See what you've done to me?

[surfstar]

^Sounds like you want to live on an island without any outside contact. Yes, we live in the USA, but the USA is part of North America, which is part of the world.
Geez, talk about "us" vs "them".
Has our standard of living really decreased in the last 40 years? How many TVs does one household need? How many technological gadgets? Americans want to have too much shtuff, so we buy it cheaply in order to afford (sometimes not) too much shtuff. Until you can change that mentality, we can't be independent of foreign goods.

Ever eat foreign food? Pretty tasty, huh. Nice to have choices sometimes.

 

[Coprolite]

I bet people eat foreign food every day and don't realize it.

Hounddog probably drives a car that wasn't made in the USA, also.

 

[hounddog]

Heck yes the the standard of living has been compromised. What island are YOU on? Small town USA is having a rough time. Have you not kept up with the huge glut of foreclosed homes across this country. Have you not heard the unemployment figures? I know people with no phones,no electricity,no job,no insurance,no gas,no food. I see it everyday. Why would I want to live on a island? Last thing I want. I love this country. Just want it like it was. Prosperous. A vette nor a Dodge 1500 truck or a Mercury Marquis are imports. COPROLITE you made a point. Most people don't realize how much of EVERYTHING is imported. That needs to get cut WAY back. Production,sales,consume IN HOUSE.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Darren270
Originally Posted By: skyship


The USA has a reputation on a par with Russia for convenience stores that sell top up oil cans with new brand labels that are either disguarded industrial oils or used engine oil.


We do?


+1 How long until this thread gets locked?

 

[Coprolite]

Hounddog, props for buying NAFTA vehicles and putting your money pretty close to where your heart is. My tally has you owning 2 US vehicles (Vette, 1500) and one each from Canada(Marquis) and Mexico(3500). How close am I?

The ironic thing is that some foreign nameplates/models provide more US jobs than US nameplates.

The US is in a whole lot better shape than Europe is right now. A lot of our current slow growth is linked to Europe being in the tank. Embargoes won't solve any of these issues, as they will only skew our free market in unforeseen and potentially unwanted ways.

 

[Darren270]

Originally Posted By: Coprolite


The ironic thing is that some foreign nameplates/models provide more US jobs than US nameplates.


I own a 2006 Toyota Tundra with military veteran license plates. One day I pulled into a parking lot at the grocery store and guy driving a GMC Sierra pulls up to me and says "Hey man, how on earth can you put veteran license plates on foreign truck. Come on man buy American!"

I turned around looked at him, smiled and said "Yes, the parent company of this truck is Japanese. I'll give you that. But this Tundra was designed and built in America, by Americans using American made parts. Your Sierra was built in Mexico using Mexican and Canadian parts. I guess the real question is...why didn't YOU buy American?"

He flipped me the bird and drove off...

Ok I was being a bit of an [censored]. I'm sure his Sierra had a couple of American made parts on it.

 

[sprocketser]

Thanx for the link in there . @ skyship

 

[hounddog]

First off. I didn't say I didn't own 'foreign' made or assembled items. Its impossible not to in this day. What I said is in essence is that that needs to be stopped as much as possable. Embargo's. To turn around production in this country. That Toyota Tundra was ASSEMBLED here in the US. The majority of the parts were SHIPPED in. It is done to avoid import taxes and to give a suggestion of how American Toyota is. Toyota did not set up "assembly" plants to benefit us or to give us jobs. They did it so they could make more money. Ultimately the money you spent on that Toyota ends up back at the parent9 company in Japan. I agree with t9hat guy that said something to you. He was driving a heck of a lot more American vehicle then you were. On top of that the Japanese for the most part have a huge dislike for us. That alone was enough to stop me from buying a Toyota.

 

[SlipperyPete]

That Toyota Tundra is #7 on the "American Made Index", which considers not only where the vehicle was assembled but also where the parts were made. The GMC Sierra didn't make the top ten. Why would you support foreign auto workers over U.S. autoworkers?


Link

 

[hounddog]

You are correct. I looked it up. Still dosen't change my thoughts. So they can keep assembling the Tundra. Rest of their line needs restriction and embargoes. Oh and the 15% of the parts in a Tundra they aren't made here would then have to be. It would have to be 100% then. Tough restrictions. Bring everything possable back home to make and consume. This country would be solvent and much healthier economically.

 

[SlipperyPete]

My current truck is a 06 Chevy. My next truck will be an F-150 solely because it is made here.

 

[Darren270]

Quote:
Toyota did not set up "assembly" plants to benefit us or to give us jobs. They did it so they could make more money.


That's the ONLY reason any company, American or Japanese, sets up anything whether it's an assembly plant or a storefront. The jobs that are created are a benefit of the profit motive.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: Darren270
Quote:
Toyota did not set up "assembly" plants to benefit us or to give us jobs. They did it so they could make more money.


That's the ONLY reason any company, American or Japanese, sets up anything whether it's an assembly plant or a storefront. The jobs that are created are a benefit of the profit motive.


OF COURSE, but some on here seem to think, or try to imply that the Nippon Giant (and their slightly less profitable comrades, and Korean pals) does/do the whole transplant thing out of the kindness of their hearts, or some great caring for U.S. workers and citizens.

 

[hounddog]

They are technically quest in this country. With discounts and special provisions made to them doing business here. They should treat their employees and other Americans with respect and some courtesy. I have a friend that he and his family did 15 years in Hawaii. He said for the most part the Japanese can't stand us and it is very evident in their rudeness and actions. Of all places. Home of Pearl Harbour. He told me when his little girls were in grammer school and had Japanese teachers their disdain towards American childeren was obvious.