Would you be willing to pay more for goods and services in order to keep corporations here in the U.S?

Question

Be honest… would you pay 10-15% more for an item if that item would help keep the manufacturer from moving to a foreign country to produce it? Think about how much you are now paying for gas and the cost increases in food and other products due to the price increase in gas, with the National average creeping up to $3.00 a gallon. Also consider that your total cost increases would rise and your monthly budget increased by $100.00- $300.00 dollars based on the price for goods and services produced in America. Would you be willing to pay? How much more would you be willing to pay? Are you willing to take your message to these Corporations and ask that they continue to produce their goods here rather than Mexico or China? Could your monthly expenditures take that kind of hit?
Just some things to ponder…

Answer 1

Walmart used to have a slogan on their paper sacks: "We buy American whenever we can." I don't think they use it anymore, I'm not even sure they still use paper sacks. Anyway from what I understand Walmart's practice in "buying American" was that they would squeeze all the profit out of the manufacturer and force them to sell low if they wanted to do business with Walmart. Then as soon as a foriegn company showed up with the item at a lower price they would quit buying the American produced item leaving the American manufacturer to fail. I have heard that American manufacturers know that the quickest way to get a foriegn company to start producing cheap knockoffs of your item is to stock it in Walmart stores. So what drives all of this carnage? WE DO! The American public is frantic to save a few pennies. If we weren't there wouldn't be all of the store ads in the newspapers and on television. "We won't be beat on price", "Your value leader", and "Garuanteed lowest prices" are all slogans far more valuable in the marketplace than "American Made". Your question is a little like asking people to stand on the beach and join hands to stop a hurricane. We Americans are far better served by entrepenuers who acknowledge market trends and exploit them than by those who would cling to archaic systems based on protectionism. Find a way to create jobs in your community. If you want my advice look outside of manufacturing anything that can be made overseas and shipped for less than you can do it here. Information, Service, Tourism are all good areas to look into, although now a lot of Information jobs are being done in India. I appreciate your thought, but trust me you are wasting your time. You seem intelligent so use your brain to deal with reality instead of fantasize about a revolution that will never come. Faster, cheaper, better has always been the battlecry of the marketplace and we aint never going to change that.

Answer 2

I don't think that paying more would keep companies in the U.S. A huge part of the problem is profit margin: the execs want to continue lining their pockets, so they're going to do whatever increases those profits (even if it means moving to Mexico, China or Malaysia).

Answer 3

Growing up in Philly, I have seen factory after factory go south, then further south, and then cross continents.

I don't want to pay more, and it is unrealistic and unnatural. Even though I would if I could, as would most Americans. I really believe our country must gain industy back for the sake of security, and should make the sacrifice to do so.

Answer 4

If we are doing it as a nation, such as taxing goods manufactured overseas in such a way that it makes the equal to that of goods manufactured at home, I'm all for it.

If we are expecting working people to voluntarily pay more to get a 'Made in USA' label, many people simply can't afford to do this. We shouldn't expect people to do through volunteerism as individuals something is properly a function of "We the People" acting together.

Answer 5

I could pay that much more, if I wanted to. I understand that keeping jobs here in the United States is extremely important. I also believe that international business is a fact of life that is not going to go away. We should embrace foreign production and imports.

Answer 6

You're absolutely hitting the nail on the head. On the one hand, we don't want our jobs taken away and our ability to provide for our families, but we also like the luxury of going to Walmart and Home Depot and being able to buy affordable things. It's a constant struggle between the two points of view. I don't have the answer. Wish I did. I'm heading out to Walmart now though.....

Answer 7

No way-Corporations are already putting the screws to us the american worker/consumer. Hopefully this will continue to create an entrepnoral attitude. Personally I would prefer to see my kids not working in corporate america.

Answer 8

I would be willing to refuse to use goods and services of US companies that take jobs overseas.

Answer 9

I would probably pay more for laws that were enforced to keep all liberals out of my country!

Answer 10

We all used to and I'm sure, given the chance we'd do it again to keep jobs in the USA