Posted by
jason hudson on Thursday, September 24, 2009 1:47:09 PM
Also the Buy America Act, (this was issued back in 1933) so it is not really new. More than ever before we are trying to “keep it in America” Our Jobs, our products, our oil????? Just a thought. Trying to create new jobs, making them with American Made Products. “Project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act”, the sign reads on I-25 in Denver, with Governor Ritter’s name on it. So, with the State in a “Hiring Freeze”, with the exception of the Public Health sector, where are the workers from these “temporary jobs”??? Making State employees take furlough days, I doubt they creating new positions. This nice new renovated highway also was made with tar that contains foreign oil in it….makes sense to me. I realize more jobs have been created in other areas, not just construction……but are they all permanent positions? It is unclear, and no one is reporting that.
I am proud to be an American, I do want to keep things in America, with American products but, sometimes we do not offer or produce the best, and it is our own fault for letting it get that way. I think if our Government was serious about all this hullabulloo, we would stop rewarding bad habits with bail-outs, where TRUE CHANGE is needed. Drill for our own oil (keep it in America), and if you want to produce….remove the noose!! Lighten up on all the restrictions and penalties on Manufacturer facilities making American products. I will mention that competition for the lowest priced product by the manufacturer…along with some greed, will cause “the overseas push for a cheaper product”. What are we doing to keep the products here?? If the people are used to paying .25 for a “widget”, and it will cost the manufacturer now .27 to produce said widget domestically in the USA, do really believe the manufacturer will take a “loss”? or will they raise the price of the widget 10 cents? I personally would not mind too much, an increase as long as the product offering was proven SUPERIOR, than the imported one. A Quality control program, must happen. This means we have to be willing to go to work, to get the job done and stop relying on others to supply all of our needs. That statement goes against the “big government” we will supply all your needs message the President O bortion is passing around.
On commercial jobs some of the widgets these contractors are looking for just are not made in America. I work for a manufacturer….I see this daily. Especially, on military base renovations. To qualify for Buy America, the product must be 51% made in USA, Canada or Mexico, a half arsed compliance….so 51% has been everybody’s goal to meet, not 100%. You can have 51% of the product on hand, and the 49% come in from China, and now we are “Assembled in the USA”. There are ways around every issue, because there are perks, green points, Leed points, benefits, or whatever you will call them, issued by the Government, the State, or governing project authority for doing so it does not happen if they are not in compliance. That is why I mentioned a nice new road that is made tar containing foreign oil. Who is in charge here???
Once upon a time, a manufacturer goes against the norm and takes some of the product they produce, offshore, all the while offering a domestic alternative. The competition see this and does the same. Today the imported offshore product is the norm, with little or no Domestic alternative, and we are all scrambling to get it produced back at home….at what cost? We all have to be united on the same page….what if this is just a passing phase and they all throw in towel midway thru it all, and just give up?? The most important individual is the consumer….lets not forget that!!
JWH 9/24/09