BUY AMERICAN

[johnpas]

I could not sleep so here I am posting. I was wondering if everyone in america bought american cars starting now and traded in all their foriegn cars. what would that do to auto makers and overall economy? WE make good cars with personality heart and soul . A Cadillac is beautiful car for example. Let the Germans buy their BMW's and MBZ's. Let the swedes buy Volvo's and Saub's. Let the Japs buy Toyota's , Nissan's, Lexus'es. Let each country buy their own Make and drive them and fix their own cars. They all break and eventually wear down then you need a new car and the cycle repeats. I am 51 years old and have raised 4 kids. one left at home in high school as senior he is 18 , I am a GRandpa too!. I have owned Mercedes Benz , BMW's , Toyota's , Honda's , Volvo's . I have been a car salesman for 11 years I sold new jeeps, new Pontiacs, and new Eagles for one year. Then I sold BMW's and Porsche's and Audi's for 3 years , then I sold Mercedes Benz for 7 years. I have been on Vacation for 1 year and Five months now and I don't think I will go back to selling cars. But I have a Change of heart now I used to really love MBZ's and BMW's and PORSCHE's but I feel like a traitor now since our economy is so run down now. The American people make good cars we should support our own now and buy American cars only . So I have resolved in my heart to buy American cars until I die and to recommend American cars to all my kids. I am not so sure MBZ's and BMW's are better than American cars. I have seen a lot bad German cars come right back for repair right after I sold them and they were new. The Germans have had a lot of electronic problems. But overall they make nice cars too just like a Cadillac and a Lincoln is a nice car . The point is that many countries make nice cars , but we should support our own people and economy and USA jobs.

Yes I know Toyota has assembly plants here with other makes too and many jobs are supported . I don't have answer to that one . Maybe if their sales dipped to zero and GM's and Ford's sales and Dodge's doubled , Then GM , Ford and Dodge could buy out those foriegn plants built here and all the workers there could keep their jobs. Mercedes Benz has a plant in Alabama, and BMW has a plant in South Carolina, They both assemble their SUV's and Crossover Vans here.

Gas was 1.69 a gallon here in san diego , now just run gas down to 1.00-1.25 range and EVERYONE buy BIG FORD TRUCKS , BIG GMC's , BIG RAM DODGE's , BUY SUV's and new CADDIES , and new Lincoln's and TRADE in all Foriegn CARS! ALL in next 3 months!! What would that do to economy? Well I guess I was just dreaming ,but would it not be Great if everyone did a turn around? John in San Diego, CA.

[MrEldo97]

These sentiments extend to other goods as well.

Don’t buy Red Chinese manufactured crap!

Buy American or European manufactured products ONLY – even if those goods cost more.

I do. And I go without if I can when I can’t find the same product made in any country other than one of the Asian slave providing countries. “Free Trade” as practiced in the USA is nothing more that a bald-faced USG supported corporate scheme to pay the lowest wages possible and has nothing to do with efficiency and competitiveness.

We are now reaping the benefits (current recession) of that economic race to the bottom our government calls “Free Trade”.

And then we have the fraud, greed, incompetence and corruption that is also contributing to the situation...When money is on the table morality goes out the window...

The USG has squandered our economic sovereignty and conceded defeat to the Red Chinese; who just happen to be the single largest holders of US Treasury Bills - the Chi Comms are funding our government! Any legislation that Congress may consider is subservient to that fact.

[MAC]

That's a tall order to expect Americans to give up their foreign cars, especially when we're talking about BMW, Mercedes, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, etc. But I do agree that we should all try to look at American cars and goods first before we buy foreign items. Unless you go to Wal-Mart then you must buy stuff made in China because that's all they sell.

[MrEldo97]

Unless you go to Wal-Mart then you must buy stuff made in China because that's all they sell.

To my point - then DON'T SHOP IN WALMART!!!!!!!!!

I don't and I get along just fine.

A little known fact: Walmart has among the most predatory corporate procurement policies in business and they have used their policies to drive many an American manufacturer out of business.

[BodybyFisher]

I have NEVER been to Walmart

[johnpas]

That's a tall order to expect Americans to give up their foreign cars, especially when we're talking about BMW, Mercedes, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, etc. But I do agree that we should all try to look at American cars and goods first before we buy foreign items. Unless you go to Wal-Mart then you must buy stuff made in China because that's all they sell.

How do you post that pic? I am having trouble posting a simple pic of my 97 eldorado. TY. Johnny , I think I will not Shop at Wal Mart either. I did not know most thier products are from Commie land. TY .

