Originally Posted by raceway video I'm as patriotic as anyone but what would happen to our exports if every country did that?

There has to be balance. Can you deny that we export less and less as the years go by? Granted, the globalization of the economy allows everyone to have a better quality of life, but the health of our economy is vital to our nation's security. To survive as a world leader who represents freedom, we must achieve the right import/export balance.

As this is a racing board, how great is it that we actually have truly American made race cars right here in Indiana? Not just Indiana, but in pockets around the country? You see a sprint car or a silver crown car and you don't have to ask what country it was made in! Beautiful! I wish I could drive one to the grocery store instead of a Canadian born Camaro! No offense to Canada, but there was a time when Americans built Chevy cars and some of us kinda miss the old days and the jobs that came with it.

Originally Posted by deannalynn There has to be balance. Can you deny that we export less and less as the years go by? Granted, the globalization of the economy allows everyone to have a better quality of life, but the health of our economy is vital to our nation's security. To survive as a world leader who represents freedom, we must achieve the right import/export balance. As this is a racing board, how great is it that we actually have truly American made race cars right here in Indiana? Not just Indiana, but in pockets around the country? You see a sprint car or a silver crown car and you don't have to ask what country it was made in! Beautiful! I wish I could drive one to the grocery store instead of a Canadian born Camaro! No offense to Canada, but there was a time when Americans built Chevy cars and some of us kinda miss the old days and the jobs that came with it.

Stats show American exports are not quite as bad as you say
EXPORT OVERVIEW:
 With the release of the January 2011 U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services report by the Department of Commerce’s U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. exports of goods and services increased by 2.7 percent in January 2011 since December 2010 to $167.8 billion, the highest level for monthly exports on record with record exports in both exports of goods ($120.5 billion), and exports of services ($47.2 billion). U.S. imports of goods and services increased 5.2 percent to $214.1 billion over the same period.

I get a check handed to me every week by the company I work for that exports American made products. I sure wouldnt want anyone to stop buying from us.

Also, sprint cars are no longer solely American made. There are many discussions here on the imported xxx chassis. Plus I doubt Maxim, Stealth and the other American sprint car manufactures would be to excited if Austrailia decided not to buy American any more.

Here is the question;
Would America be better off or worse off if no other countrys bought our products?

I saw an idiot a couple years ago at Cedar Point who had a bar code tattoo..... forgot to check what country he was made in but sure hope it wasn't the USA! (I think he was made by Yugo myself...)

Originally Posted by raceway video Stats show American exports are not quite as bad as you say EXPORT OVERVIEW:  With the release of the January 2011 U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services report by the Department of Commerce’s U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. exports of goods and services increased by 2.7 percent in January 2011 since December 2010 to $167.8 billion, the highest level for monthly exports on record with record exports in both exports of goods ($120.5 billion), and exports of services ($47.2 billion). U.S. imports of goods and services increased 5.2 percent to $214.1 billion over the same period. I get a check handed to me every week by the company I work for that exports American made products. I sure wouldnt want anyone to stop buying from us. Also, sprint cars are no longer solely American made. There are many discussions here on the imported xxx chassis. Plus I doubt Maxim, Stealth and the other American sprint car manufactures would be to excited if Austrailia decided not to buy American any more. Here is the question; Would America be better off or worse off if no other countrys bought our products?

Of course we have to trade with other countries! That's basic meat and potatoes economics! If you specialize in growing cows and I specialize in growing potatoes, we trade with each other and everybody has more steak and potatoes at their dinner table. In reality, the U.S. leads the world in research and development because we have the comparative advantage over other countries. We're doing good at exporting technology and products, but looking at the staggering amount of money we owe ***** and the unemployment rate, don't you think it's time we kicked up production a notch and buy some of our stuff too? They're not going to stop buying our stuff just because we make more stuff and buy some of it ourselves!I have learned to take government reports with a grain of salt (army days really drove that truth home and most vets I know feel the same). Statisticians have a way of manipulating data to make things look different than what they are. Kudos on your weekly check, but I don't think that qualifies you to tell us our economy is improving so their is no need educate ourselves. The government has been feeding us that line of bull for long enough. Thank you for your interest.

[JEFFSTOY]

we would have more jobs in the good ol USA

[Blackduce]

I was educated on bar codes when my business wanted to bar code all our parts and bikes. Then I ran into this. There are 3 or 4 different bar code readings. And you could almost say there are really different from each. This was 5 years ago. So this is great info, but which bar code system are they using. I think there must be a leading bar code system, but don't know which one. I only know that does not work on our system. Our wrong choice again. Also this applys to serial numbers assigned to motor vehicles you can read them and find out which country, year and other things. Being in the Motorcycle business. I know this is not true, because Harley Davidson claims to be American made and they only average 51% or 52%. There might be some with more, not sure. But the % is so low that the US Goverment made Harley take Made in USA off the bikes because they don't meet a higher % of parts and labor. Also Harley recieved 2.6 billion from the Federal Resurve. That is for banks only. Ha! Then 45 days later anounced they are going to build some Harleys in INDIA with a new factory. This so crazy. Who do you believe and where are we headed.

Lynn

[Stagger]

Originally Posted by skids59 I've been looking for and buying " made in the USA " products for quite some time. Some items you simply cannot find. The only tennis shoes I know that are made here are New Balance. I gave my daughter a request last Christmas for new socks made in the USA. Her reply was "Dad, thats impossible." She did her homework and found that Macys carries several styles and colors, most are cheaper than the imports. Gregg I was told by a rep from Levis, their denim material was produced in North Carolina and sewn in Mexico, same for Wrangler. I'm glad people are finally starting to pay attention to where products are produced, just wished we all would have started long ago.

You have to be careful on NB. There are only a few actually made in the US. If you go to Shop Newbalance.com you will find made in the USA NB. If you only paid 40 to 60 buck for a pair of NB they were not made here.

[Gregg]

Originally Posted by skids59 Gregg I was told by a rep from Levis, their denim material was produced in North Carolina and sewn in Mexico, same for Wrangler. I'm glad people are finally starting to pay attention to where products are produced, just wished we all would have started long ago.

What you say may be true but there are blue jeans manufacturers in the USA that will do the whole ball of wax in the states including denim material, stitching and packaging.

[skids59]

I know I own some. Diamond Gusset