Wal Mart shocker

TWINKLE_TOES · Oct 18, 2004

Robert, I had a somewhat similar experience at a COSTCO store. I was looking at a "road hazard" kit which identified by country of origin the different components of the kit.

China- Most everything in the kit, compressor, flares, emergency light etc.
USA- Single item, Can of slime for tire repair
Canada- All the medical supplies

Alan L. · Oct 18, 2004

There's nothing evil about out-sourcing jobs or buying products made abroad. This is why we have the standard of living that we enjoy, in that the products are so inexpensive. We could decide we will only buy U.S. made products, but I for one can't afford it.

For those who have lost their jobs due to out-sourcing, its unfortunate. Hopefully, corporate profits generated by such competitive policies will create an even better job in this economy.

daedong · Oct 18, 2004

When down under
Look for this label when shopping, Quality is somewhere between trash and superb everytime you buy, Its price is always the dearer product

slowrev · Oct 18, 2004

"Quality is somewhere between trash and superb everytime you buy" LOL ain't it the truth. Thats what I like about you Aussies, very much realists.

Ben

slowrev · Oct 18, 2004

"Hopefully, corporate profits generated by such competitive policies will create an even better job in this economy. "

I do hope you are right but the pessimist in me is doubtful ....

Ben

slydog · Oct 18, 2004

( "Hopefully, corporate profits generated by such competitive policies will create an even better job in this economy. "

I do hope you are right but the pessimist in me is doubtful ....

Ben
)

AMEN brother ben

RobertN · Oct 18, 2004

I do. 6 or 7 years ago when I got it, everything was made elsewhere. The closest thing to a domestic CUT was probably a green Yanmar with Deere stickers on it. Now, some CUT's are partially assembled here, and have some domestic parts content.

RobertN · Oct 18, 2004

I have two concerns. One, is the outsource of jobs. It is double edged though. While we do loose jobs to outsourcing, other areas grow. While we might loose manufacturing jobs, we might gain design jobs. For those that lost thier jobs it is hard, as the new jobs typically do not fit thier skill sets. I do think, that as we loose more manufacturing jobs, it is a weakening the US. What strength is there in a consumption based economy in the long run? The strength of the US came from the early ability to build and manufacture.

The other things that concerns me is that we do get inexpensive goods, but they are often "cheap" and disposable. It is dissappointing to get something that does not last or work too well. As this spirals on, we use up natural resources, only to have things in a landfill shortly thereafter.

I like to buy US, but I also like to buy quality too. If it does have to come from China or India or..., at least it could be something dependable. It's kinda the buy good item once, with money well spent, or buy four inexpensive disposable ones over time and have the frustration when they break or do not work as well.

Alan L. · Oct 18, 2004

There is beginning to be some offshore out-sourcing of services in my profession. We have refused to participate, and we stress that fact to our clients. Our hope is that our clients appreciate the higher quality (and more expensive) service they get from U.S. citizens right here in our own offices. So far, we've been OK, but if the competition starts to regularly offer what is "perceived" as the same services at a whole lot cheaper price because they are using Indian and Pakistani people, then we will either have to do the same or go out of business.

If you can build a 100% American product AND demostrate to consumers that the increased quality is worth the price, then you can stop jobs from going oversees.

Otherwise there is nothing that can be done short of more government interference, which I think would be ill-advised.

dlabrie · Oct 18, 2004

( The only thing holding this county together is the timber industry and agriculture. )

Well most of the lumber mills around here are closed. I see logs heading North to Canada and finished lumber comming back.

slowrev · Oct 18, 2004

And south of the border is really hurting the AG industry.

Ben

cowboydoc · Oct 18, 2004

South of the border is going to bankrupt the ag economy. There is virtually no way to compete with their low land values and complete lack of any kind of environmental controls. They can and do use whatever they want and there is no concern for runoff, etc. The south is going to rival us as the ag superpower in very little time. Deere is investing 80 million dollars in Brazil for a new combine and planter facility. So much for the combines and planters being all US made.

Wages may be one factor but the biggest factors, at least in the ag world, are government regulations, NONE in most other countries, and all the taxes on land, ss, medicare, etc. etc.

