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If the "conservative" GOP would allow Congress to consider the tax proposals Obama has put forward to reward companies which hire here and bring back jobs from overseas, while punishing those who hide their profits overseas, the "liberals" might be able to accomplish quite a lot in that area.
That's strange how it used to be thought of as conservative to buy American. They would stereotype liberals as buying Japanese cars. Now any conservative buying American stuff like American Apparel or anything union made in America faces social ostracism. I guess pretending to be patriotic and putting a flag up on your porch is more satisfying than putting your money where your mouth is.
Conservatives: Hate unions and wanted American made automobile manufacturers to go bankrupt.
Conservatives wanting to buy American? These people could care less about Americans or American jobs.
I buy American made products whenever they are available, even if they are more expensive (Chinese stuff is junk). Do you?
I bought a coffee cup from a lesser known "liberal" media organization, I paid a lot more for this coffee cup because I knew much of the cost would go towards keeping their excellent journalism on the air. I was so pleased to see "Made in the U.S.A." on the bottom of the cup. It's so rare. I also bought a pair of steel toed boots and chose the most expensive pair, Thorogood's, because they are Made in the U.S.A.
I always look first for American made goods and have only once owned a foreign made car, a Mitsubishi back in the 90's. It remains probably the best car I've ever owned, however. I look forward to the arrival of the Dodge Dart this year, made in Belvidere, Illinois. I am shopping for American made cars right now, but have not found anything that really excites me. I continue to look.
It isn't what I think, it is what I know. Free trade lets us get more for everything we produce, and pay less for everything we use. America, and the world, are better off as a consequence.
One only has to look at the democratic party makeup since FDR's day. Its made up of alot of different interest groups. the ones with mney do not represent other tha themselves overall. that is why you couldn't find one that actaully durig the healthcare deabtes was will to give up one thing to support(fund) the healthcare bill altho many proposals were talked about.
It isn't what I think, it is what I know. Free trade lets us get more for everything we produce, and pay less for everything we use. America, and the world, are better off as a consequence.
Your notion is very quaint, however.
I agree, but it's not that black and white. A lot of manufacturing can be done successfully here in our country. Just look at the foreign automakers who have set up shop in the southeast. In the past couple of decades, they've created an industry from scratch that didn't exist there before. Shouldn't the policies that have made that possible be able to be replicated in more areas of the country and more industries?
However, being from a place that was once heavily dependent on the textiles industry I've been amazed that the people who lost their jobs when the factories moved to central America and China are the ones who love to "Go Wal-Marting" the most. Their love of cheap junk was a major contributor to the off-shoring of lower wage American manufacturing.
Also, I think OP wouldn't have created this thread if they the likely political persuasion of many of the people spearheading the locavore and buy local movements these days.
It is not backwards when you stop and think about it. Liberals are greedy people who will only do something if it betters themselves. The modern democrat (i.e. liberal) is completely 180 degrees off of JFK. Can you imagine any democrat now saying (with a straight face) "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."?
That would resonate like a fart in church to 99% of Obama supporters.
Yes, I can.
Buying American is greedy?
Can you imagine a Republican saying "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country?" What you hear Republicans saying is "I want my tax-cut;" "I want the poor to pay taxes;" "we don't need social programs, like Medicaid, that I don't take advantage of", etc. The GOP is the most selfish and greedy party we have. Some in their party equate taxation in general to theft.
On the topic of imports, conservative polices over the last 30 years has made it easy for American companies to export jobs. No other country encourages job exportation. Why do we do it? Because politicians are on the dole of the corporations and do their bidding.
However, being from a place that was once heavily dependent on the textiles industry I've been amazed that the people who lost their jobs when the factories moved to central America and China are the ones who love to "Go Wal-Marting" the most. Their love of cheap junk was a major contributor to the off-shoring of lower wage American manufacturing.
Also, I think OP wouldn't have created this thread if they the likely political persuasion of many of the people spearheading the locavore and buy local movements these days.
I am the OP and I am a concious buyer (actually, it's second nature) of local food and supporter of local restaurants and businesses in general - and in a balanced and realistic way. I don't do these things because they're trendy and don't advertise the fact I do it out of shallow pride or one-upmanship. I am genuine. I'm not big on chain restaurants and almost always dine at local establishments. I buy groceries from locally owned store brands who have a co-op distribution network that is locally based and who my dad has actually worked for, as well as others I know. And I pick out individual products that are local. I will occasionally go to Outback Steakhouse when I want prime rib with consistency and at a reasonable price, unless I happen to be able to get my fix unexpectedly at one of the typical locals I frequent. I like Chipotle. I will go to Whole Foods to get things the other grocery stores simply don't provide. I will go to Walmart to get the lowest price on certain things like car care products and Hoffman's cheese. And I don't hate Walmart. I'm glad they provide low prices, consistency, and a convenient, humble/non-intimidating marketplace for average, working-class and poor people. What I don't like is being trendy, rather than being real or black and white personalities driven by stereotypes. I respect genuine and more humble people. So no, I'm not exactly a rigid "locavore". There's a balance that has to be struck and I and most aren't willing to go far out of our way or significantly more. I advocate people be more like me, but not going so far as to create a personal identity wrapped around this stuff and downing others who don't.
That said, I guess I have respect for the hardcore folks you call "locavores" in that they set the trend. And that trendsetting power is exactly what I'm getting at in my OP - the ability to start and influence social movements. If those types put their strong rhetoric and buying power toward buying American on a larger scale I think they would have a major impact on our economy which = jobs, which IMO is the most important thing for our country. Local doesn't just mean regional or your own city, but our nation as well. I find it unacceptable to see my Democrat-party politicians driving around in foreign cars. I find it unacceptable that the Toyota Prius built by a Japanese company and produced there as well is the status car of liberals, especially when they're in full-support of the GM bailout and the Volt is not successful. I just don't get it.
There's a reason much of the working-class votes Republican. And it's not because they are uneducated idiotic sheep being lead by their masters like some hateful liberals espouse. Those foreign auto manufacturing industry jobs in the southeast might not be unionized, but when it comes down to it they are great jobs for the people, which is what matters. If the Democrats and unions had a stronghold on the South like they do on the midwest and northeast, those foreign automakers would have set up shop in Mexico, stayed home, or both.
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