies going to "cheap" countries, but many are returning because they realised that, in the end, it wasn't cheaper.... and quality left much to desire. I try to avoid products from China, but like you said, it's almost impossible to avoid.
Did you hear what Nokia, the Finnish cell phone maker, did? closed it's factory here in Germany causing the loss of MANY jobs (>1000?) and went to Rumania because it was cheaper. Built a brand new factory, but the cheap labor was just that... cheap (€1/hr). After 2 years they closed that factory, too... and now moved to China (I think). I will NOT buy a Nokia!
ABC News has been trying to institute a "Made in America" crusade but one wonders how many people will actually stick with it.
ReplyDeleteI have a blog friend who tried to do that with her Christmas shopping - I was amazed at how successful she was on a lot of items.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you! You are right - with some things, you can't get around it (I remember reading once, many years ago, that no televisions are made in America), but when there is a choice, I'll buy American and I'm willing to pay more.
ReplyDeleteI found recently that some (not all) New Balance gym shoes are made in the USA. That's a start. I may start emailing companies...