Canadians not the only ones peeved over 'Buy American'

Canadians not the only ones peeved over

www.everydaymoney.ca

In the grand scheme of the world’s economy, Canadians are a little like Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction.

We’re cute, we’re cuddly, and we seem to do everything right. But we do NOT take rejection well.

What’s transpired since hasn’t exactly blown anyone away. Detractors of the Buy American strategy, like Liberal head Michael Ignatieff, have warned of the policy’s threat to destroy the Canada-U.S. trading relationship. Stockwell Day is also irked.

(FCM) even voted in a retaliatory “Buy Canadian” resolution that would – not unlike the Buy American strategy – aim t

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 9-6-2009 by ModernAcademia]

So there we have it, it's ending up being a war of buy your own.

looks like this can turn out to be kind of ugly.

protectionism will not save the economy, that's ludicrous.

just a smart economy can but that's just not an option apparently.

Opinions???

What do you think about the Canadian response to this?

www.everydaymoney.ca
(visit the link for the full news article)

Of course in a world economy when everyone elses economy is intertwined with evryone else's this kind of protectionism hurts more than it helps. For me personally I will buy what I deem to be the best product at the best price. If American companies would get this through thier skulls and start actually competing, rather than put out half-assed garbage and resting on the ol' patriotism laurels they might not be in trouble. Between poor quality of alot ( not all) of U.S. products and the jacked up prices therein and the iron-claw grip that corrupt unions have on American corporations I am surprised we still even have an American auto-industry at all. Not to mention any other industry.

reply to post by djvexd


The point should be that MOST products are NOT American other than that the company bought them under their names from China. Finding a product that is actualy made here is gettting hard to do.

Zindo

I say we buy Martian, forget about these lowly earthling nations. The Martians have far better quality products and their technology is many times more advanced than our own. We wouldn't want to be protectionist and "Buy Earthling" now would we? To Mars we go!

Originally posted by ModernAcademia


So there we have it, it's ending up being a war of buy your own.

looks like this can turn out to be kind of ugly.

protectionism will not save the economy, that's ludicrous.

just a smart economy can but that's just not an option apparently.

Opinions???

What do you think about the Canadian response to this?

I think it's to be expected honestly... protectionism is nothing more than a tribal response at a greater level.... Honestly it's simple capitalism too... I get to choose what I want to buy and why...

But there are more than one reason to buy American.... Not that it's the safest products... but they are much more safe than Chinese products...

I will never have another Chinese piece of crap anything in my house... I go out of my way to make sure that I can limit to the best degree possible anything from a Chinese manufacturer...

That's not protectionism... that's called market economics and is the power of the consumer.

reply to post by HunkaHunka


OK. I can see the Chinese boycott. But how about other foreign countries other than China we buy from; Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, etc.? Are you defending the 'Buy American Only' protectionist measures Obama is taking because of crappy Chinese build quality?

reply to post by Ferris.Bueller.II


This is the most anti-american website I have ever been on. What is wrong with buying American?

If you have not noticed, we are having tough economic times. What does a wise family do when things get tough? They trade with each other to keep money in the family.

We do not have any obligation to buy products from other countries. If we are willing to pay a little extra for American products, it is the wise thing to do.

I have been working for a company in the US for 12yrs. when i started i could not say enough great things about this place. we had quality units that were the best on the market, and was the best company i had ever worked for in my carreer of manufacturing work. but since we have been sold 3 times in the last 5 yrs it seems managment has gotten away from quality and leaned more to quanity. it seems that by taking this projection in the matters manufacturing, that quality is no longer a factor, and they seem to want to keep trying to sell this junk for more money than its worth, and i mean junk. i work there and would not even buy this trash.
my wife always ask why i insist on buying products with hand made quality, it is becuase somone built it with pride and quality,and love of their job.

reply to post by grapesofraft


Why do people always jump on the anti-american labeling bandwagon all the time when opinions are giving that they don't agree upon?
Isn't freedom of speech and opinion part of pro-americanism?

seriously man

Anyhow, if you are a wise buyer you will buy a good product.
That's why most americans stay away from american cars and buy Japanese cars.

It's not about buy-american, it's about your total cost of ownership after purchase. Some people want a quality product, not just keeping their head up high with a buzz cut with american flag blankets and pillow covers.

reply to post by ModernAcademia


Well a case could me made that it is wise AS A NATION to keep dollars in this country and try to limit the trade imbalance that we face.

"Such was the case in recent days when the now-infamous Buy American strategy reared its head from the U.S., effectively choking off the chance any of the near-$800-billion stimulus package might make its way into the hands of Canadian business. "


Can anyone tell me what is wrong with that statement? If you figure it out you will realize why Canada is upset about the buy American strategy.

Originally posted by Ferris.Bueller.II
reply to post by HunkaHunka

 

OK. I can see the Chinese boycott. But how about other foreign countries other than China we buy from; Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, etc.? Are you defending the 'Buy American Only' protectionist measures Obama is taking because of crappy Chinese build quality?

Yes, I am anti collectivism...

