Made In America: Buy USA

I am not against world trade. While I make no claim to be an expert on international finance or economy, I do understand that international trade is important, not just to the world, but to the United States. A financially strong world is important for peace for one thing.

On a micro level there are things that have always been made in other countries that are better than here. I am a huge jewelry fan and there are techniques that just aren't done in this country. However, there are techniques and styles done by American Indians and others here that aren't done elsewhere. A true jewelry aficionado, such as I am, is interested in prizes from all over the world.

However, buying products from foreign companies, for foreign craftpersons is not the same thing as American companies exporting an increasingly large number of the jobs that Americans have done to lands where they can hire people at a fraction of a living wage. I will give two examples.

Most of the clothing you bought was made right here, often in the South, but certainly in America. The people who worked in the mills and factories were by most standards in a lower social/economic. They were hard working people who lived modest lives, often struggling financially while raising families who also became hard working Americans.

But then companies decided to move their factories to places where they could pay even less. In some of these countries it was legal to physically abuse workers, but non of them required workers to have bathroom break or even bathrooms. They could ship the work over there and have the products shipped back and still make a lot more money. So some of them did it, and then more of them did it and now its hard to find clothing made in the USA. Its getting harder and harder. I will set up a Plexo of the companies that still operate in this country and hope that you will all add the names of other companies you know of.

Computers used to be made in America, some of them. They are now all made in China or elsewhere. OK, I can deal with that, perhaps it would be too expensive to do it here, of course, maybe not. But when I bought my first computer and for years after when I needed help, I got someone somewhere in this country, perhaps Canada. I first Dell was that way. Now? The frustration I experienced with my last Dell is why I am now with Apple. Its so hard to explain something to someone half way around the world, and if this faceless person doesn't help, you are totally helpless. With Apple? Well, the phone support is still here, and best yet, when I really need something, I take my computer and walk to the back of the store where I talk to someone who takes my computer and fixes it while I am there. And better yet, it employs Americans.

So no, I am not against world trade. What I am saying is that we need to work to keep jobs here in this country. That will actually be better for the world, because the reality is that if we fail, the rest of the world will have a hard time to.