Buying American -- Does It Matter? Unions Say Yes!
This blog post argues yes -- that it's not just a slogan your grandfather throws around. To help create demand-lead growth (as opposed to supply-side, trickle-down, voodoo economics), you can take small steps to buy local, buy union, & buy American. And your efforts will add up!
Wear Jeans? Why "Made in America" Matters to You
This is a guest post written by Celeste Drake, Trade & Globalization Policy Specialist at the AFL - CIO.
---------------------------------------------------
Buy American. Made in America. In todays interconnected world, those ideas might seem more like leftovers from the Cold War not important maxims for Americas future. After all, young Americans are drinking Colombian coffee in the morning, skyping with friends in the UK at lunch, buying a made-in-China iPhone in the afternoon, and drinking Italian wine in the evening. The idea of Buying American, or economic patriotism, might seem quaint, if not outright ridiculous.
Fact is, making things in America isnt an obsolete idea. Its how we built this country into the largest economy the world has ever seen. And its imperative for Americas future.
In 2011, the US had a trade deficit of nearly $560 billion, fully $295 billion of which was a deficit in goods trade with China. These deficits are not just about dollars; they represent our ability as a nation to make the things we consume and the products and technology we need to defend ourselves. The iPhone may represent itself as proudly designed in the USA, but for how long? Eventually, the designers and engineers want to be close to the production linesits simply more efficient. And if none of those production lines are in the US, the good design and engineering jobs soon wont be either. And for those of us concerned about job creation, giving up on manufacturing is simply sillytheres not a one-to-one relationship between designers and those who physically make the product anyway.
When we rely on other countries to make the products we wantfrom food to clothing to computers, our own capabilities and technical, innovative, and productive capacity decline. The US did not become the wealthiest country in the world by accident. It happened because of deliberate policy choices, hard work, and ambition. We can ensure there are good jobs, with decent pay and benefits, for Americans of all levels of education and ability, but we need that hard work and ambitionthe right policy choicesand to avoid accepting that the current state of affairs is the best we can do.
More at link: http://www.wearvenley.com/blogs/youthmonuments/6772026-wear-jeans-why-made-in-america-matters-to-you
AndyTiedye
(23,500 posts)
where we could exchange information on quality American-made products.
It easily had enough votes for a DU group, but it seems to be a bad time to start a group.
First it was the DU2/DU3 transition, then the election keeping everyone busy.
I'll have another go at this after the election.
I find quite a few random posts on GD about good American-made stuff,
but it's the luck of the search to find them.
Most of us would buy more American-made stuff if we could find it.
OrwellwasRight
(5,170 posts)I would love to be involved.