Buying Foreign Goods Saves American Jobs
Consumer-Led Protectionism Is Born of Economic Illiteracy
Roger Simmermaker of Orlando, Florida, is leading a national campaign to encourage Americans to “Buy American.” In 1996 Simmermaker wrote How Americans Can Buy American, which recently was published in a second edition.1 The book, as its title implies, provides guidance on how to identify and buy American products in today’s integrated global marketplace. Simmermaker writes, “By changing just a few simple buying habits, usually at little or no cost or inconvenience to the consumer, we can re-direct literally thousands of dollars out of hands of foreigners and into the hands of Americans.”
While this sort of consumer-led protectionism is preferable to subsidies, tariffs, and import quotas imposed by the government, it is unfortunately born of the same economic illiteracy. In a segment on CNN’s “Lou Dobbs Tonight” last January, Simmermaker claimed that if Americans made a conscious effort to buy American products whenever possible, the impact on the U.S. economy would be enormous. He is correct that indiscriminately purchasing American products would have an enormous impact, but that impact would be enormously grave.
If consumers were unaware of, or unconcerned with, the origins of specific consumer goods, they would seek the highest-quality products at the best available prices. Thus for those American products that offer the highest quality at the best price, there is no need for crusaders such as Simmermaker to encourage Americans to buy them. What is left, then, is for Simmermaker to encourage American consumers to purchase those other American products that are higher priced and/or of lower quality than competing foreign goods. According to him and others, doing so will preserve American jobs and help the American economy.
In fact, inducing Americans to purchase higher-priced goods harms the American economy in several ways. The most significant, contrary to Simmermaker’s basic presumption, is that indiscriminate buying of American goods costs American jobs.
One of the primary reasons American consumers purchase foreign-made goods is that those goods are often less expensive. Consider a simple basket of American products that cost $20,000, and includes an automobile for $18,000, an assortment of electronic items for $1,500, and clothing for $500. Now consider a basket of comparable foreign-made goods that cost only $15,000, including an automobile of similar quality for $13,500, electronic items for $1,250 and clothing for $250. Simmermaker would encourage American consumers to purchase the American goods, although they would cost an additional $5,000.
Indeed, if Americans follow Simmermaker’s advice and buy the more-expensive basket of goods, American jobs would be preserved in the automobile, electronics, and clothing industries. Unfortunately, this is where Simmermaker’s economic analysis ends.
Let’s take the analysis a step further. If Americans were to purchase the less-expensive basket of foreign goods, in addition to having all their needs met that induced them to purchase the goods in the first place, they would also have an additional $5,000 with which to purchase other goods and services. Perhaps they would upgrade their computer operating systems, dine out more often, see more movies or plays, attend more concerts, and purchase more books. In this instance, the $5,000 saved by purchasing the less-expensive foreign goods results in the creation of additional jobs in the software, restaurant, entertainment, publishing, and other industries where the money saved would be spent.
But the benefits to Americans of buying the less-expensive foreign goods do not end there. Consider the $15,000 spent on the foreign goods. This money is now in the hands of foreign producers. One of two things will happen next. One possibility, a very unlikely one, is that nothing will be done with the money; that is, it will simply sit in some vault or be sewn into some foreign producer’s mattress never to be seen again. In this case, the American consumer has received a basket of useful goods, while the foreign producer has received a bunch of useless slips of green paper.
Dollars Spent or Invested
The second and more likely possibility is that the money will be spent on American goods or services, or invested in the U.S. economy, either directly or indirectly. Perhaps the foreign producer will take his family on a trip to Disneyland, purchasing a host of services that will elude U.S. Department of Commerce balance-of-trade sheets, perpetuating the false impression of a trade deficit.2 Perhaps the Japanese automaker will purchase a bottle of French perfume, and the French perfume producer will use the dollars to purchase the latest edition of Windows. In any case, the money, if not left simply to gather dust, will find its way back into the American economy creating jobs in countless American industries in the process.
