[JohnInIndy]

The same holds true for Apple computers. I could go one and on.

How many Apple products do you own?

[seacapt]

Then country of origin isn't a factor is it? You are still buying the cheaper product.

and would in other cases spend a little more for the domestic product

[JohnInIndy]

and would in other cases spend a little more for the domestic product

I use to. And I still will if it's a non union product.

[seacapt]

Blame can be spread around but the biggest reason for the economic decline in the US is that we have 350 million people here that need stuff every day and somebody else is building it. We can only deliver pizzas to each other for so long.

An example we had locally here was a clothing company called CB Sports. They made high end ski parkas, jackets and other outerwear. The stuff sold in shops starting at around $300 and up. Employees working there made a couple of bucks higher than minimum wage. Their manufacturing facilities was built with tax breaks and grant money. The products were selling like hotcakes in the late 80's and 90's. Yet, they closed down production and farmed out production to overseas labor claiming they couldn't make a profit despite the high end selling prices. The only happy ending here is that some executives went to jail. This has happened all over the country for decades and companies have got away with it. Nike can't build a $200 sneaker in the US? Any American should be ashamed of himself for buying them. The same holds true for Apple computers. I could go one and on.

CB made good stuff , still have a windshell I bought when I went to college up North. Passed it down to my oldest kid when he went on a ski trip this year.
Talk about offshoring textile and clothing manufacture some parts NC have been virtually crippled . Seen where Cannon towells are made lately?

[jeffkrol]

I use to. And I still will if it's a non union product.

Citizens United.. Unions are people too my friend............

[seacapt]

I use to. And I still will if it's a non union product.

I used grocery items as examples because everybody uses them and cost differential usually amounts to pocket change. On larger ticket items I really wish more people would consider that value is a ratio between price and quality. For example I work with tools daily and it is not value/ cost effective for me to buy low price import items from Harbor Frieght.

[seacapt]

Citizens United.. Unions are people too my friend............

There really are two sides to the union debate.
Yes safe working conditions , propper training for skilled positions and a fair wage for the job performed are all important. On the other hand a dude making $15.00 per hour to push a broom is BS.
Have a buddy in the materials handling business. He was literally kicked out of a shop for picking up a broom and sweeping the area under the steel shelves he had sold and was installing for free. The union broom pusher who was supposed to have cleaned the area prior to the install was sitting on his ass reading a magazine then complained to the shop foreman about my buddy taking his job

[jeffkrol]

There really are two sides to the union debate.
Yes safe working conditions , propper training for skilled positions and a fair wage for the job performed are all important. On the other hand a dude making $15.00 per hour to push a broom is BS.
Have a buddy in the materials handling business. He was literally kicked out of a shop for picking up a broom and sweeping the area under the steel shelves he had sold and was installing for free. The union broom pusher who was supposed to have cleaned the area prior to the install was sitting on his ass reading a magazine then complained to the shop foreman about my buddy taking his job

broom pushers don't deserve a living wage??? The rest is a moral issue...........

[larryinlc]

On the other hand a dude making $15.00 per hour to push a broom is BS.

CEO's making ba-zillions per year is BS too.

[seacapt]

broom pushers don't deserve a living wage??? The rest is a moral issue...........

Did I not say a fair wage based on the job performed was important?

[jeffkrol]

Did I not say a fair wage bases on the job performed was important?

On the other hand a dude making $15.00 per hour to push a broom is BS.

Definitely not the same thing.........and actually was below "union scale" up north here.........I worked along side "union broom pushers" at 1/2 their wages (temp fill in).. it was an interesting story in many ways.. but
even if I was offered "union full time" doing that job.. I would have declined it. Not sure if you realize how unstimulating such a job is.... and my hat went off to those that can do it "for a living"........ take away benes and wages NOBODY wants to do it...WHICH is no different than Big business folding up a company because their profit margin IS ONLY 10% net............
Every job is both carrot and stick.........

MINIMUM wage should be a "living wage" which to be honest is north of $-7$10/hr w/ no benefits..

[seacapt]

CEO's making ba-zillions per year is BS too.

But what differenciates that CEO from the broom pusher?
Could the broom pusher do the CEO's job ?
Could the CEO push a broom?
Yes I'll agree the disparity of income has grown too large but there allways will be individuals with greater or lesser skill , intelligence , aptitude , ambition , investment and even in some cases luck.
Does anybody realy believe that an unskilled high school drop out , a skilled technician and the CEO /COO of a business should all have equal shares of the profit?

[JohnInIndy]

broom pushers don't deserve a living wage??? The rest is a moral issue...........

Actually since it's an entry level job No. They don't. It's not meant to be a career. It's meant to get you experience in the job market. It is the first step not the last. In college I washed a lot of dishes, took out a lot of trash and swept a lot of floors. Washing dishes got me up to line cook. Eventually I made management. And still washed dishes, took out the trash, and swept floors when people called out because they were "sick". (hungover you mean)

[JohnInIndy]

On the other hand a dude making $15.00 per hour to push a broom is BS.

Not including benes

[seacapt]

Definitely not the same thing.........and actually was below "union scale" up north here.........I worked along side "union broom pushers" at 1/2 their wages (temp fill in).. it was an interesting story in many ways.. but
even if I was offered "union full time" doing that job.. I would have declined it. Not sure if you realize how unstimulating such a job is.... and my hat went off to those that can do it "for a living"........ take away benes and wages NOBODY wants to do it...WHICH is no different than Big business folding up a company because their profit margin IS ONLY 10% net............
Every job is both carrot and stick.........

MINIMUM wage should be a "living wage" which to be honest is north of $-7$10/hr w/ no benefits..

Not sure what current union scale for broom pushers is and yes I do realize how unstimulating the job is. Fact is I wouldn't do it either but at that time as a master certified tech providing my own tools /shop foreman I was only making $1.50 p/h more than broom dude and living pretty well.
"Living wage" varies by region and individual definition.
Hell around here $15.00 p/h is still considered by many a pretty good living wage .