George Bush's answer on getting rid of the USA

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

No, I will pay more for a product if the alternative is an unsafe product. I will pay more for a product if it is a better value as well. That is why, among other reasons, I do not shop at Walmart. But I still prefer to pay less. And if I can get a better car for less money through an Asian company, I will do so. If I can purchase a rake made in China that is half the price as the American made rake, I will do so.

If I am completing a transaction that requires the use of attorneys, I will not accept an Indian attorney... I will use an American.

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:rant: ..HEY Lily.....Whats WRONG with INDIANS ?? :rant:

(OOOPS, ...you were talking about "India" :wub: )


Lily,

Thanx to Henry Ford, (I believe) thats why we have the "UAW" !!!!!!!

 

[Gilding the Lily]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
:rant: ..HEY Lily.....Whats WRONG with INDIANS ?? :rant:

(OOOPS, ...you were talking about "India" :wub: )


Lily,

Thanx to Henry Ford, (I believe) thats why we have the "UAW" !!!!!!!

Yeah... East Indians.

Actually, Ford is a role model for anti-union movements! He was the last of the major auto companies to enter into bargaining contracts! Ford even paid workers to harass union organizers. :wub:

And Ford's customers loved him for his anti-union stance!

 

[local 12 proud]

If I can purchase a rake made in China that is half the price as the American made rake, I will do so.

Of course you can always find cheaper Chinese made crap. Being a mechanic I've always recieved tools in some form or fashion over the years as gifts, birthdays, Christmas, etc...
I know most people don't realize the difference between a Snap-on, Craftsman, Matco, or ROC wrench, but I can assure you there is a big difference.

Bottom Line.....You Get What You Pay For! 😉

 

[KCFlyer]

Of course you can always find cheaper Chinese made crap. Being a mechanic I've always recieved tools in some form or fashion over the years as gifts, birthdays, Christmas, etc...
I know most people don't realize the difference between a Snap-on, Craftsman, Matco, or ROC wrench, but I can assure you there is a big difference.

Bottom Line.....You Get What You Pay For! 😉

This is the part I don't understand...there is (what used to be) an American rake for $15 and a Chinese rake for $10/ Obviously, the Chinese rake is a bargain. But...(assuming I can still by an American rake if innovators haven't offshored their production) let's say I pop for the $15 American rake...I happily rake my leaves this year. And next year. And the year after that. The Chinese rake the Gilding bought worked great this year. But next year, the rake keeps falling off the handle. So, he goes to the store and finds the American rake is $20 (assuming the American rake is still available), and the Chinese rake is $12.50. He buys the Chinese rake. And it works great for that season, but the following season, the damned business end keeps falling off the rake. Back to the hardware store and this year he sees that the American rake is $22.50 and the Chinese rake is $15. Soooo...the third year he does one of two things...he either buys the $15 Chinese rake (and has spent $37.50 over the 3 years) or he comes over to by the 3 year old American rake that I paid $15 for way back when. I think I'm beginning to understand this "shareholder value" thing.

But I seem to recall such outrage when Detroit built cars with "planned obsolescence" in mind. People were rightfully upset about that. But today, they are willing to accept the very same crap because they are "paying less" for it.

 

[Gilding the Lily]

This is the part I don't understand...there is (what used to be) an American rake for $15 and a Chinese rake for $10/ Obviously, the Chinese rake is a bargain. But...(assuming I can still by an American rake if innovators haven't offshored their production) let's say I pop for the $15 American rake...I happily rake my leaves this year. And next year. And the year after that. The Chinese rake the Gilding bought worked great this year. But next year, the rake keeps falling off the handle. So, he goes to the store and finds the American rake is $20 (assuming the American rake is still available), and the Chinese rake is $12.50. He buys the Chinese rake. And it works great for that season, but the following season, the damned business end keeps falling off the rake. Back to the hardware store and this year he sees that the American rake is $22.50 and the Chinese rake is $15. Soooo...the third year he does one of two things...he either buys the $15 Chinese rake (and has spent $37.50 over the 3 years) or he comes over to by the 3 year old American rake that I paid $15 for way back when. I think I'm beginning to understand this "shareholder value" thing.

But I seem to recall such outrage when Detroit built cars with "planned obsolescence" in mind. People were rightfully upset about that. But today, they are willing to accept the very same crap because they are "paying less" for it.

My rake was $7.99... was made in asia... and it works great. My Asian car is also great. My Asian umbrella... not so great this morning... i should have purchased an american made umbrella!

Come on guys. Obviously some of the stuff you buy from other countries is crap, but not all of it. Some of the stuff you buy from America is crap, not all of it. You are using too broad of generalizations here!

 

[KCFlyer]

My rake was $7.99... was made in asia... and it works great. My Asian car is also great. My Asian umbrella... not so great this morning... i should have purchased an american made umbrella!

