Not only did I end up with a Prius, but I ended up spending about $4K more than I wanted to, because in May of 2008 in the northern 1/2 of Illinois, I could buy the one car that was available or wait somewhere between 3 and 6 months!

I was absolutely furious with the US auto industry for not being up to speed on hybred models, and I place as much responsibility for the failure on the unions as on management. Union workers knew that management was making crappy decisions that put their jobs at risks, and they did nothing about it. But that’s another rant.

People will buy according to their own selfish interests, as a commenter above so able demonstrated.

That doesn’t mean we should continue to allow unfettered, rapacious capitalism to decimate our communities and our democracy. Much of the tax code and deregulation has been purchased by those whose selfish interests are more important to them than America.

Yeah, it’s a “free country”, for some – for the rest of us chattel that built this country and the most advanced manufacturing base in the world all we got was this kick in the teeth and a lousy t-shirt made in China by twelve year-olds working fourteen hours days.

Go Buy America!

Since when ihas shifting money from my pocket to yours by paying a premium to “Buy American” every increased our GDP? A $1,000 in my pocket can be used to buy stuff, or I can squander it on giving it to U.S. corporations that couldn’t give a damn about union workers, or quality, or their customers. I’d rather pay $1,000 less and have more cash on hand for me and my family.

This “Buy American” stuff has a place (e.g., the Defense Department should not be buying foreign-made, because if that country becomes offensive, what do we do for spare parts?). But, in a Consumer Economy, I want to buy the car that’s best for me, and the more competition there is (from all countries), the better it is for all of us.

So. stop the jingoistic and ignorant campaigns to “Buy American,” by making people feel guilty if they don’t. Instead, apply your efforts to American corporations and show them how building a better product makes them more more money (think Toyota, or Nissan, or Honda, versus GM; GM has shot their own foot so many times they’re now up to the knee!).

These kinds of naive campaigns are not good for us, and not good for our economy; they’re perpetrated by those who have a self-interest…any the expense of MY self-interest, and they make absolutely no economic sense.

have you seen this ? WH backs off Panama Trade Agreement

Open Left

Personally, I doubt that any of the Ruling Cla$$e$ have the least ‘interest’ in these notions, since they appear to be concerned onlywith the ‘principle’ involved.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Is this thing working?

Suddenly, everybody vanished … but me.

Hmmm, I wonder where this thing was manufactured?

When the aliens arrive, I promise to only buy things manufactured on planet earth.