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Buying American: It’s more difficult than you think
…and will only get worse
We’ve all felt the bone-deep frustration of wanting to buy American made items and being met with a sea of foreign produced goods. Whether we’re looking for the latest in technology, a wrench or a new pair of running shoes, the dearth of American products is not only apparent, but often the manufacturing origin is stealthily concealed. The words “distributed by” assure consumers of a distribution address in New York. A magnifier is needed to read the much smaller print “Made in China” or PRC (People’s Republic of China).
Eighty-four percent of American consumers say they would rather buy an American-made product, believing them to be more reliable than imported ones, according to a recent survey. Respondents said they were even willing to pay more for U.S. made goods.
Consumer Reports, the longtime rating and recommendations company, gives the lowdown on the issue and provides a sampling of companies that make or assemble at least some of their products in the United States. Trying to sort it out becomes even more confusing, since some primarily American companies may have manufacturing facilities in more than one country.
Food products are not immune from the garbled presentations. They give the example of brands of salmon that are labeled both “wild-caught Alaskan” and “Product of Thailand.” The fish was caught in U.S. waters but took a detour to Asia to be skinned and boned (to take advantage of cheaper labor) before making its return voyage. Under the law, that side trip must be noted.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, American manufacturing lost almost 6 million jobs between 2000 and 2010. “Offshoring” became a buzzword with the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994. But the more recent hemorrhaging of jobs was due in large part to China’s entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001. A decade of BLS data reveals heavy job losses across more than a dozen manufacturing sectors, including apparel and textiles, electrical equipment, iron and steel production, computers, glass, and leather tanning and finishing.
Last Tuesday we wrote that Congressional Republicans are foolishly poised to give Barack Obama irreversible fast track authority on Trans Pacific Partnership, an 11-nation trade agreement that provides an unrestricted flow of workers into the United States. This is particularly dangerous since treaties supersede statutes under the U.S. Constitution. If you missed the post and accompanying video, take time to acquaint yourself with the facts.
The previous day the post “GOP establishment conspires with Obama on trade deal” reveals the depth of the putrid deception being flung by Republicrats who claim to representative us.
Source: https://seeingredaz.wordpress.com/2015/05/26/buying-american-its-more-difficult-than-you-think/
