maryjane wrote:
Well, I, for one, would be very happy to buy only products made in my country by my fellow American citizens, but that has become almost an impossibility. A prime example --- I want to buy a new vehicle to replace my 20 year old one. But, it seems no vehicles are actually MADE in American by Americans. Many, many of the parts of an auto are made outside our country and, at best, the final product is just assembled here. Also, it seems that some of the auto companies in the USA are actually owned by foreigners, not Americans. So, what choice do I have? As for other every day products, the list made outside our country is so long, I don't even know what they are. Until recently, I had no idea that so many of our medications, both prescription and OTC, are made in China, of all places. That doesn't affect me extensively because I take little medication, but the very thought of trusting CHINA about anything much less our medications is beyond scary. So, you all here on this web site, tell me how can I, just an ordinary US citizen, support my own country instead of other nations, in the purchases I make?
Well, I, for one, would be very happy to buy only ... (
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Well, agree with you on the vehicles. My plan there is to buy Ford products and I have done so for decades. Ford is an American company with headquarters in Detroit and factories here in the U.S. as well as Mexico and Canada. Most models are made here in the U.S. by American workers. While some are made in Mexico and Canada, at least they are not made in China. Parts, yeah, some are probably made in China. Not much to be done about that until we start bringing more manufacturing back to the U.S., which I hope would start happening under Trump's second term.
Many everyday items are available online if you search for made in the USA. If I find something to be a necessary item and cannot find it made in the USA, I at least make sure it was made somewhere besides China. Big inventory stores like Walmart and Target, I stay away from. YOu are correct in that the lowly individual customer means nothing to them and you can complain all day long about how all their stuff comes from China and they could care less about you because they sell on a large scale to people who care not a whit about where this stuff comes from. I don't think there will ever be enough people like me who simply refuse to shop there for that reason to make a difference. I am able to find some products ... like pots and pans, sheets, towels, etc. made in the USA at Bed Bath and Beyond, but you have to check the labels because, again, much of their stuff is made in China.
The pet supply store that I complained about started carrying more dog treats, collars, bath products, and toys made in the USA after I complained about it. They also started selling items from some local "doggy bakery," too. Of course, much of their made in China stuff remained, but they did offer more options. Dogfood is another area where it is very important to know not only where it is made but from where the ingredients are sourced. You can find that out by checking out the company websites and calling them directly to ask them specific questions about it.
You just have to search for whatever it is you are looking for specifically. When I needed a new washing machine, I researched it and found one made in the USA and that is the one I purchased.
You won't always be successful in your question for American made products, but in my opinion we should all try.
And I completely agree with you on the medication. I, too, was completely unaware that many of our medications come from china. I am blessed with good health and have little use for most of it, but it is very scary to think that we are dependent on them for antibiotics and other medications that could mean life or death to millions of Americans. How did this happen? We cannot be held hostage by this and need to bring this production back home. Hopefully President Trump will begin bringing about changes to correct this.