American Made

[Navy1960]

Here are some thoughts to ponder everyone when thinking about that next glowing and inspirational speech.

President Obama walks out of the White House doors in the west wing, parked in front of the White House is his black 2011 Cadillac Hybrid Limo with it's Toyota Based Hybrid engine built in Japan. His press secretary takes him to his awaiting Italian made VH-71 presidential helicopter where he is wisked off to Andrews Air Force Base to attend a summit of the G-8. He walks aboard Air Force One and is handed a towel to wipe the rain from his brow with the presidential seal that say's West Point Stevens made in Pakistan, and walks to his office on Air Force One. While aboard and several hours after take-off and somewhere over the Atlantic the pilot annouces a mid-air refuel with an awaiting French built US Air Force KC-45. Once this is accomplished the President is reminded about his impending speech before the G-8. So the president takes his Chinese made Lenovo laptop out of his bag and whispers to his press secretary and whispers remind me again what the theme is? The press secretary then responds with , how American Manufacturing is the best in the world.!!


The point behind my little story here, is to point out that if the US government does not have the faith to purcahse American made products for it's own use , how then can the same people faithfully ask you to do the same?

 

[GigiBowman]

I would like to vote for you Navy1960...ever consider running for some kind of office? We need Congressmen like you!

 

[Navy1960]

I would like to vote for you Navy1960...ever consider running for some kind of office? We need Congressmen like you!

laughs Gigi, I have never even given it one thought. I felt like 24 years in the Navy was enough. My congressional debates these days are limited to trade deals with my daughter. lol Good grades and a degree , for perks.

 

[GigiBowman]

You know, I bet you would actually read the bills if you became a Congressman! lol

 

[Navy1960]

You know, I bet you would actually read the bills if you became a Congressman! lol

It seems to me that as a congressmen your first obligation is to the people that elect you to the office. It is a simple concept that many tend to forget and to not take the time to actually read legislation that is presented and be told how and when to vote, is to betray the very people that sent you there to do their business. You would be shocked at some of the legislation I deal with in the Aviation business I am in now, and the absolute craziness involved. No doubt you have heard of the Stealth made famous during the gulf war? F-117, well it's projected lifespan was to last beyond the year 2018, however because someone didn't get enough F-22's in the last DOD budget the Air Force retired them all, and they are now all in storage down in Tucson a full 10 years before their useful life is done. Keep in mind these are the same people that tell you and I that the budget deficit is too large and are giving away 700 billion dollars of your's and my money.

 

[Turboswede]

I can relate NAVY, it weird that the US government purchases so many products abroad typically in exchange for an agreement that final assembly (not manufacturing) be completed in the U.S. I remember when they were introducing the Beretta M9 to replace the M1911 and my dad just shaking his head at the beginning of the end, he still has his M1911 and even though the M9 is a fine weapon, the principal of issuing an Italian firearm for general service seemed just plain wrong.

Another pet peeve of mine is the American Flags plastered all over Korean and Japans cars, what’s the deal?

The ultimate has to be a picture I took of a “Pearl Harbor Survivor” license plate…on a Mitsubishi Diamante, ironic.

 

[Navy1960]

I can relate NAVY, it weird that the US government purchases so many products abroad typically in exchange for an agreement that final assembly (not manufacturing) be completed in the U.S. I remember when they were introducing the Beretta M9 to replace the M1911 and my dad just shaking his head at the beginning of the end, he still has his M1911 and even though the M9 is a fine weapon, the principal of issuing an Italian firearm for general service seemed just plain wrong.

Another pet peeve of mine is the American Flags plastered all over Korean and Japans cars, what’s the deal?

The ultimate has to be a picture I took of a “Pearl Harbor Survivor” license plate…on a Mitsubishi Diamante, ironic.

I will go you one better than that, the very flag that fly's over the US Capitol is made in China. IMHO, there has to be a staring point where the very government we pay taxes too should be held to a standard, and we as citizens who don't hold them to those standards, how then can we expect them to do it themselves. It get's even worse than that Turbo, when you talk about DoD purchasing, it has become so ingrained now. Take a look at the XM-8

The XM8 is a developmental U.S. military designation and project name for a lightweight assault rifle system that was under development by the United States Army from the late 1990s to early 2000s. The Army worked with the small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch (H&K) to develop the system to its requirements in the aftermath of the OICW contract, for which H&K had been a subcontractor to ATK. Although there were high hopes that the XM8 would become the Army's new standard infantry rifle, the project was put on hold in April of 2005, and was formally cancelled on October 31, 2005.

