Are you guys ‘that’ patriotic about everything else in your daily lives?

The thread about whether one would buy a Harley if such were manufactured overseas got me to thinking. The replies in said thread were extremely patriotic and riddled with steadfast conviction. Aposition I can definitely applaud and respect.

However, such a proud stance got me to thinking, “Are these same folks equally as pro-American and patriotic (in their consumer purchases)as their positions within that thread purported them to be?" Do they not buy anything manufactured elsewhere? I mean, let’s face it, it’d be EXTREMELY DIFFICULT (damn near impossible, actually) for one to go about their daily routine using and purchasing only 100% American made products and/or services. Most everyone on here goes home and night and turns on the television, uses a telephone, cell phone, switches on a computer and cruises the net (many sites of which are hosted overseas), cooks dinner and washes their clothes using various electronic appliances whose circuit boards of origin are nowhere near the good ol’ U.S. of A., etc. etc. The list goes on and on.

For me personally, a Harley being produced overseas would cease in being a Harley. That’s not to say that it still wouldn’t be a damn good bike. There’s a difference. So again, my question to those steadfast in professing that there’s no way in hell they’d buy a Harley manufactured overseas – “Don’t you buy other things (many of which you may not even realize) overseas?”

*As an American business owner, I make any and all efforts to not only ‘Buy American’ but to ‘Buy Locally’ whenever the opportunity presents itself. But at the same time, I think – given this day and age – that in more and more cases (yeah, this’ll **** off some folks I’m sure) ‘Buying American’ just doesn’t leave one with the best alternative in terms of quality of product and advanced technology. Not 100% of the time it doesn't (this, of course, dependent upon the product in question). I looked around my office building just this morning, making a concerted effort to take note of things ranging from office supplies, office furniture, my printing presses, computer equipment, my fleet vehicles, and the like. To say that it is ‘All 100% American’ wouldn’t even be close to reality. This, in spite of the fact that many bear an American label or name. And further to the point, sometimes that “Made in USA" label that we’ve all seen can be somewhat misleading if you take the time to read the fine print.

I open this topic for purposes of what I hope to be a calm, logical,and civil discussion.

 

I buy American when I can, but sometimes that is impossible. Hard to find anything BUT foreign electronics, or even apparel.

My beer is American (tho my vodka is Russian )

And I do not buy this constant quality rap. Stuff from China/Taiwan has broken in my place far more often than made in the USA. But that is true of any item.

I think the biggest problem is Americans have become so spoiled that not only do they want to pay $1 for a TV, they want it to be the same quality as the $1000 TV right next to it. Sorry people, you get what you get. Grow the hell up and realize that.

 

I'll be the first to applaud your post Bro. I'm also self employed and can say without any hesitation that I "CANNOT" spend the time/money needed to make purchases of American only products. That being said, I'll shoulder the wrath of those who will undoubtably flame me or, fan said flames.
I'll also say that given the choice of purchasing American made products,they'll win 85% of the time. I agree with you on the fact that, regardless of how hard we

 

Sure, buy American/Canadian all I can... but incredibly hard to be a purist on that very personal conviction!

But you're right, TX, it seems these days you ask 10 different people how they feel about that and you'll get 10 diff. opinions about all the nuances of that. Unless of course you ask 10 diff. politicians about that in which case you'll get about 30 diff. opinions[&o]

 

At least 30!

 

You are attempting to compare Apples to Oranges.

When people were talking about buying the Harley, they had the OPTION to buy it or not. It is a Luxury Item, notan itemthat is needed to function in everyday life.

Now with your other examples, people need to make a choice. Sadly that choice is slowly erroding away, since our economy is becoming more of a service based one, and alot of our manufacturing has or is moving offshore.

Add in the need for most people to attempt to streach thier dollars, and the ever increasing swing of merchants to buy offshore products in search of those dollars.

And it becomes an ever increasing task to actually BUY AMERICAN. It won't be long that the catch phrase will be ...BUY FROM AN AMERICAN.

 

as much as possible. damn difficult most of the time tho.

 

when ever and where ever I can. American made products are just as cheaply made in some instances. gettin to be a crapshoot on alot of products though. American put together doesn't always mean American made.

 

Many times even when you think you are buying American, its really made or is an assembly of foreign parts. That includes Harley. Its all about $

 

I try to buy American and I shop locally and try to support local businesses as much as I can.

And I don't shop at China Depot. (wally world)