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We always hear people saying that Americans should buy American made products...
BUT...
What would happen to the economy and our lifestyle if (say next Monday) EVERY American decide to ONLY buy American products (groceries, clothes, household products, gas)?
Would the market crash? Would we have enough to sustain us? How many people would be out of a job?
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Most people would be out of work, because most stores could sell nothing, and no one would be able to buy anything except for food, and even that would be limited since most produce comes from Mexico and South America in winter. We are past the point of no return already.
At first, the demand would overwhelm the supply on hand, and prices would rise dramatically. The next thing to happen would be a benefit though... Manufacturers would be hiring like crazy in order to ramp up production. Wages would probably rise, although they have risen in the past 3 years... We all survived.
Once production reaches it's peak, prices for goods would fall. Unit prices will decline as the order sizes grow. We would hit equilibrium once manufacturers are able to produce enough to meet market demand. Unemployment would be lower, wages would likely be higher, we would probably see moderate/healthy inflation and our economy would be in better shape as reflected by the higher GDP. Oh ya, and the REAL GDP, not the government inflated fake GDP.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hemlock140
Most people would be out of work, because most stores could sell nothing, and no one would be able to buy anything except for food, and even that would be limited since most produce comes from Mexico and South America in winter. We are past the point of no return already.
Nah, we aren't that far gone yet. We may have to import some workers, but we have everything needed here to sustain our nation. It would probably take many years to fully convert back to a manufacturing based economy, but all the ingredients are here. Everything from the raw materials to the buildings, the infrastructure and even the majority of the people. We already produce an extraordinary amount of manufactured goods with relatively few people.
Perhaps one of the big differences today is, we do more manufacturing away from city centers. The reliance on rail is far less prevalent.
The short answer is that the poser is a hypothetical that has no more chance at reality as being dealt a royal flush in poker a thousand times in a row.
And yes, we ARE too far gone. When you take your daily vitamin or health food supplement remember that there are no places in the U.S. where the substances are made anymore. They have been exported to China. I think there are three or four sock making machines still left in the U.S. (in storage). China was a big factor in how the housing crisis was played out. If China had pulled money out of investments here, the government would have likely failed (as in gone bankrupt). Mismanagement in government that led up to this likely began with Kissinger and Nixon.
We always hear people saying that Americans should buy American made products...
BUT...
What would happen to the economy and our lifestyle if (say next Monday) EVERY American decide to ONLY buy American products (groceries, clothes, household products, gas)?
Would the market crash? Would we have enough to sustain us? How many people would be out of a job?
We hear a lot of things. It isn't possible to buy only American products at this time. We are part of a global economy, it isn't likely we can reverse this. Any attempt to ban imports altogether would defy numerous treaties and violate current national and international law.
That said, when possible and prudent to buy American, it seems like a good idea to me.
Well, for starters we wouldn't even be able to have this discussion because there is absolutely no computer on the planet (that I know of) that is made from 100% American components AND assembled in America. Not to mention the peripherals - monitor, keyboard, mouse - and software we use, and all that packaging... cables and cords... power supplies...
And think of all the things we rely on computers now to do? Work, banking, transportation, shopping, just about everything.
So, only relying/buying only 100% American goods would eventually send us back to the caveman days. Unless we start producing our own computer components and techie paraphernalia.
we are locked in a 1 horse economy. they make them and we buy them. when we run out of credit, which is what we are living on, the party is over.
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