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Originally Posted by Cd
How were things in the 1950s when a lot of items were made in the US ? Have things really improved ? Do people really have more money than they did back then?
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Apart from the philosophical question of whether having more money really improves quality of life (and there's research saying that beyond a certain point - about $70K IIRC) it really doesn't), I think it's pretty darned obvious that people in general really do have more money (and/or material goods) these days.
But the "Made In USA" thing is really sidestepping the issue. First, there's the Harbor Freight thing: US companies easily could have made all that stuff (pre-China) and sold it to average Joes, but they chose not to. Second, the main reason that a lot of this stuff is made in China (or other 3rd/4th world places) is that Chinese are cheaper than robots.
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If enough Joe Smoes buy a paint sprayer and do it themselves, the paint contractor goes out of business.
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No, because the people disposed to hire painting contractors would do so anyway. It's Joe with the sprayer doing his painting faster than he would with brushes & rollers. As for instance my Harbor Freight engine crane: did not having one ever stop me from pulling an engine when I wanted to, or make me take the job to a mechanic? No, it just saves me from finding a shade tree or roof beam stout enough to bear the load - if I guessed right :-)
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Again, correct me if i am wrong ( i didn't research this stuff like you guys did ) but I'm sure you are familiar with the Wired article on Apple using slave labor to build its' products.
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I don't think Wired has the slightest idea what slave labor really is.