[Ranger]

What American goods? We have shipped all of our manufacturing overseas. Very few things are made here anymore. Try to buy an American made TV. Where is Admiral, Philco, RCA? Try to buy an American camera, or most any electronics for that matter. The list goes on. Corporations ship our jobs overseas, then we wonder why the unemployment rate is so high and why the economy is so bad. All that is left is to sell the products that come in from overseas (a Walmart "associate") for minimum wage.

[MrEldo97]

Which is exactly why we have to fight this battle. IMO "Free Trade" is the Number 1 issue in the USA today. This country must reverse the trend of American companies shipping jobs to Asia so they can pay coolie wages, especially US manufacturing jobs. We have to have a robust and diverse manufacturing economy otherwise we'll all be living like coolies within 10 years.

"Free Trade" is a scam and a race to the bottom for the American (and European) worker.

Another example: Did you know that the USA no longer has the domestic manufacturing capacity to furnish enough small arms ammunition to defend the country? That the USG is buying hundreds of millions of rounds of small arms ammo from a variety of foreign and third world crap small arms ammo manufacturers?

[winterset]

Instead of Buy American, we should say Be American. Let's all step up and stop the madness with these former third world countries kicking our a$$. Americans are too complacient. Get out there get some exercise - it's good for the mind too, Be an American again like we were back in the days. Our culture become so diluted we lost our identity. When did we become a nation of "I gotta have it and I want more" I have always stuck to quality. I laugh at what people accept today. I laugh at what people think of themselves, what they eat, how they present themselves, and more importantly how they run their lives today. how can we expect Americans to run the corporate world when they can't even run their own lives. I pitty the obese driving a car where they only own the lease to the car, living in a house where they owe more than it's worth (due to borrowing from their line of credit), living the good life that they know they can't afford, but do it anyway. It's a sickness. then that person is going to be some sort of middle manager in a US company. Please go away. - go on a cruise & eat yourself happy, come home, sit on your couch, and watch your 250 channel 52 inch plasma, and flick on your football game, and waste away. How is any US company going to survive if these are the people we have working for them. the US unfortunately is falling behind, and we need to start thinking about ourselves again. How can we expect to continue to help the helpless in other countries if we can't even help ourselves. If you make bad decisions for your own life, odds are you'll make bad decisions in the company you work for too - the sooner people realize this, the quicker we will recover. Thanks for giving me an excuse to vent again. BTW My Caddy & I are doing very well.

[MrEldo97]

You are so right. US culture has degenerated down to a level lower than a narcotic lethargy.

Too many Americans today just don't get it; who really controls their lives. The "system" has dumbed the population down into becoming nothing more than compliant slaves.

When I was a young guy my geneartion took to the streets to force the USG to change policy. We need to take to the streets again.

[winterset]

I am a big believer of Science fiction having insight into future inventions, and lifestyle. Many SCI-FI movies portrayed Americans living in modern cities with androids, white interior buildings etc. (Woody Allens Sleeper for example). then other show Americans living in trash yards with a barrel fire, fighting to stay alive (Terminator, Max Headroom, Robo Cop). I believe the later is more our destiny if we don't change. Great - In a few years, I'll be living out of my Caddy rigging the tank that it'll explode if someone tries to syphon the gas (Mad Max)

[JohnnyG]

(Woody Allens Sleeper for example)

But that was before they found out that chocolate eclairs were actually good for you!

Now if I can only find an American made 52" plasma TV, my Christmas shopping would be finished.

[adallak]

What American goods? We have shipped all of our manufacturing overseas. Very few things are made here anymore. Try to buy an American made TV. Where is Admiral, Philco, RCA? Try to buy an American camera, or most any electronics for that matter. The list goes on. Corporations ship our jobs overseas, then we wonder why the unemployment rate is so high and why the economy is so bad. All that is left is to sell the products that come in from overseas (a Walmart "associate") for minimum wage.

It would be interesting to know how many members of this great board actually MANUFACTURE something. Just look around - how many friends, relatives, etc. do you know who actually make goods? It is amazing how many BS jobs we have in this country, we could live without. Whole geneation of young people grew up who can do NOTHING unlike Chinese young people who just learn, work hard and do MAKE goods.

[MrEldo97]

I would think that a good number of the current lost jobs are these B*ll$h*t jobs you're talking about. This BS "post industrial", service based economy has just collapsed. The bubble has burst. The people have been swindled by the government and the corporations.

The nitwit academics who thought this crap up are proven to be the idiots they really are.

Manufacturing is the ONLY true creation of wealth.

[adallak]

Manufacturing is the ONLY true creation of wealth.

