I would be surprised if your neighbor wants a job making screwdrivers. American companies have been working hard for decades to maximize profits at the expense of everything else, including employees. They cut benefits, pensions, vacation days, and pay. Unskilled jobs are not a good way to make a living in America. You end up struggling to pay bills, and the next trip to the ER forces you into bankruptcy (medical costs are the leading cause of bankruptcies in the US). Take a look at the video tours online of USA made tools. Most processes appear to be automated. Like it or not, we're in a global economy now, and we simply can't compete with the way we did in the 50s. As someone else pointed out, paying more for a tool made in the US simple means less dollars spent on other American goods and services. The reason people are struggling isn't unemployment, it's underemployment. They simply can't make enough money at a job these days to be able to pay the bills. Adding more lowest-paying unskilled labor jobs is not the answer. Preparing Americans for higher skill jobs that pay fairly is. Well, another alternative would be going the Bernie Sanders route of forcing companies to "play fair" but no one is ready for that yet.
The majority of money earned in the US comes to America through products made overseas. There are bigger profit margins, and thus more money earned. That part is simple. So if you want to "support America," the new reality is that you need to keep buying cheap and disposable Chinese **** over and over again. Sustainable? Hell no. But "buying American" simple doesn't work the same way in our current economic environment.
I applaud people who are willing to sacrifice a bit more to do make it better for others, but the best way to do that
isn't to overpay for American made goods.
Any economist will tell you that
it doesn't work. It may make you FEEL better, but it isn't doing anyone any good except for the CEO pulling in million dollar bonuses on the backs of his employees and customers.
The Buy American laudits are primarily politicians who say it to get elected because it makes people feel good and vote for them. But there's a reason why when they get into office they stop pushing for it--it's bad for the economy.
If you want to buy Channellock because you think they make a better tool that's worth the money then good for you. If you're doing it only because there's an American flag in the package than you're unfortunately making a mistake because it's doing the opposite of what you're trying to accomplish.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
