Buy American!

[Solus]

There are a lot of good reasons to buy American made.   And a lot of good reasons not buy Chinese (mainland Chine) products.   However, the Broken Window theory in the third paragraph is flawed.

Any money saved buying a less expensive product is then available to be spent buying other products and services.    If I could find an American made toaster (presumably more expensive) then I would have less money to buy bacon (American grown and processed) to go with my toast.  Then the American farmer loses out to save the American toaster makers.   (That is assuming you can find an American made toaster.  Our 50 yo Mary Proctor toaster died last year and none that I could find were made in the US.)

Let's take his T-shirt example.   I go buy 7 t-shirts and spend $35 more buying American made than foreign made, then it's $35 less to spend on other things.  So I'll stay home and have toast and peanut butter instead of going out to eat.  The local restaurant and their workers have less business and less income, and possibly go out of business.    The money thing balances out one way or another.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for buying American made and supporting local farmers/ranchers/industries, especially the micro-brewers , but the macro-economics of it isn't the reason why.   

Look at it this way.

If the American made t-shirt costs $20  and the foreign made costs $15 and you buy the American made one, that puts $20 back into our economy to pay t-shirt makers...who will then buy toasters which pays toaster makers who go out to eat...so over and over that purchase stimulates the economy.  I know it diminishes with each level as Uncle Sam takes his cut and folks stash some away under the mattress but that is still 4 times the impact on the US economy than that from a foreign purchase and spending the $5 saved here.

I guess the foreign t-shirt sellers living here get a bit of the $15..so it isn't quite 100% of the $15 we lose.

[Timothy]

Texas Jean Company, Wrangler, American Clothing, some Carhartt, Woolrich, Filson, etc...

Go back to the beginning of this thread and I listed numerous sites where you can buy US made clothing, shoes, socks, jackets, etc..  Go to the company web site and search on US made and most will have a small portion of their clothes still made in the US.

Levis is a sad disappointment...and their quality of late just sucks!

T-Shirts are not hard to find made in the US.  Just have to do your homework.

[Timothy]

I do not know that you CAN buy an American made T shirt or footwear other than running shoes (I know Nike is still in the US ) You will not find a US made incandescent light bulb at any price.

http://www.allamericanclothing.com/made-in-usa/shirts.html

[PegLeg45]

Justin boots..... my boot of choice for 25 years......can't wear the pull-on's like I prefer, but the lacers are good too.

[Timothy]

Sumpin's wrong wif yer leg, Peg!

[Sponsor]

[alfsauve]

Levis is a sad disappointment...and their quality of late just sucks!

Levis ( and Dockers) are pro gun control, so many sources say.

[alfsauve]

If the American made t-shirt costs $20  and the foreign made costs $15 and you buy the American made one, that puts $20 back into our economy to pay t-shirt makers...who will then buy toasters which pays toaster makers who go out to eat...

Yes the point is the money goes round either way.    Problem with your example, is I only have a t-shirt.  If I buy the cheaper one, then I can have the t-shirt plus a coffee to spill on it.   Which then means I'll need to buy laundry detergent to wash it. 

[alfsauve]

Sumpin's wrong wif yer leg, Peg!

Yes, we all know that.  It's what's wrong with his head that worries us.

[ellis4538]

Alf, your detergent statement doesn't wash (pun intended) because to buy detergent to wash it anyway cause u get it dirty wearing it.  Now u could go out and buy bib overalls instead of jeans and your coffee spill would be on the bibs and not the t-shirt.....just sayin'!

[Solus]

Alf, your detergent statement doesn't wash (pun intended) because to buy detergent to wash it anyway cause u get it dirty wearing it.  Now u could go out and buy bib overalls instead of jeans and your coffee spill would be on the bibs and not the t-shirt.....just sayin'!

If you have bib overalls, what do you need any shirt for?