Absolutely. But read the books by Robert Kiyosaki. All he teaches young men is do not work, do not contribute to society, but rather take advantage of people. Buy and sell real estate! If that's the way everybody is tought to be rich, then we are screwed up already! Back to BS jobs. I have recently met a woman who said she was a consultant. Well, I am a consultant too. When corporations screw up some research, or cannot copy someone elses hi-tech product they ask me to help them out. I do manufacture some small hi-tech stuff right in my kitchen and sell it worldwide as well. I never copy, by the way. I asked what exactly she did. She trained employees. Recently she trained employees at a Jilett factory.

-Did you do that job before?

- Are you kidding me? NO!

- Then how can you train someone to do a job you do not have any idea about?

- I have got masters degree on something!

That's what I call BS job. How many BS jobs we have in healthcare? Who the hell are the social workers? Why in the world we need mollions of lawyers. Insurance companies? I had a minor accident with no damage or injuries... Three policemen arrived, and about ten adults govered in a minute. And it was a weekday, 2pm. Why THREE policemen? What the hell all these young men and women do at home? Conceiving kids to get money from taxpayers, then sell foodstamps and buy drugs I guess. Something is really wrong with this society.

[MrEldo97]

All of my working life I have made manufacturing deals. Myself (contracts and my charming personality and winning ways, LOL), marketing and engineering; we have taken a concept, designed the product and then established the contractual relationships to have the product manufacturered. Here in the UNITED STATES!

I know few other people who can do the same today, where once upon a time my skills were commonly found in manufacturing.

As I said the "post industrial economy" has just collapsed. I have heard of Robert Kiyosaki, read some small portion of his writings and will read more.

IMO, much of the wealth lost is "phony" wealth. Money that only existed on paper and taken as faith by those being swindled.

[SPreston2001]

Well the problem with buying american, is we dont really have a line of automobiles that can compete with all the luxury foreign automobiles. When you talk Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Bentley, Ferrari, Aston Martin, etc, the Big 3 doesnt even compare! Now I love my made in the USA concept but honestly they seem to just build better cars across the pond. Even with all the wonderful minds employed by GM, Ford, and Chrysler, they still cant seem to build a car that doesnt have the bumper fall off lol!! I have always been loyal to the Big 3, but when I talk about my DREAM car, the Big 3 are no where in sight! If the Big 3 were to up their quality, and truely build high end luxury automobiles that could compete with the foreign exotics, then maybe more people here in the states would buy more american made cars. Hell fords still trying to shake the Found On Road Dead and Fix Or Repair Daily motto!

[growe3]

Buy American...good idea. I own two Cadillacs, one Suburban, two 1955 Chrysler's, one 26 foot Bayliner, I have been paying my mortgage regularly to an American bank, and I own stock in a number of American companies (even GM).

I have a number of co-workers that are happy with their Lexus, Toyota's, etc. I also hear of their expensive, frustrating car repairs, but they love their "superior" to American built cars and trucks. While many of these same people really like my Cadillac's, they say they couldn't afford the gas to drive them. When I tell them I get an average of 20-21 MPG (I drive at higher speeds then I should; I suppose) they are in disbelief. They think that the Cadillac's only get about 8-10 MPG, because they are American, not Japanese, or German made. They also expect them to be unreliable, and not as comfortable or performance minded as their cars, I happily put those concerns to rest when I took a number of them to a luncheon in another city. They came away very favorably impressed with my DTS.

My Suburban is a 1975, and I did rebuild the 454 about 7-8 years ago, but it gets consistent 17-18 MPG (light use), with well over 425 HP; I need this rig to haul my Bayliner up and over the Hwy 50 mountain pass, to Lake Tahoe (under this load it gets about 14 MPG). Several others at work get closer to 13 MPG with their full size truck imports, used in commute.

Buy American, you bet I do. I also purchase quality foreign made products, as a gesture of American good will.

-George

PS

The above is not meant as bragging, but just happy with my vehicles.

[ampiifire]

how many 'patriots' would really buy american once the huge overabundance of slightly used foreign cars drive their fair market value way down? *smurf*, you've been to walmart.. as poisonous as that conglomerate is for this country and our local communities, you will never walk right through the check out without waiting in line. people don't care about helping the economy.. they care about helping their own families and have blind faith that the economy will fix itself.

[Texas Jim]

I own ONLY GM products.

I plan to continue buying GM cars as long as they keep making Cadillacs and I can afford them.

I also own Colt pistols, Winchester shotguns and Winchester rifles. (All AMERICAN made.)

