The pride of the American worker (union, pension, purchase, taxes)

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by andywire

... And if consumers demand low quality, cheap, easily breakable crap, than it makes sense to go to the country that has the lowest labor rates and ease of doing business. Inevitably though, China will realize there is more money in making the high quality stuff that consumers are willing to pay more for, just like Japan did.

The sad fact is that in countries with hordes of low skill / low education / low ambition attitudes a strategy of "mass premium quality" is a recipe for failure. Look at how Japanese firms from Sony to Pioneer to Panasonic have been decimated in their efforts to pull this off -- think back to Betamax VCRs, the original Walkman with its jewel-like fit & finish, Pioneer audio or video products from the height of their quality, the current situation of high quaity Panasonic plasma sets getting trounched by cheaper junkier Korean sets...

The reason firms that make precision goods of luxury products in high wage countries can thrive is becauase the whole mindest of a place like Switzerland is setup to foster "specialness". People that are well trained and responsible don't do idiotic things like stay home from the polls or vote for the smoothest liar, they don't spend more than they earn or support politicians that do the equivlent thing by stoking huge deficiets.

The United States is rapidly shifting from a country that once did have an invincible drive to succeed to a pathetic land of losers.

[Retroit]

Because of this thread, I checked out the Carhartt coats at Meijer. They had several coats there. All but one was made in Bangladesh or Mexico. The one American made coat had an outer fabric akin to burlap. Kind of an orangish-tan color like you see workmen use and not my preference for casual wear. If they had a black or blue one with less coarse fabric, I might be interested.

[Almeida93]

I like the video.

Was it necessary to show cute little girls playing with cute little puppies though?

[jtur88]

I would suggest that you get a job as a manager at a McDonalds, and see what it's like trying to get your "proud" workers to show up at 6 am to work.

[Grandpa Pipes]

Originally Posted by Retroit

Because of this thread, I checked out the Carhartt coats at Meijer. They had several coats there. All but one was made in Bangladesh or Mexico. The one American made coat had an outer fabric akin to burlap. Kind of an orangish-tan color like you see workmen use and not my preference for casual wear. If they had a black or blue one with less coarse fabric, I might be interested.

At least you did the right thing and looked for American made first. If we all bought American first some of the jobs might come back. I will not buy anything made in China unless there is no other choice and then only if I must have the item.

[Grandpa Pipes]

Originally Posted by jtur88

I would suggest that you get a job as a manager at a McDonalds, and see what it's like trying to get your "proud" workers to show up at 6 am to work.

This is a matter of work ethics or the lack of any work ethics at all. Parents & schools do a less than great job of teaching social ethics today.

[mathjak107]

if you want to see the pride we have in american craftesmanship check out my new chrysler product.

after 25 years of only bmw and nissan i decided to give chrysler a chance.

besides 2 different kinds of fenders that didnt even match on each side of my jeep there is a design flaw in the pentastar engine and the heads are failing. just had a head replaced on a brand new vehicle. dealers are changing heads like crazy now.

i wont even get into the drips in the rain through their freedom top.

if this is american quality we are in big trouble.

Oops! Jeep factory puts wrong fender flares on '12 Wrangler

[Grandpa Pipes]

Originally Posted by mathjak107

if you want to see the pride we have in american craftesmanship check out my new chrysler product.

after 25 years of only bmw and nissan i decided to give chrysler a chance.

besides 2 different kinds of fenders that didnt even match on each side of my jeep there is a design flaw in the pentastar engine and the heads are failing. just had a head replaced on a brand new vehicle. dealers are changing heads like crazy now.

i wont even get into the drips in the rain through their freedom top.

if this is american quality we are in big trouble.

Oops! Jeep factory puts wrong fender flares on '12 Wrangler

I don't know what the major problems is with Chrysler but their quality has been just pure junk for decades.

When I was a lad of 18 I ordered my first new car after I got a full time job. That car was a 1964 Plymouth 2 dr. business coupe with a 4 speed on the floor and a 426 hemi cross ram engine in it with a locker box at the rear painted business gray. A car like this today isn't possible since the factory won't accept custom orders like they did in '64.

That car never gave me a seconds trouble and was built like a tank. Then in 1970 when I got outta the military I went to buy a wagon for my growing family. What I saw in the chrysler show room made me wanna cry the quality was that bad! I've stayed away from Chrysler for decades now since they still build junk.

[andywire]

Chrysler sucks. Buy Ford

[mathjak107]

If anything its back to bmw and nissan i go.