Those opposed to foreign trade bemoan lost jobs to foreign competition. Yet they fail to account for the fact that as imports of goods and services have increased, the U.S. unemployment rate has declined. In the 15 years from 1988 through 2002, a period in which the United States experienced record levels of imports averaging over $928 billion per year3 and in which we were deluged with cries that American jobs were moving out of the country in search of cheap labor, the average annual unemployment rate was a healthy 5.5 percent.4 However, in the 15 years before that, from 1973 through 1987, when average annual imports of goods and services totaled a mere $312 billion per year (in 2003 dollars) and there was much less concern about losing jobs to cheap foreign labor markets, the average unemployment rate was significantly higher, 7.2 percent.
In addition to the creation of American jobs associated with increased imports, per capita income has also risen, from $14,291 per person in 1973 to $22,851 in 2001—an inflation-adjusted increase of nearly 60 percent.5
The best thing Americans can do to save American jobs is to be smart shoppers and purchase goods that offer the highest quality at the lowest price—wherever they are made. Merely acting in one’s own self-interest is the best means of advancing the interests of society.
Robert Carreira is an economic analyst at the Center for Economic Research at Cochise College in Arizona, where he also teaches economics and political science.
Notes
- See sample chapters at Simmermaker’s website, http://www.howtobuyamerican.com.
- For more on the fallacy of trade deficits, see Frédéric Bastiat, Economic Sophisms (Irvington-on-Hudson, N.Y.: Foundation for Economic Education, 1996 [1845]).
- U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, interactive database at www.bea.gov.
- U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov/cps/prev_yrs.htm.
- Personal income data expressed in 2001 dollars. U.S. Census Bureau, www.census.gov.
Comment by Ed on 24 January 2010:
That’s absurd logic. That extra $5K will be spent on more foreign made products now that the trend has been established. You can rationalize it anyway you want. If you don’t support the system that supports you, woe to you and yours.
Comment by Red Dog on 17 February 2010:
I agree with Ed. And how many products made in the USA has China (our #1 exporter to the US) or Japan purchased from us? The only way America can be strong is to buy American manufactured goods. Buying manufactured goods from their own home field and exporting everything they can is why China is becoming a superpower with a huge growing economy.
Comment by Bob on 1 March 2010:
We should get our economic analysis from a foreign supplier, not ourengineering and manufactured goods. Products inported from other countries use a lot of energy to cross the oceans whereas economic and political teaching (especially this type) can be sent over the internet at virtually no cost. So Robert Carreira, you’re fired. Good luck finding a new job in China at a living wage.
Comment by Alec on 1 April 2010:
I think time has proved his logic wrong, since the unemployment rate is at around 9.7, I guess those profitable Disneyland trips aren’t happening as planned, and this guy teaches economics.
Pingback by "99 Weekers" need to start marching in the streets ! - Unemployment -benefits, rate, legislation, insurance, jobless, extension, jobs, employers, employees, hiring, resumes, occupations, government, laws, unions, contracts, workers - Page 19 - C on 2 May 2010:
[...] Originally Posted by Ina Van Down By The River The American public helped create this mess because we're to cheap to buy American made products. Now it's too late to buy American made products, at the quantities that would make a difference anyway. I disagree I TRY to avoid buying anything made in China and Twain. Do you know how difficult that is? Not much that you pick up on the store shelves says made in USA. I have always bought American made cars, have a chevy now, but won't buy Gm anymore since the government took them over. I don't think so: Buying Foreign Goods Saves American Jobs | The Freeman | Ideas On Liberty [...]
Comment by mike on 18 August 2010:
yes American products are more expensive. period! but when you buy american your keeping manufacturing jobs in America. is it too late? we can all work at walmart i guess
Comment by Don Mitchel on 24 August 2010:
Manufacturing jobs are created where cost are lower. If international shipping was held accountable for water pollution and the carbon footprint caused bringing foreign goods into our country their cost would rise. The following is from a report prepared for congress in dec 2009 “Although estimates of the costs of ballast treatment may be imprecise and vary from vessel to
vessel, there is some general agreement on average costs.14 For example, it may cost an estimated
$400,000 per vessel for modification of container/bulk vessels to use onshore ballast water
treatment facilities at California ports. More generally, the cost of retrofitting vessels to treat
ballast water has been estimated at between $200,000 and $310,000 per vessel for mechanical
treatment and around $300,000 for chemical treatment.15 Most of this expense will be borne by
foreign shipping companies, as the U.S. flag fleet is a small percentage of the global fleet,16 and
likely passed along to consumers of products imported on these ships.” Until the media informs the general public about the human health effects of water borne virus, human pathogens, and invasive’s ballast water presents, bringing foreign goods into our country taking Americans jobs, or the terrorist threat they present, the Senate will not act. This would curtail a vision of economic globalization as the answer to help the American economy,despite continued destruction of our waters. All we can hope for is delay by another study, a weak Coast Guard plan to address invasive’s, while delegateing out the pollution by other materials, and the terrorist threat, to several branches of government without any infrastructure to enforce. Preventing chemicals, like rat poison used by sea captains to kill invasive’s will not be possible by the EPA through Clean Water Act as they do not have infrastructure for enforcement. They will continue to allow tougher state laws that create international competition among the states, without an infrastructure for enforcement.
Comment by Chuck Prahl on 27 August 2010:
Your article is specious only tariffs will bring back manufacturing to American Shores. You are in the same boat as those who want us all to work for Walmart and make nothing.
Comment by Sid on 2 September 2010:
I say to hell with the foreign producer and put Americans back to work. Buying American helps American workers.
Where in the hell did you take economics? George W. Bush U.?
Comment by Don Mitchel on 13 September 2010:
Stimulus spending that will create jobs, that will not last, making the problem worse in the next economic crisis as we accumulate more debt. Going green is not what this administration is doing. Stimulus, if it affects the dollar amount of the treasury notes we issue, and the notes are bought by those who supply our largest employers their manufactured products, will continue to enslave our country to the economic policy of foreign interest. If the military continues a plan offering incentives to foreign shipping bringing foreign goods into our country , asking them not to pollute our environment, while trying to limit US carbon emissions in manufacturing, as the administration negotiates currency manipulation, and hidden carbon emissions with a communist country, why would American manufacturing invest heavily in our country? Why is our president, trying to ease the economic problems of foreign ships needing to install technology to protect our waters, rather than trying to level the playing field for American manufacturing? By NOT helping foreign ships and protecting our environment and our economic interest, change with Ballast Water and how it is handled, mainly the timeline will create “CHANGE” that will affect America’s stature in the world for many decades to come. It would be quite understandable for an American plan to subsidize what little shipping industry we have and perhaps even helping promote its growth. A slow plan helping foreign shipping as we have now, will allow, for foreign ships to continue polluting longer, till the foreign shipping industry decides to “take a step” into a Coast Guard plan. The type of stimulus this administrations, military plan for “change” is offering, will only help foreign shipping and those who import foreign manufactured products, but may offer temporary economic recovery as foreign manufacturing powers carry the United States on their coat tails ,only until the next global caused economic crisis. Fast decisive legislation for ballast water as the law of the land, not providing economic incentives for foreign ships, from a foreign tax base, bringing foreign goods into our country, would send a message to American manufacturing and perhaps affect their investing policy, as it would level the playing field for industry to grow, providing long term jobs and economic security to our country and may even create stronger countries on our borders where poverty and a bad quality of life are breeding growing instability and violence. Soon, this September a “new” military study created for “change” coinciding with the Coast Guard 20 year plan, and the EPA, — over two years after Senator Boxer killed the legislation created by the largest elected legislative voice of the American people (395-7),– will meet to discuss again their “new” findings and they might have “new” recommendations. Will they continue on a slow course for change to protect foreign economic shipping interest, or will they speed up mandatory requirements to retrofit with technology, allowing faster protection of our waters and economic growth for our country?
Comment by wtf on 15 September 2010:
suck a fatty
Comment by wtf on 15 September 2010:
what the fackin fack
Comment by Cry Aboutit on 15 September 2010:
I hear a lot of good arguments for reasons to buy American-made goods here. If perpetuating jobs for hard-working Americans is the goal, I think you could make a better point than chanting “Buying American is good for America.”
I buy American whenever I feel that the benefits of buying products here offsets the higher price.
I buy my dog food from a local butcher because his food hasn’t poisoned or killed any dogs–we know that some foreign dog food producers can’t boast that track record.
I buy toys for my friends’ kids and my niece from a woodworker in IL. Because none of his toys are made from treated wood and none use lead paint. When the kids get a little older and I don’t have to worry about them chewing on their toys I will expand my options.
I buy my meat from the same butcher who provides my dog food, and I went to high school with the guy who raises the beef I eat. He takes his responsibility seriously and feeds his own kids the same meat he sells me. I trust his methods.
All of these items are slightly more expensive, but I would not consider them more costly. The benefit of having peace of mind that what my dog, my friends’ kids, and I consume is worth the approximately 20% higher price tag.
This doesn’t refute what the author wrote, though. He advises buying the most quality at the lowest price, which I think I have done. That I buy almost exclusively from American producers is a function of their ability to meet my quality standards, and the convenience of their location (nice to have your grocer live close). It is not a protectionist agenda.
The way your arguments are presented makes it sound like you think it is my patriotic duty to buy American products regardless of their quality or price.
Ok, I’m in. But if it’s such a good thing to pay higher prices to American manufacturers (and protect those non-WalMart jobs) why don’t we pay the highest possible price? If it helps manufacturer A pay his workers a higher wage, please sacrifice my wealth for theirs. Instead of buying a set of lineman’s pliers from Klein for $25, why not pay $75? It makes sense to me.
Fortunately, I can charge the pliers to a project, and then when I buy American copper for the highest possible price, I will pass that cost along to the owner, too. I’ll remind him that is his patriotic duty to buy American. And so I don’t price myself out of competition with my wiring estimate, I will slash my profit to almost nothing. A small sacrifice to make to save those non-Wal*Mart jobs (because that’s the slippery slope–if you don’t make tall wage at American Manufacturing A, then your only other option is to work for between fart-and-crap at Wal*Mart).
Never mind that I was going to take the profit from the project and buy, say, food or clothes or maybe go out to dinner, or even save a little of it back for a rainy day. I don’t care about protecting the grocer or the guy who runs the thrift store or the servers and cooks at the restaurant or the bank teller or the banker or myself. I care about protecting line workers’ union scale because what’s good for American Union workers is what is good for America, right?
Comment by Don Mitchel on 19 September 2010:
If our country created national ballast water legislation, it would have a ripple affect in saving human life around the world, as IMO sea captains may be more inclined to use technology if it were on board while in counties without any way to enforce the ineffective ocean flush. Waterborne disease in third world countries that rely on the sea for their food, could be curtailed, charity money for vaccines and medicine would have greater impact as needless illness could be prevented. To use the phrase economic globalization is giving the concept of producing and moving goods around the world for global economic development of 3rd world countries, more a place of respect as a concept than it is. Globalization of ideas, culture, education are great to help eliminate misunderstandings and exchange of knowledge, but the plan that boosting foreign economies, helping them develop strong exporting economies at the expense of our countries quality of life and environment is no more than the results of two decades of political dynasty’s using it as a way to create revenue for their political origins and their agendas. This is being done while putting the foundations of our countries core values and economy in peril by interlacement of our free economic beliefs with a communist countries controlled economic policy. To be dependent on a country to support our currency so our politicians can offer entitlements for votes, when the country we depend on dose not have an ideology that supports any of our ideals, is allowing them to have a indirect say in our political process. (We can never be considered a free country as long as another country holds our purse strings) In other words the impact on peoples life through a policy of ECONOMIC globalization is about greed, rather than understanding. Our country with it diverse population, is already an experiment of cultural Globalization, that currently can not supply enough jobs for its own people. We need national ballast water to be considered as the law of the land, and not considered as the International Law of the Sea.
Comment by DW on 22 September 2010:
Looks like a lot of people are missing the point here. With the $5000 saved, (the $15k spent on necessities) it now becomes discretionary spending money. You use that on vacation, dining out, seeing a movie, etc. Guess where that goes? STRAIGHT into our economy. The US infrastructure has moved away from production because other countries will do it cheaper. We have become a service and high-technology oriented country (by choice because we believe in minimum-wage and a better living quality for ALL) and that will continue to bolster us as we move forth. Buying foreign also keeps American jobs in the shipping industry, which is a huge boon for us. Then it has to be delivered to the factory and then to your home. All of this is done by American workers in the country. To say that isolating ourselves will lead to more jobs is absolutely false.
Furthermore, guess who makes the decision to produce American goods in foreign countries? The AMERICAN OWNERS. And its smart business. If all of the production was still in America, prices would be way too high for the normal American to afford. And with demands for US products, only, the quality would diminish as well. The reason why Americans can receive the highest quality good is because of the competition. No way that businesses suddenly move their production facilities back to the US even if we tariff-ed Chinese goods. They would just move it to another country that has cheap labor.
By the way, the US is still the largest exporter of goods, so to say Chinese / Japanese people don’t buy our goods and services is just plain uneducated on the matter. Look up where our largest export of chicken is… CHINA. Canada, China, Japan and Mexico are the four largest importers of our goods and services.
Last point, and this supports the article: the money WILL come back to the US eventually. The US has the largest tourism industry that in 2007 set a record (56 million people spent 112.7 BILLION dollars). The author never said NOT to buy American, he simply states buy the BEST quality in your price range. If its American, GREAT! If not, you’re not hurting the economy based on that fact. It will make our products compete and eventually better.
Comment by American on 26 October 2010:
Nice argument but all flawed logic. 1. Foreign countries will not be patriotic to Americans for sending all their money to them. They will not spend their money here either and our economy is proving that as a whole. A dollar here and there does not do a thing for our economy Teach! 2. Some Americans seem to think that China is a role model and our friend.Wrong! They are simply living large on Americans who can’t think for themselves. 3. I can’t believe people actually think that if I spend my money on an American product it is “automatically” a union paid wage or that the product is not built as well. OMG! 4. The American economy is going to suffer until manufacturing jobs come home. The writer of this article never made any mention of pre wwii and current comparisons of domestic economy. We are clearly sending our money away from home and now instead of our economy being 100% domestic it’s probably around 30% which explains why we are broke. 5. The American Consumer has the potential power to make any real “Change” and until each individual realizes this we are all gaining little. 6. Finally my advice to American Consumers is to use common sense reason and buy as much American as they can with the money that they have and also no one mentioned that there are many American Manufacturers that are not only competitive in price but in quality. Be a “Tag Shopper” Americans. There are many American brands that are overlooked that are cheaper than foreign goods and made just as well and are on the bottom shelf in Wal Mart and other stores (something as little as a pair of gloves etc.) (I have complained more than once about this to stores) and finally keep your chin up!!! You can’t keep a good American down!
Comment by American on 26 October 2010:
I also forgot to say that you “the consumer” can do a simple little web search and shop strictly American and be competitive between American companies. This is no brain stuff folks. Be a tag shopper…and Tag Shop!!!
Comment by haha on 28 October 2010:
i think its funny that you would rather have only $5,000 going into the American economy instead of the full $20,000. just looking at that fact alone makes this whole article a bunch of bull!!
Comment by ztakdivad on 31 October 2010:
DW, If we spent the full 20K here in the first place, how is that worse than spending the last 5K here? There are multiplier effects with any purchase no matter where products are produced. The multipliers are just greater when the products are produced here. The strongest economy in the world right now is Germany, because they export more than anyone and the people are savers. It cracks me up when I hear economists tell Germany they must import more and export less. That’s like saying “go commit suicide like the people of the US”. Our problem is that we (US) have a propensity to spend everything we earn and we want the most stuff for our money in the short term. This compels us to buy cheap imported goods. No individual is intentionally wrecking our economy; but in the aggregate, that’s whats happens. Same with the current crisis. The individual banks should be allowed to make as many stupid and risky loans as they want; that’s for shareholders and BODs to decide. But in the aggregate they posed systemic risk that they did not necessarily anticipate.
Comment by Tiberius on 13 November 2010:
Common sense tells me that buying foreign products costs American jobs. The extent of American manufacturing jobs lost to overseas manufacturing over the past couple of decades demonstrates that what common sense tells me is correct.
There’s a reason for promoting thinking that runs contrary to both common sense and direct observation: Those who sell cheaply-made foreign goods can increase their own profits by doing so. THEIR particular segment of the economy benefits.
Comment by Tiberius on 13 November 2010:
DW, on 22 September 2010:
“If all of the production was still in America, prices would be way too high for the normal American to afford. And with demands for US products, only, the quality would diminish as well.”
I could once afford Made In The U.S.A. products that were decidedly superior to–and far more durable than–the cheap foreign replacements that are increasingly becoming the only available option. A pair of Levi jeans used to last forever, remember? A heavyweight cotton sweatshirt didn’t fall apart before the season was over.
We’ve got a generation of American consumers who probably assume low quality, short-lived products have always been the norm.
Comment by darald on 2 December 2010:
Hate to say it, Robert, but what a load of crap. If our government spent taxpayers taxes on nothing but USA made goods our economy would start to recaver.If instead of giving money to every other country in the world,we provided them with USA goods our economy would boom.In the fifties thru seventies our country was doing very well and there were always jobs. But then Communist China decided to modernize and to save a couple bucks Americans forgot about what communism is and we started shipping our jobs to China.Our government in its infinite wisdom actually gave tax breaks to companies abandoning USA jobs and going to support a Communist Country.And China keeps the value of its currency low enough that the Americans with their heads up their ass would buy their goods rather than support an American job.It is really to bad that Americans now value their money more than their country.WAKE UP AMERICA!!!
Comment by Pat s on 4 January 2011:
Hmm. In the 60′s, my father worked as a machinist and supported 9 children on one income – at a site several blocks from our home – in the middle of Minneapolis. Our home electronics, cars, furniture, clothes were mostly American made.
There were no issues with health care, and you could count on a pension. Peoples’ standard of living was rising from year to year.
Can the same be said now?
Plain logic tells you we’re better off when we buy make and purchase more American goods.
Comment by Warren on 10 January 2011:
All you “make it here” guys are missing the point. Money spent overseas MUST come back here. Otherwise it is just green paper. The Chinese who get our money have NO CHOICE but to spend that paper somewhere, and that somewhere is always going to mean that it MUST come back. Otherwise it has no value.
I have no loyalty to the American factory worker who has used the force of government to make more money than he would otherwise. He is a thief just as much as any burglar. The local merchants living in big houses who give to the local charities are doing it with money they made from me when I didn’t have any other choice but to do business with them. No I have a choice, and I choose to do what’s best for me, just as they did.
Let’s put it this way…I suspect all of you have a trade imbalance with the grocery store. When you gonna start your garden?
Comment by grnhrnt35 on 22 January 2011:
none of you are smart enough to figre this out. it makes me glad you are not running the show. exporting our highly paid, unskilled labor makes sense for everyonne but the employee who get’s laid off. The result is that we can STILL buy rubbermaid products for the same price we could 25 years ago. Don’t talk to me about American Pride and quality. American’s make crappy cars for more moner because half of the cost of the cars goes to pay the fat pensions of the retired overpaid unskilled labor. thanks to the unions for teaching the masses that they are owed something for nothing. we wind up with 100% of nothng. Thans but no thanks. I’ll support the Chinese guy who knows what he needs to do to feed his family. Not the American guy who thinks he deserves 50k, a pension and healthcare for life to stand on some assembly line. Get your fat ass to work.
Comment by don on 27 March 2011:
We are still without comprehensive ballast water policy, law,or regulation to address all the dangers of ballast water discharges.