General Dynamics was involved in latter stages and H&K had plans to produce the rifle at a plant in Georgia. H&K was British owned at the start of the project, but was later bought back by a group of German investors. Engineering work was done at facilities in the United States and Germany.

Even though it was cancelled, this type of contract has been the model for the DoD lately, where a contractor will souce a foreign builder with a promise to build in the US

 

[strollingbones]

wasnt it mccain who said trade restrictions and buying american were sillie...look to your own side for the same examples....mccain voted to send textiles aboard...hardly popular in nc.

 

[ignatov]

What is this "American made product" you speak of? I'm pretty sure we don't produce anything but evangelicals, Egg McMuffins and ennui.

 

[doeton]

you guys realize that the era of manufacturing as a base for our economy is over don't you?

it's time to move on.

 

[DavidS]

Here are some thoughts to ponder everyone when thinking about that next glowing and inspirational speech.

President Obama walks out of the White House doors in the west wing, parked in front of the White House is his black 2011 Cadillac Hybrid Limo with it's Toyota Based Hybrid engine built in Japan. His press secretary takes him to his awaiting Italian made VH-71 presidential helicopter where he is wisked off to Andrews Air Force Base to attend a summit of the G-8. He walks aboard Air Force One and is handed a towel to wipe the rain from his brow with the presidential seal that say's West Point Stevens made in Pakistan, and walks to his office on Air Force One. While aboard and several hours after take-off and somewhere over the Atlantic the pilot annouces a mid-air refuel with an awaiting French built US Air Force KC-45. Once this is accomplished the President is reminded about his impending speech before the G-8. So the president takes his Chinese made Lenovo laptop out of his bag and whispers to his press secretary and whispers remind me again what the theme is? The press secretary then responds with , how American Manufacturing is the best in the world.!!

The point behind my little story here, is to point out that if the US government does not have the faith to purcahse American made products for it's own use , how then can the same people faithfully ask you to do the same?

Dear Navy,

I love buying American cars

Signed
Stranded passanger on the road because my Ford just broke down again

 

[Navy1960]

wasnt it mccain who said trade restrictions and buying american were sillie...look to your own side for the same examples....mccain voted to send textiles aboard...hardly popular in nc.

The point of this thread strolling was not to make Obama look bad or McCain for that matter, but to show our governments usage of foreign sources for everything from computers to Aircraft, while at the same time telling us how important American jobs are. While I believe that free trade should include fair trade, there are some things that we as the tax payer should demand that our government spend our taxpayer dollars on if they can. I am not for draconian tariffs on trade but it appears that to expect any nation we trade with to impose tariffs on US products and we at the same time allow their products to enter here is unfair. The examples I cited by the way are all republican examples of purchases made during the Bush Administration .

 

[Navy1960]

Dear Navy,

I love buying American cars

Signed
Stranded passanger on the road because my Ford just broke down again

David, I'm not sure what that has to do with this thread considering your Ford might have been built in Mexico, but I am glad you like to purchase American car's.

 

[DavidS]

David, I'm not sure what that has to do with this thread considering your Ford might have been built in Mexico, but I am glad you like to purchase American car's.

Dear Navy,

Don't you just love those American-made Firestone tires!

Sincerely
2001 Ford Explorer

 

[strollingbones]

then we basically agree...sorry....that obama meeting last night has me a wee bit touchie...i agree we need to stop exporting our raw resources to other countries to import them again as finished products...if industry is dead then we have decided to be a nation of service people. i wished we would impose the same type of tariffs that other countries impose on us. i find it shameful that people would buy chinese junk at walmart even as the chinese show that products are unsafe. i wont feed my dog chinese junk i am not feeding the family that stuff. i am on the quest for safe cookie sheets made in america...good luck with that. nc use to proudly make textiles..no more...our furniture sales are going over seas also...we are a state being allowed to die...due to shipping jobs overseas. no one seems to care as long as it was blue collar jobs..but when the white collars jobs began to go...people got upset..perhaps we should have defended the blue collar jobs first.