The only reason I have a Sony HDTV is, there are no longer any AMERICAN makers of tv's.

If there was... I would have bought one.

Oh... and I haven't been in a WalMart but MAYBE two or three times in the last year or more.

One of those times was to get a new BUCK pocket knife. (AMERICAN made, of course)

[up2ng]

I am a cadillac man ,but..............

The wife and i just bought an american made car, a 2009 Nissan Rogue !

It's made in Smyrna, Tennesse and final assembly is in Elizabeth, NJ.

So I did 'buy american'

The last car i bought was a Catera, made in Germany correct.

Most of our 'american cars' are built in Mexico or Canada.

The lines are no longer as clear as they used to be !

[thu]

According to this article, some Japanese cars have 70% USA content:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,465005,00.html

Heck, some "American" cars aren't even produced in the US (e.g. Ford trucks)

Don't forget that some cars (e.g. Ford Crown Victoria) were not made in the USA. Many Ford Trucks (e.g. F-250, F-350) are not made in the USA, either. They are made either in Canada or Mexico (however, some Super Duty trucks are made in Kentucky)

If you bought a Mazda, is that non-American? Don't forget that Ford owns a big chunk of Mazda. If you bought a Volvo, is that not American? It's 100% owned by Ford. Same for Jaguar (until earlier this year, that is).

up2ng is right - the lines are no longer as clear as they used to be since the 1970s.

Buying American means many different things to many people. If you want something bad enough, but that product is not made in the USA (e.g. the Sony TV), do you buy it anyway? Is that American? Is that a cop-out? When it's inconvenient for you to go without, is it ok for you buy non-USA? Does that seem very hypocritical to you? Do you care? It depends on where each of us draws the line. Some of us haven't drawn a line. Some just don't care. Some of us don't want to buy anything that's not 100% made in the USA. Some aren't so stiff as this. Some say "only American-owned for me". Others say, "produced mostly here in the US". Still others say "designed here in the US". Others don't care.

Don't forget about the people who sell this stuff to you and those that distribute it, they're Americans just like you and me and need to make a living, too.

Are we prejudiced only against Japanese makers? If something was produced here in the US, but owned by the British or America, Jr (aka Canada), is that ok? Why or why not?

[adallak]

According to this article, some Japanese cars have 70% USA content:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,465005,00.html

Heck, some "American" cars aren't even produced in the US (e.g. Ford trucks)

Don't forget that some cars (e.g. Ford Crown Victoria) were not made in the USA. Many Ford Trucks (e.g. F-250, F-350) are not made in the USA, either. They are made either in Canada or Mexico (however, some Super Duty trucks are made in Kentucky)

If you bought a Mazda, is that non-American? Don't forget that Ford owns a big chunk of Mazda. If you bought a Volvo, is that not American? It's 100% owned by Ford. Same for Jaguar (until earlier this year, that is).

up2ng is right - the lines are no longer as clear as they used to be since the 1970s.

Buying American means many different things to many people. If you want something bad enough, but that product is not made in the USA (e.g. the Sony TV), do you buy it anyway? Is that American? Is that a cop-out? Just because it's inconvenient for you to go without, is it ok for you buy non-USA? Does that seem very hypocritical to you? Do you care? It depends on where each of us draws the line. Some of us haven't drawn a line. Some just don't care. Some of us don't want to buy anything that's not 100% made in the USA. Some aren't so stiff as this. Some say "only American-owned for me". Others say, "produced mostly here in the US". Still others say "designed here in the US". Others don't care.

Don't forget about the people who sell this stuff to you and those that distribute it, they're Americans just like you and me and need to make a living, too.

Are we prejudiced only against Japanese makers? If something was produced here in the US, but owned by the British or America, Jr (aka Canada), is that ok? Why or why not?

Good points, Thu.

[MrEldo97]

The more I think about this the more I'm becoming convinced that this bailout scheme is a bailout of the UAW and not the Not So Big Three. Chapter 11 gives these companies the opportunity to REORGANIZE and negotiate NEW contracts - with the UAW - or NO CONTRACTS AT ALL WITH THE UAW...

The Feds oughtta put me in charge of this...

[BodybyFisher]

The more I think about this the more I'm becoming convinced that this bailout scheme is a bailout of the UAW and not the Not So Big Three. Chapter 11 gives these companies the opportunity to REORGANIZE and negotiate NEW contracts - with the UAW - or NO CONTRACTS AT ALL WITH THE UAW...

The Feds oughtta put me in charge of this...

That is EXACTLY what this is. Democraps = Unions

Go bankrupt and rid themselves of union contracts and level the playing field is the only way to go