How were your grandparents able to afford all those American made goods way back when?

Question

Just think about it. My grandmother worked 26 years for GE making toasters. Almost everything she had, clothing, appliances, cars was made here. Everyone bought American made goods. Corporations and our Govt. tell us that outsourcing is good for us because it keeps the price of goods affordable. How come those same goods were affordable 40years ago and we were the ones making them. Does anyone else think outsourcing is bad for the US? Does anyone think it is good?

Answer 1

I'm probably quite a bit older than you. (71) My grandparents lived out west. They were farmers and were poor. They didn't have power, running water or inside plumbing. They farmed in the summer and worked in the mines one or two days a week in the winter. They stored their food in underground cellers and had no refridgeration to keep meat and milk in. They had a treddle sewing machine and made their clothing out of flour sacks. The city folks had it all as far as the farmers were concerned. I have always wondered how it is that the farmers of then and today are not rich, when it is the farmer we depend on for survival, We have multiplied and replenshid this earth to the point that I think it takes more than just the US to fill the supply and demand. Just think about it. All the food we consume each day. When we run out of something, we just run to the store and there it is on the shelf in the store. I saw the begining of this when the farmers and fruit grower couldn't find anyone to pick the vegitables and fruit. That is why the Indians and migrant worker were hired so the veg. and fruit didn't rot before they could get it to market. We think there are a lot of unemployed people and there are a lot but about half of them wouldn't work if they could.

We are a spoiled society and we don't know what it is to go without. If we can't afford what we want we just go out and put it on a charge card and when we get in over our head we take out bankruptcy and start the whole process all over again. No one in these times would think of making their cloths out of a flour sack. I don't think we have enough people to make all that our society requires. I know 40 years ago families usually had 1 car. Now they have 2 cars for mom and dad and a car for their teenagers, cell phones for everyone in the family, ipods, computers, 2 or 3 TV's, Cameras , video cameras, boats, RV's , Camp trailers, etc,etc,etc, the list goes on and on and on. Someday it is going to finaly cave in on us. The economics of our country are more than I can comprehend. I hope it will all balance out in the end.

Answer 2

Unions. Unions came in and said that you can't pay someone $2 an hour to make a toaster in America, you have to pay them $10 an hour and give them health benefits and a pension. So the cost of American toasters went up. Meanwhile, in other countries, they are still paying people $2 a day to make toasters. So even with shipping costs and tariffs, it is way, way cheaper to buy a foreign toaster.

Thank unions for the fact that 80%+ of all our manufactured goods are made overseas.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think all unions are bad. But many abused their power, and did very stupid things. Now we are forced to choose between a $10 toaster from overseas, or a $100 toaster made in America.

Look at the current problems with American car companies. American cars cost $5000 more to make because of pensions alone! Unions and American workers got too greedy, now they are losing sales because they can't compete.

Answer 3

The rate of inflatation has made the cost of consumer goods skyrocket since then. I purchased a 1972 chevy Nova brand new at the time for $2300. A comparable car would cost five to seven times as much now. Wages have also inflated, but not as much as goods. The price of gasoline was less than 50cents per gallon.

Answer 4

I think it's because the cost of importing was quite a bit back in those days when shipping costs were relatively higher than products made here. Now that these costs have gone down because even remote areas of the world can ship out, you can get foreign made products much cheaper due to low labor costs.

Outsourcing in my opinion is just the product of us wanting to take advantage of low labor costs through low wages in other countries.

Answer 5

Things today are made to be disposable.. look at computers. I have an XT that still runs.. yet newer PCs fail left and right. Same for most things. I used to have an '84 Subaru that was made from SOLID steel. I felt safe in that car. I now have a Saturn that I feel that if I got ito a collision in, I'd be toast.

Answer 6

Outsourcing is part of the plan the globalists have to ruin America. They aim to have a one world government/economy and the USA will no longer have any voice in their plans. It has already started in the EU. It will continue as time goes on, how fast it will happen is anyone's guess.

Answer 7

those who complain about outsourcing are generally those who won't work for the salary being offered. they want good money and stable work as we all do however in this day and age you can't. if there is a job that needs done and some people would rather complain than do it, outsiourcing is a necessity otherwise that company or whoever will fail. where one fails others will succeed.

Answer 8

will improve Hand "certain I do" thanks for asking i'm happy to ensure a minimum of one different individual on YA is professional energetic about this example. To the toaster argument monetary conflict is extra about prevailing the conflict than complaining you do not have a toaster. If toast is all major flow to a good Will and purchase a used Toaster. even no matter if it really is made in China you at the on the spot are not perpetuating the shortcoming of life of u . s . of america BTW there are Toasters made in Mexico. bear in mind they prefer a job too EDIT: hey waldo Is saving our united states of america, Democracy and how of living properly worth saving??? Or is US "mediocrity" not properly worth paying for living house grown products and amenities

Answer 9

Suppose to make for cheaper good. I think it is just some more "Trickle Down Econmics" GOOD FOR AMERICAN CORPORATIONS as "Trickle Down Econmics" has resulted in companies downsizing and lay offs and workers working longer and harder for less[ positions once hourly now salaried] while CEO's are making more and more millions and millons.

Answer 10

Henry Ford said he wanted a car to last a life time not wear out and be replaced in 4 years so you need to buy another one.
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