OK in the simplest terms one problem I see that puts us in that circular firing squad with the economy is for example Joe schmuckatelli ( sorry Joe ) is either unemployed or underemployed and has filed for unemployment insurance. Joe now with a reduced income tightens his belt to make ends meet, We all do this right? we all want the best price we can find no matter what we shop on, we compare, we look for the deal. Now we do it even more to stretch the dollar and that is where most people leave it, right there with the lowest price for that product. This is where we have our problem and how we screw ourselves, Do you know where the product was made? Do we even care? Sadly most people do not know or worse yet even care they are just out for the best price, Best price on the face anyway but we fail to look at the overall cost or the human cost.
Consider this, Joe used to work in a manufacturing plant making toasters ( substitute any consumer product ) As demand for this toaster went down people started to get laid off now you know people suddenly did not decide to give up their toast, What happened? well someone in another country decided to make that same toaster but the labor they use to make it with only costs them about a dollar a day so therefore the overall cost for this toaster in your local department store is much lower then the toaster Joe produces. Lower cost in a bad economy means people are more willing to buy a cheaper product both in cost and maybe quality. Now if people go out and buy more of the toaster that is made out of the country versus the toaster made in your country you will eventually end up with that person in this case Joe being laid off because his product is no longer in as high a demand, that means he will need his unemployment check or maybe food stamps so what does that toaster really cost you?
Now I know some people will scream protectionism or that in some way a job created overseas will create a better job over here or that we will switch to a technology/ service economy but I will disagree. Why I will disagree is that not everyone is cut out for a technology job or a service job, take your pick. I hate to say it but there are a lot of people out there that have limited skills and have no desire to make better of themselves and therefore they will fit into a certain low level job market. This is not good nor is it bad, it is their choice to do as they wish and I would much rather buy a product that they make and keep them employed versus someone outside of the country. I believe that this should also apply to other countries too, they should take care of their own countrymen first as well.
The bottom line here is that where the product was made is important. Do you want your money to stay in your country and be paid out as a salary to one of your countrymen or do you want it to leave the country and eventually hurt a worker here? There will always be a demand for a specific specialty product that is made in some other country and that is a good thing but for the majority of things I would like them to be made in their host country so as to benefit that country because there will never ever be parity in cost between different countries.Prepology
2 comments:
i think what you really need to worry about is when the loans are called in. china may well consider this drastic strategy.
I just purchased some work t-shirts and we had a choice of two manufacturers. One was American made and the other from China. I picked the American made t-shirts but when I asked the clerk which is the better seller she said the Chinese brand by far. They were a little less expensive. These t-shirts are only worn by union workers and their non-union (due to promotion) supervisors. These workers get a uniform allowance which covers the costs of their uniforms. Instead they pocket the money and buy the cheaper Chinese version. When I have a choice I buy American. When I have more of a choice I buy local.
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