Since returning from our week in Quartzsite, and a short, two day motorcycle trip, things around the home front are pretty routine. As I've said before, writing about trips to the grocery store, or other day to day stuff is not worthy of the effort, certainly not on the readers end.
When we do make a trip to the store, particularly to shop for other than grocery items, we are making more of an effort to buy products that are made in the U.S.A. In the last week, I've been hearing radio advertisements from two local business's that promote their use of U.S. made materials. One of those companies, Craig Plumbing, encourages the public to buy American made products. Their ad says if we all increased our made in the U.S.A. purchases by only 10%, it would go a long way toward bringing back some of the manufacturing jobs that are now in foreign countries. Even on a local level, it's encouraging to hear this subject being promoted in a more public way. In Stitches, another local company, that specializes in boat covers, and bimini tops, is publicly touting their use of American made products. Last year, I had them build a custom mooring cover for our boat, and all of those materials came from within our borders.
Rather than look for the cheapest price for an item, (wholesale & retail), if we all placed more of an emphasis on quality, particularly those products made here in our own country, it would be a huge boost toward putting a lot of people back to work. Just imagine if large companies like WalMart would place a higher priority on their purchasing of U.S. made products, and less priority on the cheapest price. Unfortunately, many products are only available through foreign made manufacturers, and the issue of choice is completely taken off the table.
As long as the business environment here in the U.S. is such that companies can't compete against cheap foreign manufacturing, the flow of "made in china" products will continue unabated. There's no simple answer, but I personally think that our Federal Government has a legitimate responsibility to make it easier for American companies to compete. On a level playing field, American workers & products will win the ball game every time. Given choices, if we would all buy "made in the U.S.A." products, it would make a huge difference!
THE TRAVELS AND ADVENTURES OF DAN AND PATTY CHANCE
About Me
- DAN
- VAIL (Tucson), Arizona
- Patty & I have been married for 33 great years, & have raised 3 children. Mike & Marc - mine. David - hers. We lost our beloved Beagle Sami in April, 2013, and our kitty Gracie in Sep. Since retiring from co-ownership of Jamestown Harley-Davdson in 2001, we have traveled all over the U.S. in 2 different motor homes. In 2002 and 2003, we traveled the N.H.R.A. Drag Race circuit, pulling the Harley-Davidson, Screaming Eagle merchandise trailer. In the summers of 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, Patty worked retail and I drove a tour bus in Skagway, Alaska. The summer of 2008, I worked as a supervisor for the Glacier National Park transit system in N.W. Montana. During the summer of 2009, we decided to travel, and completed a 5 and 1/2 month, 12,000 mile loop around the U.S. and Canada. During the summer of 2010, we traveled mostly in the Pacific Northwest states of Oregon & Washington. We spent the summers of 2011 & 2012, working at the Grand Canyon, where I drove a transit bus, and Patty worked in the General Store. The winters have mostly been spent at our home in Lake Havasu City. We recently relocated the home base to Tucson, AZ.
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