Buying American

[i_throw_bricks]

As for buying American... don't do it unless it's better. Give America incentive to start making better products again. I love our country, but I'm not going to buy a piece of garbage just because it's made in America. This is precisely why Chevy and Ford are starting to make better vehicles again.

 

[Travis1010]

Where does the plastic come from for these american discs? I really don't know.

 

[garublador]

Buying American doesn't provide that much benefit if the creator and marketer of the product is in America. A simplified product costing model for something that retails for $10 is the wholesale cost is $5 and the manufacturing cost, delivered to the U.S., is about $2.50. Since the physical product (not service) involves raw materials, some which come from the U.S or places other than the country where it's manufactured, less than $1 might be labor.

So, the wholesaler in the U.S. at $2.50 makes more than the overseas manufacturer who gets maybe $2.25-2.35 with $0.15-0.25 shipping. The U.S. retailer makes more than both manufacturer and wholesaler at around $5 gross. So at least $7.50 of the $10 stays here to support U.S. jobs and likely more depending on who supplies some of the raw materials and handles shipping. Considering that more people are likely to buy lower priced products if the wholesaler/retailer can get them made overseas, the simplistic cry to "Buy American" doesn't necessarily produce more wealth and jobs in the U.S.

I don't think the numbers you gave support your claim as well as you think they do. Saying we're "only" losing a quarter of what we spend isn't a horribly good number. I'd be super happy to be 25% richer.

 

[snowren24]

maybe I should have titled this thread discing American.

the internet is too full of flamers to get off on creating controversy to actually have a pleasant discussion i suppose.

In most cases people buy foreign because its cheaper, not because its better, cars may be the one area where this is not the case.

 

[Cgkdisc]

I don't think the numbers you gave support your claim as well as you think they do. Saying we're "only" losing a quarter of what we spend isn't a horribly good number. I'd be super happy to be 25% richer.

There's an overall benefit to throwing a bone to other nations who also buy significant amounts of U.S. products. It's about trying to balance fair trade among nations which can boost both economies and reduce international tension. No one can effectively argue that buying only items made 100% in their country is a good economic policy. Free markets help sort out that balance.

 

[thrembo]

Listen up kids and I'll tell you a story about free trade.

When I was in the Navy one of the countries we visited was France. My ship pulled into Toulan, where there is a French naval base. There were also ships visiting from England, Spain etc.

Everywhere we went, people were wanting to trade us for our Zippo lighters. I got a sweet Spanish Navy dress hat for one of mine.

Intrigued, we set out to figure out why. We went to the French equivilent of a Walgreens and were astonished to find out that to buy a Zippo over there cost about $150.00 US! But you could buy a cheap french knock off lighter for $15.00 US. Further exploration revealed high prices on all American products!

So basicly we let them sell whatever they want over here at competitive prices but they tax the crap out of our stuff so there's no way that we can compete.

I heard an interview with Lee Iacoca one time and the dude asked him about putting a Chrysler dealership in Tokyo. His reply was that it would cost oved 1 million dollars just for the land!

How can we compete with situations like this? We need to start taking care of this country before we start with the rest of the world.

Curious, I know we have some Swedes on here. How much do you have to pay for American plastic over there? Do they cost alot more than your own discs?

 

[discmeister]

I am not going to rag on Capitalism because I do not see the US system as capitalist. It has become a form of corporate socialism. In the '80s, 90s, and most recently, the Govt has bailed out so many banks, insurance companies, auto manufacturers, and provided tax breaks and grants to oil companies, aviation, etc.... The only one who is not getting anything are the middle and working classes. Real capitalism would allow the market to decide which companies sink or swim. Real Capitalism is not about bailing out incompetent or crooked businesses. Buying from non-tax paying, tax haven based, "American" multi-national corporations is not supporting America.

 

[Jbowdown]

The thing about large corporations is they've been thinking globally for generations now. The local employees of these companies are still relying on these companies to do well in their respective global markets. From a global trade and relations standpoint American companies would be taking a very large leap back to only build for and cater to Americans.

For example, Top Gear UK did asked their viewing audience (majority still being UK citizens) to submit their opinion on the car company that had made the most great cars than any other manufacturer. Guess who won? Ford, they beat out VW and BMW in the opinion of the viewers. Why? They know their customer base. Ford started as an American company but Ford UK is a very different company with a very different customer base. They've made high quality cars at reasonable prices in Europe for years. The Ford Ka is the best example of an award-winning car built for a European market since 1996 that the US has never seen. Wiki quote, "Ka has been the best selling car in its class in the United Kingdom for a number of years and commands around a fifth of the city car market." Ford US has been playing catching up to Ford UK for years in the quality of their cars.

As Americans, we live in a post-industrial society. Which unfortunately for some means more service and technical jobs and less manufacturing jobs It's in a nation's and a companies best interest to think as globally as they can. It's a free market, force companies (in whatever country they make them) to make a better products buy refusing to buy their lower quality junk!

 

[cmcolomb]

i'm "Uh-mare-kin" and i only speak "Uh-mare-kin" and i only buy "Uh-mare-kin"... heck, if i had it my way, the whole world would be "Uh-mare-kin"

no but seriously, i buy what feels best in terms of plastic. outside of that, we epitomize the rolling punchline that can only be described in 3 syllables... "Uh-mare-kin"

 

[cmcolomb]

The thing about large corporations is they've been thinking globally for generations now.

'thinking globally' we have come to understand as outsourcing and farming out work to the lowest bidder, knowing full well that it will help MY (insert large corp. here) bottom line while effectively buttfuking the rest of my fellow Americans.

I completely agree with your Ford comments. They are one of the few truly American-minded/centric large organizations.

As Americans, we live in a post-industrial society. Which unfortunately for some means more service and technical jobs and less manufacturing jobs It's in a nation's and a companies best interest to think as globally as they can. It's a free market, force companies (in whatever country they make them) to make a better products buy refusing to buy their lower quality junk!

and we are unfortunately farming out even our service/technical job expertise. and also unfortunately, we are not in a free market - the invisible hand is more prevalent and wide reaching than you may think.

Very good comments and good outlook; however, it is my personal opinion and I think we are doomed to be a society whose only 'natural resource' is reality television... stay tuned!

 

[Jbowdown]

i'm "Uh-mare-kin" and i only speak "Uh-mare-kin" and i only buy "Uh-mare-kin"... heck, if i had it my way, the whole world would be "Uh-mare-kin"

no but seriously, i buy what feels best in terms of plastic. outside of that, we epitomize the rolling punchline that can only be described in 3 syllables... "Uh-mare-kin"

As an American, there ain't a problem I've seen that can't be solved by kickin' ass!

 

[Spatula Cornroll]

If there are discs made in America, they are probably overweight and not PDGA approved.

 

[bikinjack]

I was honestly surprised, almost amazed, at how much DG stuff was made in the US of A when I first started playing. I still am, to a degree.

 

[The dude on the bike]

I only buy American except for my Halex midrange hard plastic max D driver.

 

[The dude on the bike]

As an American, there ain't a problem I've seen that can't be solved by kickin' ass!

Ain't that America?