Take a read of "The Tower and the Abyss" and you will see what I mean... but in the end... the work I do and the goods I purchase should ALWAYS benefit my tribe first. If I can expand my wealth by trading with others.. then great, but I must first benefit the tribe which is my own first...

reply to post by jd140


Yeah the problem with that statement is that the Canadians somehow think they are ENTITLED to a share of our stimulus money.

Originally posted by djvexd
Of course in a world economy when everyone elses economy is intertwined with evryone else's this kind of protectionism hurts more than it helps. For me personally I will buy what I deem to be the best product at the best price. If American companies would get this through thier skulls and start actually competing, rather than put out half-assed garbage and resting on the ol' patriotism laurels they might not be in trouble. Between poor quality of alot ( not all) of U.S. products and the jacked up prices therein and the iron-claw grip that corrupt unions have on American corporations I am surprised we still even have an American auto-industry at all. Not to mention any other industry.

I agree with buying the best product for the best price.
As for the auto industry, we're already there.....many many jobs vanished this year alone.
However, which "American companies should get through their skulls and start competing?"
Can you provide us with examples?
Half ass garbage? Products are much worse quality when they're made in Asia. No?
As far as I know, we were at great industrial scale for ourselves decades ago, UNTIL everything was made out of the US, sold @ 500% IN the US, and the blue collared American slowly becomes extinct.
As far as unions, I'm much in favor of American unions, than say a foreign union. Why wouldn't you be?
More corrupt than foreign unions???
NAFTA super- highway's a perfect example how even a private Spanish company can make all the profits from (ex.) highway tolls in Texas (which should benefit the state of Texas), let alone win the bidding in the construction.
This affects not only US, but Canada and Mexico as well....
www.opednews.com...

U.S. jobs will permanently be lost. Good paying union jobs in the US for American truckers, railway workers, airline staff, warehouse personnel and dockworkers will permanently shift to non-Americans. For example, the Mexican Ports that are being developed are funded and run in part by a Hong-Kong shipper. Additionally, the Texas-Trans Corridor (a piece of the superhighway) is to be contracted out to a Spanish company to build and operate. We don't know how many TTC related jobs will go to US Citizens, and how many will go to foreigners

www.naftasuperhighway.info...

Anyway.

As far as protectionism, if it can benefit on a community level (where jobs and income are scarce) than it's more logical to buy local.
Especially farm products......produce, foods, etc...
Cut out the corporate companies, and support local grown.
Quite honestly, I've been shopping like this for years. The stories I hear about the milk companies (for ex.), and how the milk contains more bacteria, and other nasty stufff make me want to buy form local farm.
I also believe this story is a bit more significant because of our recession. Sure.
However, we're failing to grasp the fact that private businesses are closing their doors more and more, everyday. Not sure as much for Canada than US, but I live in Colorado and eeeeeverything out here is chain, corporate, etc.
You can't get an oil change without spending atleast $4o @ a chain machanic....Grease Monkey....or whatever..
No good pizzerias. All chains. Products are crap, and that sauce they put on their pizza, is squeezed out of a bag.
Notice how many Sysco trucks you see on the highways.....
It's the big corporations that are taking over.....bullying and putting out of work the smaller businesses.
I'd much rather buy my chicken from local farm, than Tyson's genetically modified cloned God knows what chicken.....
Support your community at it's best, imho.
Help your neighbors, not the corporate pigs.
This story imo is deceptive.
It's just another strategy marker for you to go out and purchase Heinz ketchup, and Nikeys.
I think if we can buy local (US in US, Canada in Canada) the average person and average communities will benefit more than the big corporations.
I would like to add that as Americans we should really learn how to be more responsible, especially in our resources.
Let's put money in local communites......
Not the Chinese. Taiwan. Indonesia, etc.....





[edit on 9-6-2009 by Ben Niceknowinya]

reply to post by djvexd


I do agree with you that unions in this country are detrimental when you are trying to compete in a global marketplace.

Now we have a President that is trying to hand these very unions the whole darn company. We just inch our way to communism each and every day.

Yeah... this matters

because when I think, "protect the American economy"

When I think "we need to buy more from America"

I'm going to to look at labels and every 1 in 600 product I run across that says...

"made in Canada"

I'm going to purposely not buy that to protect our jobs from those Canadians...


Damn Canadians loading us up on smoked Salmon, Decent Beer and that bacon that's not really bacon... we must crush them...




Seriously.... is there anyone in here who doesn't Understand that "Buy American" actually means "Don't buy Chinese"

Originally posted by grapesofraft
reply to post by jd140

 

Yeah the problem with that statement is that the Canadians somehow think they are ENTITLED to a share of our stimulus money.

Bingo.

They want the stimulus money.

Originally posted by jd140
Bingo.

They want the stimulus money.

It's not about Stimulus money
it's about money through business that canadians were already getting before the stimulus that did nothign.

reply to post by ModernAcademia


Well we are not obligated to buy anything from Canada. So if the President of the USA decides to recommend we all buy American, and we do, then you are just going to have to deal with it. It is not like we owe it to the Canadians to buy their products.