American Made?

Today, it's really hard to tell. So many companies are going outside the United States for cheaper labor and higher profits. We've all needed technical support or a question answered concerning a credit card purchases, only to encounter someone with an accent who is difficult to understand.

Recently, auto workers have gone on strike because their demands aren't being met. While I've never understood the point of walking a path and carrying a sign, I do see where they are coming from. Members of the UAW want job security. That is, of course, one of the American dreams. We want to know we will continue to be able to support our families and live in a world where costs continue to escalate.

One of the concerns of auto workers is that many jobs are being sent beyond our borders. An American made car is no longer an American made car. The same is true of foreign cars. Many are now made in the United States. Having parts of the car manufactured in another country doesn't mean the consumer is getting off easy. No, those savings are not passed along to us. Two cars can sit on a lot, side by side, and they will be the same price regardless of where they were made. The name of the game is profits. Profits for the company, and more than a trace of insecurity for the American auto worker.

I used to be a big Oldsmobile fan. I've had a Cutlass, A Ninety-eight, a Calais, and a you-can-see-me-coming bold yellow Starfire. I've also had a Cadillac El Dorado, another General Motors creation. I've been guilty of treason by driving three BMWs and currently a Nissan, which I was told could have very well been made in America. As in North America. So, the question remains, how do we know?

It's fair to say that much of the assembly takes place in many of the plants in our country. What about parts? More importantly, what about the workers who depend on that job for their livelihood but have the misfortune of living in this country with this country's standard of living? Must a lot of them step aside in the name of profits and watch their job go across the border?

The same thing is happening in retail stores. They can purchase their products cheaply from another country. Why keep an American company in business by paying their higher prices. Often, quality is compromised too. You get what you pay for.

"Made in America" is no longer a popular or accurate slogan. Maybe our American cars should promote the American Design, and leave the word made for use by other countries.