 

[Luissa]

Here are some thoughts to ponder everyone when thinking about that next glowing and inspirational speech.

President Obama walks out of the White House doors in the west wing, parked in front of the White House is his black 2011 Cadillac Hybrid Limo with it's Toyota Based Hybrid engine built in Japan. His press secretary takes him to his awaiting Italian made VH-71 presidential helicopter where he is wisked off to Andrews Air Force Base to attend a summit of the G-8. He walks aboard Air Force One and is handed a towel to wipe the rain from his brow with the presidential seal that say's West Point Stevens made in Pakistan, and walks to his office on Air Force One. While aboard and several hours after take-off and somewhere over the Atlantic the pilot annouces a mid-air refuel with an awaiting French built US Air Force KC-45. Once this is accomplished the President is reminded about his impending speech before the G-8. So the president takes his Chinese made Lenovo laptop out of his bag and whispers to his press secretary and whispers remind me again what the theme is? The press secretary then responds with , how American Manufacturing is the best in the world.!!


The point behind my little story here, is to point out that if the US government does not have the faith to purcahse American made products for it's own use , how then can the same people faithfully ask you to do the same?

You are right there! But I am one of those American who buy Japanese! I have had two Acura Integra's and they ran and worked better then some of my friends American made cars. The Japanese are just more efficient in the way the make things. I have heard they had less up keep cost of the Zero during the War and they don't allow for much room for error!
Plus another reason I have had an Acura is the resale value which is much higher on Honda/Acura and Toyota! I had an 86' Integra when I was younger and it was worth the same as this lady I worked with who had a Dodge Stratus!

 

[Luissa]

laughs Gigi, I have never even given it one thought. I felt like 24 years in the Navy was enough. My congressional debates these days are limited to trade deals with my daughter. lol Good grades and a degree , for perks.

I am thinking you should run too! You can take McCain's seat when he retires from the senate! I would vote for ya if I lived in Arizona, I do vote Republican once in awhile if it doesn't have to do with Presidental or governor races!

 

[Navy1960]

Dear Navy,

Don't you just love those American-made Firestone tires!

Sincerely
2001 Ford Explorer

About Bridgestone Firestone de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.:
Bridgestone Firestone de México, S.A. de C.V. (BFMX) is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc. and a part of that company’s Bridgestone Firestone Latin American Tire Operations business unit. BFMX manufactures, markets and sells a wide variety of passenger, light truck, truck and bus, agricultural, and off the road tires. BFMX’s two manufacturing facilities are located in Cuernavaca, Morelos and in Mexico City.

The Cuernavaca facility produced its first tire in 1980 and today manufactures high and ultra high performance radial passenger, light truck and truck tires. The Mexico City facility produced its first tire in 1958 and today manufactures bias truck and agricultural tires. Both plants have achieved the highest standards in quality assurance and safety, and manufacture products primarily for the Mexican market.

I sure do, I have Bridgestone tires on my car and have never had a problem with them. again whats your point?

WILSON, N.C. (March 15, 2006) - Hail, hail, the gang’s all here! Now that the Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) facility in Wilson, N.C., has been accepted into the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s prestigious National Environmental Performance Track (NEPT) program, all seven of the company’s U.S. tire plants share this recognition for outstanding environmental performance.

“We were the first tire company accepted into the program, and now we’re the first company to have all of our American-made tires produced in NEPT plants,” said Greer Tidwell, director of environmental management for BFNT. “Luck might bring a seven to a slot machine or a dice game, but it was hard work and commitment to environmental excellence that brought all seven of our U.S. tire plants into this elite program. It makes our entire family proud to see the Wilson facility receive this recognition and complete the circle.”

 

[Turboswede]

Dear Navy,

Don't you just love those American-made Firestone tires!

Sincerely
2001 Ford Explorer

Um...sorry David, Bridgestone/Firestone is Japanese.

 

[GigiBowman]

David, you are looking real silly here and I was enjoying the 'adult' conversation. It's like having the National Enquirer pop up in a National Review article.

be gone!