Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Wednesday

How 'bout the advice, "Buy American", in reflecting on lifestyles in the US of A? Historically, labor unions have picked up this chant to discourage consumers from buying foreign-made cars and heavy manufacturing items. What does it mean today?

Most of the big Asian and European car companies have US assembly plants. Deere, Caterpillar, and other big US industrial equipment manufacturers have huge growth in their foreign market sales. Do any major electronic components for our homes get manufactured in the US?

It is an interesting study of modern-day economics. The high exchange of the Euro to the $USD gives rise to European purchases of US products, and creates pain for the US vacationer across the pond.

In a global economy, "Buying American" should be one of the least of our worries. Where do you draw the line? We need to be internationally competitive with the products from Japan, Korea and China rather than protect US companies from overseas alternatives. In the end, price and quality will prevail, and US businesses need to figure out a strategy to win.

If I want to own a Beamer or a Lexus, I shouldn't have to put up with some jerk who wants to key the side of my car because of a foreign label.

BCOT

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

from Martha:
Was wondering if you were going to comment on a couple of USAToday articles from today. It’s hard not to think of the folks when funerals are discussed, especially a column like Craig Wilson’s today. Funerals were their hobby and comments like someone looking good were typical. I wonder what the percentage is today of caskets and cremations, particularly in cities and in the Midwest.

Milk delivery was the other article. We actually had milk delivery when we first moved to the country in the 60s. It was nice while it lasted. I remember Daddy talking about doing home deliveries and he knew lots of people from those days. I remember the panel truck he drove to do them in the early forties. Of course, the legendary story is when we forgot to pick me up after school when I was in kindergarten and the nuns found me on the steps of St Marys.

Our local paper today came wrapped in an advertisement for McDonald’s coffee.

Anonymous said...

I'm not particularly green, but I think there's something to consider when buying a car (and possibly other products). I'm under the impression that sales of American cars are down because they are not as efficient as lots of foreign made cars.

My bf's "dream car" is a yellow hybrid honda civic. suite.