Come on guys. Obviously some of the stuff you buy from other countries is crap, but not all of it. Some of the stuff you buy from America is crap, not all of it. You are using too broad of generalizations here!

I'm having fun with you Gilding, and I have nothing against Asian products...for 20 years of my life, Sony Corporation was responsible for the roof over my head and the food on my table, since my father was employed by them. Back then, Sony was MORE expensive...and higher quality. As you say...they were innovators - VCR's, CD's, Walkman, etc. Sadly, even Asian companies are not immune to cost cutting efforts - and IMHO, Sony quality is nothing like it was back in the 70's and 80's. Back in the 70's and 80's, "Made in Japan" was on the package of almost every Sony product. Today - it's China. And the drop in quality shows it.

But from another thread, you had said

And I think history has shown what happens when the "have nots" begin to realize that they grossly outnumber the "haves" and that the "haves's" wealth is based mostly upon the backs of the "have nots". Let me put it this way... the "have nots" didn't simply request from their congressperson that wealth be redistributed.

My point in this thread is that we are fast becoming a nation of "have nots". The "haves" are CEO's and top tier management of "American" companies. They place such a premium on shareholder value that they slash jobs, wages, and working conditions of those who put their companies in their top position in the first place. One company laid off hundreds...and the labor savings to his company was still LESS than what his annual salary was. I'm sure he was rewarded with a bonus that negated much of the effects of his cost cutting efforts. So I wonder if "innovation" can occur faster that an uprising among the "have nots".

 

[Gilding the Lily]

But from another thread, you had said My point in this thread is that we are fast becoming a nation of "have nots". The "haves" are CEO's and top tier management of "American" companies. They place such a premium on shareholder value that they slash jobs, wages, and working conditions of those who put their companies in their top position in the first place. And I wonder if "innovation" can occur faster that an uprising among the "have nots".

Only time will tell; things move so much faster now than they did 100 years ago... things could be completely opposite in 5 years.

You would find this article interesting KC. It is about the globalization that is splitting Chicago's economy. The part I think you will find interesting: Compared to 1970, 14.2% of families that used to be middle class are no longer middle class. The middle class is shrinking (as everyone knows).

You would think that most of them fell to lower class, but the study shows that the lower class only grew by 5% while the upper class grew by 9.2%. Yes, the middle class is shrinking at an alarming rate, but more people (atleast in Chicago) from the middle class jumped to the upper class than to the lower class.

I have an inkling, however, that part of the disparity is due to lower class families being economically forced to leave the city and, thus, do not count as a lower class family in the study. That is rather unfortunate for our city.

My city is becoming a city of financial, legal, and science professionals. And it is apparent that the middle class is shrinking. However, my city has been lauded for its innovation in the international scene... and is considered one of the top economic centers in the world. It is a double edge sword!

Middle Class families shrinking, but Upper Class families growing

 

[local 12 proud]

This is the part I don't understand...there is (what used to be) an American rake for $15 and a Chinese rake for $10/ Obviously, the Chinese rake is a bargain. But...(assuming I can still by an American rake if innovators haven't offshored their production) let's say I pop for the $15 American rake...I happily rake my leaves this year. And next year. And the year after that. The Chinese rake the Gilding bought worked great this year. But next year, the rake keeps falling off the handle. So, he goes to the store and finds the American rake is $20 (assuming the American rake is still available), and the Chinese rake is $12.50. He buys the Chinese rake. And it works great for that season, but the following season, the damned business end keeps falling off the rake. Back to the hardware store and this year he sees that the American rake is $22.50 and the Chinese rake is $15. Soooo...the third year he does one of two things...he either buys the $15 Chinese rake (and has spent $37.50 over the 3 years) or he comes over to by the 3 year old American rake that I paid $15 for way back when. I think I'm beginning to understand this "shareholder value" thing.

But I seem to recall such outrage when Detroit built cars with "planned obsolescence" in mind. People were rightfully upset about that. But today, they are willing to accept the very same crap because they are "paying less" for it.

Yea its not rocket science!

 

[North by Northwest]

I know one thing...I don't buy CHINESE if I can help it. It is either toxic, shabby, or both. You can not compare Chinese products to the rest of Asia (quality). The rest of Asia makes some of the best products in the world. US autos have long since closed the quality gap (it almost cost them going out of business). It is difficult for American business to change once it is in the hands of greed...just look at what has happened to the US aviation industry.

I wouldn't shop at Walmart if it were free.

 

[local 12 proud]

I wouldn't shop at Walmart if it were free.

That makes two of us, and yet millions do!

Mom and Pop stores have all but vanished in this country because these greedy bastads choose to import cheap goods off the backs of child labor with no regard to safety, all the while greasing our politicians palms in the name of free trade and globalism. :rant:

Lily, hope that cheap chinese rake does'nt splinter and put your eye out! 😱