RichZ · Oct 18, 2004

I agree with you on that, Richard. There has to be a better way to ensure quality agricultural products than we do now. For example, I'm in the process of establishing a goat dairy to sell goat milk products (cheese, butter, yogurt, etc), but in order to do that, I have to have a state certified milking parlor and state certified commercial kitchen. Right now, my wife and I don't have the money to build them, so we're keeping our day jobs, and expanding our farm too slowly for our tastes. But foreign dairies aren't held to anywhere near those standards, and they can produce their products much more cheaply (is cheaply a word??). But what is the quality of their products? Are they as wholesome and bacteria free as from our own dairies? I strongly doubt that!!

It seems to me that regulations should be more result oriented, than making the industry adhere to certain procedures. If I can produce goat milk products without building a kitchen that is 100% stainless steel, but my bacterial counts are below set standards, shouldn't I be allowed to do that?

I strongly feel that we do need environmental and health regulations (Heck! I work for the New York State Dept. of Health!), but the regulations need to be more result oriented. In other words, if I can show that I can produce my goat dairy products, and maintain set standards, then I should be allowed to. I have no problem if they want to constantly monitor my products, because I intend to do that anyway!!

slowrev · Oct 18, 2004

Richard,
Not sure how it will all turn out but it looks like the golden days of the US of A are over, and we will have to settle for less. Hope I am wrong though.

Ben

Phred · Oct 18, 2004

Well I will just add that I too like to buy American but can not always do so, or the American made options are a rotten deal.

As far as job losses go:
The job losses are often transitional. For example very few horse shoes are made in comparison to 150 years ago. Those jobs went away, but there are a lot more jobs making tires than 150 years ago. Now if all you know how to do is make horse shoes then this stinks.

A modern analogy would be electronics. Most of it is made in Asia. But a lot of it is designed in America. So would you rather your son/daughter drive a soldering iron for minimum wage or design electronics, or maybe be a programmer?
The problem of course is that the new better job, requires a lot more education.

So I think the bottom line is we will never be able to be cheap labor. Currently china is beating us, next maybe India, and after that maybe Africa if they can pull themselves out of their current mess.
So we must be innovative to survive with our current position as the leaders in standard of living.

The US is not the only one with this problem. Why the EU? Much of Europe feels this is the only way they can compete with the rest of the world. Togheter they have way more pull than the seperate countries would.
US GDP is 10082000 millions, france's GDP is 1510000 millions. Yep's there is an extra zero there in the US figure.
We have 5 times the population and almost 7 times the GDP.
That's in part due to inovation and the motivation our system builds in.

Fred

slydog · Oct 18, 2004

( Wages may be one factor but the biggest factors, at least in the ag world, are government regulations, NONE in most other countries, and all the taxes on land, ss, medicare, etc. etc. )

AHAAAA... my point exactly. It isn't just the wages, although they are a part of the issue! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

slydog · Oct 18, 2004

( Richard,
Not sure how it will all turn out but it looks like the golden days of the US of A are over, and we will have to settle for less. Hope I am wrong though.

Ben
)

Why Ben? Why do we have to settle for less? What has happened to the principals of our country? What can we do to turn this around?

Ken

mundamanu · Oct 18, 2004

Political thread!!! But, I guess that's ok since it's just a bunch of Amer-I-cans complaining about them **** foreigners stealin all their jobs and sellin them all cheap crap! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

KennyV · Oct 18, 2004

My 3cents worth… I don’t think it is principals as much as economic reality. The rest of the world is also increasing their productivity, and there are a LOT of other people and countries.

Most things in this country are no worse than they ever have been… We have not lost or degraded our principals. Some things are actually better.

Things change sometimes faster than people change… To stop it or turn it around, all you need is a time machine, but things will ultimately change…

Any reflection to “the good ol’ days”, usually leaves out a lot of “bad ol’ days’. The best anyone can do is their best…
hopefully there will be few poor choices made along the way that will need correcting. KennyV.

daedong · Oct 18, 2004

US GDP is 10082000 millions, france's GDP is 1510000 millions. 

I don't understand this comparison, it is misleading to say the least to pluck GDP figures. there are many other things one must take into account. doesn't the USA have enormous public debt. Your GDP is about $37,000us per capita but your public debt is about 63% of GDP, and there is many other factors that must be looked at to make fair and reasonable statements /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif