Made in China...

[RobsanX]

I've been seriously considering a boycott of Chinese goods because of substandard quality, but this deal with the poison baby formula is the last straw... If at all possible I am buying American, or from countries other than China from now on... Anyone have thoughts on this issue?

http://www.madeinusa.org/

[ponysoprano]

Seriously dude. When I was younger and more idealistic, I always thought the "buy American" shouters were racist or nationalistic. Now that I'm a working, grown man, I realize that buying American helps our own economic system. And American products are MUCH higher quality that sweatshop garbage made in countries like China where manufacturers violate TONS of human rights on the daily. As a knife and tool guy, I always buy American, Emerson or Benchmade, or Spyderco's American or [Japanese stuff, which tends to be very high quality and Japan is not a gross violator of human rights.] I cringed when Benchmade knives announced their "red box", ironically package knives made in China and Taiwan a few years back. I have a few, and they are 100x better than most other foreign knives out there, but they are not the absolute craftsmanship of Benchmade's American made stuff in blue, black and gold boxes. I feel the same about New Balance shoes, the US made ones are more expensive, but the quality takes comfort to a whole new level. I feel bad for the Chinese as a people, but I'd like to see their governmental decision-makers rounded up and fed to animals.

[Mazur]

In China they manufacture high quality goods, as my IBM laptop, and low quality goods like my mouse which was very cheap and is dead now. :cry:

If Americans stop to buy chinese products they will start to buy goods from mexican, indian, etc. sweatshops. What a difference? Let Chineses to earn theirs money and punish only those responsible for dangerous products.

BTW. I'm still waiting for first chinese snus
But it seems I 'll try Thai one first: www.vikingsnus.nu

[jamesstew]

Just checked the Vikingsnus site, very very interesting. I'd love to hear your review, Mazur, should you get around to trying some of these.

[snusjus]

It's pretty hard to completely boycott all Chinese-made products. Hell, I don't think you can buy a pair of Levi's that aren't made in China. I think that corporations should regulate their sweatshops by making them more humane, give their workers better wages, and hire a manager at each sweatshop to ensure that people are not being abused. However, this will probably never work, since corporations are all about profit.

[RobsanX]

I don't think it will be easy, but there is a growing movement towards buying American, with many websites to point us towards producers... Like pony said, the buy American movement started with nationalistic folks upset about Japan selling products here after WW II, then it was picked up by unions who were losing manufacturing jobs left and right... Now with our economy about to tank, and the ever increasing trade deficit with China, I think it's a concept that all Americans can get behind... It's a great concept on so many levels, economical, environmental, human rights... What's not to like?

BTW, Carhartt jeans are union made in the U.S.A., and they sponsor my favorite NASCAR driver! :wink:

[lxskllr]

I always try to buy American where possible. I don't scour the web or anything trying to buy American for common items, but when I'm out shopping I go where I'm more likely to find American items, or I'll make the American choice when items are side by side.

I don't buy Chinese food items(pre packaged from China), but my electronics are of course. I was pretty excited to find a hermit crab heater that was made in Scotland. It cost about $7 more than the Chinese equivalent, but Scotland feels better to me ;^)

My buying preferences are Maryland-Mid Atlantic-USA-North America-South America-Rest of the world.

There are exceptions of course. Swedish snus, Scottish whisky, German knives... Things like that...

[Zero]

Re: Made in China...

Anyone have thoughts on this issue?

Good Luck. Almost everything in America is made in China. Clothes, electronics, anything plastic, anything USB, anything in WalMart... the consumer market is full of the stuff. Anyway, it's a growing pain. Chinese industry is advancing faster than their society is progressing. The same things happened in America and in Europe when industry and commerce were young. Lead in paint, gasoline, etc. Not to excuse the motives of the people who did this, but it's a big country with a lot of people. If there's a one in a million chance of something happening, then it's bound to be going on en-masse in China just on account of how many people are there. They're still learning how to run a modern economy and modern industry - I guess my point is that this sort of thing is bound to happen. I'd be more surprised if it didn't.

[Zero]

Now with our economy about to tank, and the ever increasing trade deficit with China, I think it's a concept that all Americans can get behind... It's a great concept on so many levels, economical, environmental, human rights... What's not to like?

Well, that's what free market economics are all about. Not just buying American, but the spirit of enterprise - the idea that buying stuff means someone has to be making stuff which means there is work to be had. Corporate lobbyists and unions alike have both lobbied the US government for years into this horrible statist/socialist institution where private enterprise - the heart and soul of entrepreneurship - is crushed by the red tape of bureaucracy. There's only room for big - big oil, big pharma, big labour, big whatever. Small businesses get stuffed, and crippling trade barriers murder the marketability of home-produced goods. The US needs some old-school Republicans in office - the ones who didn't start wars and who cared about sound finance. Most of the developed world could use some of that, to be honest :lol:

[Dead Rabbit]

Now with our economy about to tank, and the ever increasing trade deficit with China, I think it's a concept that all Americans can get behind... It's a great concept on so many levels, economical, environmental, human rights... What's not to like?

Well, that's what free market economics are all about. Not just buying American, but the spirit of enterprise - the idea that buying stuff means someone has to be making stuff which means there is work to be had. Corporate lobbyists and unions alike have both lobbied the US government for years into this horrible statist/socialist institution where private enterprise - the heart and soul of entrepreneurship - is crushed by the red tape of bureaucracy. There's only room for big - big oil, big pharma, big labour, big whatever. Small businesses get stuffed, and crippling trade barriers murder the marketability of home-produced goods. The US needs some old-school Republicans in office - the ones who didn't start wars and who cared about sound finance. Most of the developed world could use some of that, to be honest :lol:

You hear that weird, high pitched, cracking noise? That’s the sound of hell freezing over as I agree with Zero on something. Now don’t keep him going, or he will ruin it all.

[RobME]

The US needs some old-school Republicans in office - the ones who didn't start wars and who cared about sound finance.

I agree also, but unfortunately none of them are currently on the ballot.

[Zero]

You hear that weird, high pitched, cracking noise? That’s the sound of hell freezing over as I agree with Zero on something. Now don’t keep him going, or he will ruin it all.

:lol: Fair enough, I'll let the LA Times do some of the keeping going, then.

Hey U.S., Welcome to the Third World

.

[pcguy]

Right now China is just the employer of choice for many. However, China's success at attracting the manufacturing business of many companies has slowed dramatically, and in fact now China is facing the outsourcing of manufacturing to places like Malaysia and Africa.......

It seems the growth in China is forcing wages and costs upwards at an alarming rate. Some American companies have brought their manufacturing home but only a handful have taken that action. Most are looking for another third world country where they can pay as little as possible to exploit a country and it's people in nearly slave labor conditions.

[Dead Rabbit]

You hear that weird, high pitched, cracking noise? That’s the sound of hell freezing over as I agree with Zero on something. Now don’t keep him going, or he will ruin it all.

:lol: Fair enough, I'll let the LA Times do some of the keeping going, then.

Hey U.S., Welcome to the Third World

.

That article is obviously somewhat satirical and even has some minute moments of truth/wit. But, I’m not sure anyone who has been to a true 3rd world country would ever see that path.

3rd world countries pretty much all share a few things in common: They have been ravaged by Imperialists; suffer from severe political instability, lack infrastructure, rely on a one trick pony economy based on some sort of exportable raw material and have millions of people reeling from the acute pain of starvation. America is just too endowed with resources, too rich with food (even if it all seems to be made out of corn) too educated (best universities on the planet) and too politically stable (it sure doesn’t seem like it sometimes).

Can we decline? Absolutely. Are we? Maybe. Hard to tell. But the road to the 3rd world would have to be over a millennium (not counting nuclear war). (I sure am using parentheses a lot today) That lady’s 3rd World shtick is kind of a disservice to the true pain found in the 3rd world. Fun read though.

Stupid Zero, always trying to get my goat.

[Mazur]

Just checked the Vikingsnus site, very very interesting. I'd love to hear your review, Mazur, should you get around to trying some of these.

I think I'll order their "try out" next month. If shipping charges are resonable.