Just how do you BUY AMERICAN?

[patrick_g]

My DeWalt tools are ALL Chinese made. Delta is Chinese. Just today I was puttering in the shop and found an invoice for repair parts sent to me by Delta for free to fix an engineering/manufacturing defect in their infinitely variable speed bench top drill press my wife won as a door prize. All the parts had COOL (Country Of Origin Labeling) and all the parts were Chinese. Even when I have tried to buy American (and was not fully informed) I failed. My Dodge 1 ton dually with Cumins diesel was HECHO EN MEXICO!

Even if your tractor is assembled in the US it is likely (darned good chance) from large sub assemblies imported from overseas. It is cheaper to ship tractors disassembled as they take up less volume. So big deal... your tractor was bolted together from a few crates of foreign built subassemblies, is that made in the USA. Not in my book.

So, how do you buy American? Even a car built in Detroit is chock-a-block with foreign built parts and assemblies.

I don't think it is prudent or practical, if possible, these days to ONLY buy American.

What do you think?

Pat

 

[ultrarunner]

Often times you can't and that is the sad reality...

Some retailers, like Cabela's, offer the ability to search American Made when shopping for things like shoes and boots.

Looks like even old dependable Vise Grips are now being made somewhere else.

I've been able to pick-up some real nice hand tools and power equipment second hand for little money.

I agree, Made in America, is fast becoming the exception...

 

[ninefinger]

Just think of all the money one could if they only bought American made stuff. I fully understand what you are saying, there used to be some brands that you did not have to look at....Stanley, Buck knives, most any C clamp and on and on. Yes it is frustrating.

 

[Builder]

My DeWalt tools are ALL Chinese made. Delta is Chinese. Just today I was puttering in the shop and found an invoice for repair parts sent to me by Delta for free to fix an engineering/manufacturing defect in their infinitely variable speed bench top drill press my wife won as a door prize. All the parts had COOL (Country Of Origin Labeling) and all the parts were Chinese. Even when I have tried to buy American (and was not fully informed) I failed. My Dodge 1 ton dually with Cumins diesel was HECHO EN MEXICO!

Even if your tractor is assembled in the US it is likely (darned good chance) from large sub assemblies imported from overseas. It is cheaper to ship tractors disassembled as they take up less volume. So big deal... your tractor was bolted together from a few crates of foreign built subassemblies, is that made in the USA. Not in my book.

It's been this way for at least 5 years now

So, how do you buy American? Even a car built in Detroit is chock-a-block with foreign built parts and assemblies.

I don't think it is prudent or practical, if possible, these days to ONLY buy American.

What do you think?

Pat

I think it's near impossible to buy American because our government has over regulated and taxed industry out of the USA and the American companies that remain have so little profit left after they pay all the taxes and regulations that they find it's cheaper to have it made for them offshore.

There's no way you can buy purely American anymore. There will be a point in time where it may be difficult to buy anything that's American made.

 

[Ductape]

Really we've been round and round with this when it comes to tractors...... really tools and attachments are no different. Its virtually impossible to "buy american" anymore.

 

[flusher]

My DeWalt tools are ALL Chinese made. Delta is Chinese. Just today I was puttering in the shop and found an invoice for repair parts sent to me by Delta for free to fix an engineering/manufacturing defect in their infinitely variable speed bench top drill press my wife won as a door prize. All the parts had COOL (Country Of Origin Labeling) and all the parts were Chinese. Even when I have tried to buy American (and was not fully informed) I failed. My Dodge 1 ton dually with Cumins diesel was HECHO EN MEXICO!

Even if your tractor is assembled in the US it is likely (darned good chance) from large sub assemblies imported from overseas. It is cheaper to ship tractors disassembled as they take up less volume. So big deal... your tractor was bolted together from a few crates of foreign built subassemblies, is that made in the USA. Not in my book.

So, how do you buy American? Even a car built in Detroit is chock-a-block with foreign built parts and assemblies.

I don't think it is prudent or practical, if possible, these days to ONLY buy American.

What do you think?

Pat

Buy used. My 1951 Farmall Super A is all-American (built either in Chicago or Louisville). One neighbor has a Ford 8N Another has a Ford 2N. Both built in Dearborn, MI. All three of these tractors run fine and can put in a good day's work.

 

[frank_f15]

Buy used. My 1951 Farmall Super A is all-American (built either in Chicago or Louisville). One neighbor has a Ford 8N Another has a Ford 2N. Both built in Dearborn, MI. All three of these tractors run fine and can put in a good day's work.

Flusher all you say is true, back many years ago we had farmall, fords, and even a cletrac dozer and jsut a few years ago i owened a fond 2N great tractor, BUT those tractors were not made nor capable of doing many of the tasks that WE ask of our newer machines, i wish they still made them with all the bells and whistles of todays machines,

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Well I guess you could buy a Navistar truck made in Texas.

Even the Canadian Military is buying American. Of course the Canadians who lost their jobs when Navistar recently closed the Chatam Ontario plant aren't too happy with the $254 Million contract awarded to Texas when the trucks could have been built in Ontario. The Government of Ontario which provided $$$$ to the Navistar Chatam plant isn't too happy either.

If we didn't have the Gov'mnt to help out - - who could we trust to make important decisions on our behalf? Ah yes - - - the Investment Bankers - - they know what's good for us.

 

[George2615]

Its a never ending cycle and gets harder every day to try and buy American since not much is 100 % american anymore.

1) American workers want to earn more money and benefits.
2) Employer must raise price of products to meet needs of workers.
3) Gets to a point where employer can't make enough money to stay in business unless he buys foreign materials.
4) Worker and family want to pay least amount for products to save money so don't buy American product.
5) Workers company folds or moves out of country to where they can produce product for less cost putting worker out of job.
6) Worker can't find new job to match standard of living he had with previous job.

Everyone (workers and employers) want to make more money but at what cost. Seems like we are putting ourselves out of business and out of jobs.

 

[SnowRidge]

We live in a world economy. It is the same thing in all the developed countries. The third world countries are industrializing, and the developed countries are their markets.

The real problems are the marketeers here (read WalMart, Home Despot, etc.) who will buy junk and sell it as quality merchandise. The third world countries will happily fill the orders for it, and the consumer gets screwed, while the execs at the big box stores get rich.

When the Japanese made junk after WWII, American consumers laughed at them, and responsible retailers wouldn't touch the stuff. The Japanese countered by learning to make better products. Eventually, their stuff became the world standard for quality.

Today, our big box buyers don't care one iota about quality. All they want is the lowest possible price. Their business practices have rewritten the rules, and now our venerable companies are following suit. They have learned that if you want your products to be stocked, they have to be cheap above all, and to heck with quality and product longevity.

It sucks, and I hate the people responsible, but there is little I can do personally, other than try not to buy from the worst of the offenders.