For Sale to China

Varmintmist · Oct 9, 2004

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It's not that we have become lazy, it's that people and corporations have become greedy. Why make it in the USA and make 15% post tax profit, when we can import it from China and make 20% post tax profit. Does that extra 5% profit really make a whole lot of difference if it just sits in an account for some corporation? It really doesn't. Also, people go to the discount box stores and buy stuff there because it's 50 cents cheaper than anywhere else. Granted, the quality there really sucks, but it's far ouweighed by the benefit that 50 cent savings brings.

)

I gotta disagree. They cant do it for the same price because of regulation. Steel is a great example. You cant upgrade a steel plant, you HAVE to rebuild to conform to the regs. So when the plant is at the end of its useful life ie no longer cost effective, its closed.

It irritates the snot out of me to buy a tractor made overseas, but there is NO alternative. Now there is give and take. Deere has the Zetor front ends, Mahindra has new assembly plants in the US, Kubota employs a lot of US people, as do all of the others that sell here. Everybody seems to get a slice so I guess its OK.

I avoid the 5th ring of **** (Wal-Mart) at all costs. I dont like that place. Most times I can find the same or better elsewhere and avoid all of the shoppers.

Ya know another place I like to avoid? TSC, I dont think ANYTHING is made in the US in that store. AND the prices are not that great. Problem is they are pretty much a one stop shop, and there really isnt an alternative around here without hitting 5 stores if you need a wrench, oil, filter, bolts, and a bag of dog food.
Anyhoo, back to wood. I really want you guys to keep buying hardwood, I'm going to cut again in about 8 years. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Red oak, cherry, maple, sassafrass. Keep those in mind when you go buy, the price on the stump needs to go up some /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. Northeast hardwoods are the majority of wood sold as furniture grade. The woodlots are smaller and the people havent done as much clear cutting, so there is sustainable forest.

MossRoad · Oct 9, 2004

Hey, Doc. We've purchased several pieces from this company.

http://www.oakcreations.com/index.vml

All made in the USA, finished in Michigan. They delivered and set up for us. Nice folks.

banjobj · Oct 9, 2004

It is sad to see all our manufacturing industry dying. When are we going to wake up and realize we can't make a living if we're all working at Mac Donalds or other low pay, low benefit service jobs. Sorry for the rant, but this post really hit a nerve. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

DannyD · Oct 10, 2004

Those are some beautiful peices. I envy those that can make trees look so good.

hobbyfarm · Oct 10, 2004

I do enjoy Chinese fireworks, though.
Funny thing, how something that represents how we celebrate our patriotism is celebrated with Chinese goods.
phil

KiotiJohn · Oct 11, 2004

( It is sad to see all our manufacturing industry dying. When are we going to wake up and realize we can't make a living if we're all working at Mac Donalds or other low pay, low benefit service jobs. Sorry for the rant, but this post really hit a nerve. )
I don't know how old you are, but I'm almost 52. When I was a young man, I read lots of articles about how the US was becoming a "service oriented" country because of all the imports. That was a long time ago, long before our government started making trade agreements that made it favorable to start moving manufacturing out of this country only to import, duty free, those goods we used to make.
On PBS a few days ago I watched a show where an "expert" stated that in 50 years, China will be the largest, most successful economy in the world. Sound familiar? The ball started rolling many years ago, and it isn't going to stop until we're a third world country. I doubt anything could be done about it now, because we didn't yell loudly enough then.
Seems this is the nature of things. Our time has pretty much come and gone. England used to own most of the world. The Dutch owned a lot at one time. The French did also. Power comes and power goes when we don't learn from history. John

slowrev · Oct 11, 2004

Well Said John, Too bad that most don't see the long view.

Ben

Kyle_in_Tex · Oct 14, 2004

Power comes to those who have the raw materials and knowledge to manufacture and especially to those countries that persevere to do so.

daedong · Oct 14, 2004

England used to own most of the world. The Dutch owned a lot at one time. The French did also. Power comes and power goes when we don't learn from history. John

John,

If i was French, English, or Dutch i would be offended by these comments. I would hardly call them third world, They may not have the military power of the USA , but far from third world I think you are getting issues a little muddled.

slydog · Oct 15, 2004

( It is sad to see all our manufacturing industry dying. When are we going to wake up and realize we can't make a living if we're all working at Mac Donalds or other low pay, low benefit service jobs. Sorry for the rant, but this post really hit a nerve. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif )

One thing we can all do. Write or email your congressmen/representatives and urge them to vote against the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas) It is the next step in the evolutionary chain that began with NAFTA. It expands our free trade to all nations in the western hemisphere, not just Canada and Mexico. If we don't put a stop to this nonsense by raising our collective voices, all of America will be out of work. I urge you all to make repeated contacts to your representatives and tell your friends to also. It's time that we proud Americans take back our borders, our jobs, and stop worrying about the fate of the rest of the world. If we don't, unemployment will continue to skyrocket as more and more of what we depend on is imported while our jobs are exported. If all of us speak loudly enough and often enough perhaps we can turn this around. Ok..off my soapbox now.