One can only wonder if this administration is AS concerned about nuclear contaminated water from the Pacific in ballast water, as they were to watch ballast systems for tar balls going to Lake Pontchartrain. They were warned about both. The administration is obviously following an international approach relying on the IMO for direction and enforcement. This is obvious by the failure of this administration to coordinate Federal agencies with a Coast Guard plan, which sadly only follows the IMO. The Federal government under this administration continues the delay with more and more study until 2013.
Regardless of IMO regulations, international law or treaties, each IMO foreign sea captain works for a different economic interest and performs under independent governance while controlling the ships functions for creating profit. Currently we are protected by only foreign sea captains integrity to perform costly, often dangerous ocean flush’s. Standards that require mandatory technological hardware to clean ballast water from all substances are needed. We needed a President who will direct Congress to address the issue with legislation authorizing the Coast Guard to protect our waters from ballast water, or at least direct the Coast Guard to establish a fast strong comprehensive plan to protect America’s waters now. (not after the next presidential election cycle)
Comment by Doc on 30 March 2011:
This article and the subsequent comments exemplify why markets MUST be free.
Since logic and reason are foreign to most people, especially regarding economics it is insane to allow a group of elected and appointed men to dictate how the market should be controlled and made not-free.
It should be obvious to any thinking adult that no government’s have ever gotten it right, that artificial manipulations of an economy, no matter the motivations of those doing the tweaking, fails every time.
Free market capitalism is the only fair and logical economic system that works to everyone’s advantage. Freedom and liberty will always be better than even small amounts of tyranny, no matter the intentions of the government.
Comment by Mike Conte on 5 April 2011:
You are an idiot. Obviously, buying forign goods has ruined our economy. It all started about 35 years ago when Chrysler had their big mess up. Toyota moved in and Americans fell in love with the import. Anyone that has ever purchased a Toyota or Nissan or any other piece of sh!t made outside of the U.S. is clearly to blame for our current economic crisis. The only way to stabilize the economy is to support American made products. Ecspecially automotive. We simply cannot afford to keep buying all this crap from China and Taiwan and every other country out there if we want to see any improvement in our own country.
Comment by Richard on 25 June 2011:
So, you are all willing to give up your mobile phones? iphones, ipads, etc., huh? Made in China you know. Of course designed in USA, but who don’t support? All companies that outsource manufacturing only? Or perhaps it’s okay because they designed it in the USA? Frankly, what needs to happen is for the American worker, business owner make certain that their products are of equal or greater quality and get a lot of help from the government with health costs, taxes, etc. Would love to buy USA, but there are too many goods that Americans don’t make anymore or are unreasonably expensive and I for one am not going to compromise my livelihood, family just because it has an American flag on the label.
Comment by Rhonda on 3 July 2011:
Made in USA is great but globalization is the future and all those who cry “only buy American made” need to get on board before your ship sails!
Comment by JohnO on 19 September 2011:
Found a great website for finding American made products and the companies that produce them: b4USA.com The site seems to have the ideals of our Founding Fathers (quoted at the top of each page) as its basic premise. I like the one: “My policy has been, and will continue to be, while I have the honor to remain in the administration of the government, to be upon friendly terms with, but independent of, all the nations of the earth. GEORGE WASHINGTON
Pingback by How To Buy American – American Made Tires « April's Experts on 27 September 2011:
[...] an interesting article about the impact of keeping money in the US. http://www.thefreemanonline.org/featured/buying-foreign-goods-saves-american-jobs/ LD_AddCustomAttr("AdOpt", "1"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Origin", "other"); [...]
Comment by vonpfahl on 28 September 2011:
This must be rich man’s thinking. The money that goes abroad stays there, maybe as US treasuries. The money spent here goes into American jobs and they buy more American goods, and that pays more American workers for more American Jobs. I just looked at the charts of trade and since containerization and NAFTA we have continuously lost money in this country but the rich keep taking and keeping their share while leaving the lion’s share overseas.
It is clear that this is great for the rich and bad for the middle class and poor.
BUY AMERICAN and KEEP BUYING AMERICAN.
Comment by Hye Cobar on 6 February 2012:
Great post!
Comment by Nisha Anglebrandt on 7 February 2012:
Great post!