Made in America

In years gone by, the label “made in America” signified quality in a product. In this age of globalization, the American worker has been squeezed out of the picture, with American factories and manufacturers closing down. The proud American worker, producing the “made in America” product, is becoming a rare commodity, with his work being “outsourced” to foreign countries where workers are paid a fraction of the American worker's wage. Foreign imports from countries like India, China and Pakistan are cheaply made and sold in the United States, leaving the American worker out in the cold. It seems the “made in America” label is losing its' value in the American market.

It isn't because the American made goods are inferior. It's all a matter of price. In countries where workers aren't afforded a living wage, the goods they export to America are more affordable for the American consumer. A shirt made in America is of higher quality materials, and the worker who produces them is paid a living wage. The American-made shirt you buy will outlast the shirt made in China without question. The problem is that in hard economic times, the American consumer can't afford to buy quality. It's a catch-22 situation.

If you're a regular wage-earner with kids who need clothes for school, your budget has a limit. If you go only for the clothes that are made in America, your budget will soon be depleted, and the kids wardrobe will not be sufficient. If you opt for clothes made in China or India, the kids will have enough but the clothes won't last. You'll end up replacing jeans and shirts and shoes six months from now, but at least you'll have the six months to save up enough to buy the replacements!

The consumer can't be blamed for not buying the “made in America” labels – the initial cash outlay is too much! We simply can't afford it. However, we'll end up spending more in the long run in replacing poor quality goods. There's the catch-22.

So what's the solution? Perhaps we need to put tariffs on the cheap quality imported goods to put the “made in America” goods on a level playing field. It is, after all, penny-wise and pound-foolish to put our neighbors out of work by buying foreign goods. Especially if you're the worker producing the “made in America” goods.

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