Wrong to buy American?

[chiefstang]

I work for a Ford dealer in upstate, NY and recently we ran an ad that asked people to buy American. The backlash was quick, and surprising. People were upset that in a "global economy" why were we trying to mislead people. Now I know that even Ford is guilty of outsourcing some of it's labor, but they have to to remain competitive. But at the end of the day, Ford is an American company that employs and supports thousands and thousands of American people. Toyota employs just enough Americans to brag about it. But my biggest concern is why is it bad to ask the people to support our great nation in a time of economic need. In the 80's we were in a recession similar to the one we're dealing with now, and I remember Reagan emploring the people to buy American... I remember the proud little American flags with the "Made in the U.S.A" adorning everything from kitchen sets to coffee tables. And I remember people being proud to buy them. It worked then, and I would like to believe it could work now. So where are the cries for patriotism now? I know our foreign policy is not a popular one now, but our economy needs help, and nobody wants to step up to the plate and ask people to be accountable and do their part. I just want to cry every time I see a Toyota with an American flag on the antenna. Is it bad to buy American, bad to be American? I don't think so, but people had better wake up and see that buying that Nissan is hurting us... Alot. Gos bless us, and God help us if somebody doesn't man up, and do what Reagan was able to. Obama? McCain? Bush?...Anybody? No, huh? Guess it's up to the people.

[battyr]

I work for a Ford dealer in upstate, NY and recently we ran an ad that asked people to buy American. The backlash was quick, and surprising. People were upset that in a "global economy" why were we trying to mislead people. Now I know that even Ford is guilty of outsourcing some of it's labor, but they have to to remain competitive. But at the end of the day, Ford is an American company that employs and supports thousands and thousands of American people. Toyota employs just enough Americans to brag about it. But my biggest concern is why is it bad to ask the people to support our great nation in a time of economic need. In the 80's we were in a recession similar to the one we're dealing with now, and I remember Reagan emploring the people to buy American... I remember the proud little American flags with the "Made in the U.S.A" adorning everything from kitchen sets to coffee tables. And I remember people being proud to buy them. It worked then, and I would like to believe it could work now. So where are the cries for patriotism now? I know our foreign policy is not a popular one now, but our economy needs help, and nobody wants to step up to the plate and ask people to be accountable and do their part. I just want to cry every time I see a Toyota with an American flag on the antenna. Is it bad to buy American, bad to be American? I don't think so, but people had better wake up and see that buying that Nissan is hurting us... Alot. Gos bless us, and God help us if somebody doesn't man up, and do what Reagan was able to. Obama? McCain? Bush?...Anybody? No, huh? Guess it's up to the people.

 

It is good to buy American, but you must buy for the right reason. Buy the high quality American cars. Not blindly buy the Junk.

[ironhorse]

It is good to buy American, but you must buy for the right reason. Buy the high quality American cars. Not blindly buy the Junk.

 

That statement is what's wrong with the American consumer...Americans will blindly buy foreign junk,and swear up and down it's still better than anything American companies make.

[chiefstang]

That statement is what's wrong with the American consumer...Americans will blindly buy foreign junk,and swear up and down it's still better than anything American companies make.

Currently, Ford's quality is on par, or better than the foriegn "quality leaders" but people still flockto them like lemmings over a cliff. It's almost as though they're making a political statement with their purchase. And that's really sad. We need strong leadership that isn't afraid to ask us to support our country.

[jobu37]

You have to understand that a very large portion of the auto market is made up of people that have already bought foreign cars. By asking the public to buy American because it is obviously the right thing to do you have in a sense insulted everyone who has ever bought a foreign car. You have implied that they have already done the "wrong" thing and it sits off the same mechanism that causes one to blush. Their defense mechanism turns on and they get angry. Unfortunately, you can't make people do the rational thing. They have to feel like they made the decision to come back on their own. Mr. Farley has this very task in front of him. Hopefully he is the genious he was made out to be when hired.

 

I'm thinking that he is realizing that it is more difficult to convince an American to buy American than it was to convince an American to buy Japanese. The blind import loyalist are much easier to keep once they have been converted. While it seems like a domestic loyalist is just waiting for something bad to happen to give them excuse to jump ship over to the imports. I realize that is an oversimplification but it sure hell seems like reality to me.

 

Mark my words, if my left rear tire ever loses another pound of air pressure I will take my Explorer with 145,000 miles and sell it to the scrap yard and go buy one of those brand new totally redesigned Corollas. I'm tired of all the problems I've had with this damn Explorer. Before this tire issue, I had to replace an EGR valve. Cost me $100 bucks. No telling what it is going to cost me to get the nail removed from that tire. Right now it has cost me almost a half a cent per mile in maintenance costs.

 

My cousin had one of those fancy Toyota Camry's that needed to have the tranny replaced at 5,000 miles. Turns out he shifted the gears in an incorrect manner so it wasn't the car's fault. Based on his experience and the fact that I am pretty sure that I would never incorrectly shift the gears I am confident that I would never have to spend a dime on a Toyota. My cousin also had to have the engine replaced on his prior Toyota because it sludged up. Turns out that even though he thought that he had changed the oil every 4,000 miles, he really only dreamt those oil changes since he didn't keep any receipts. Toyota was able to decipher his dream patterns and convince him of this. Hence the reason he bought another Toyota. My cousin must be real accident prone. I can't wait unitl I finally get a Toyota and show him how bulletproof they really are.

 

It's bullshit like these two scenarios that Ford is going to have to overcome. How they are going to do it I don't really know. The Fusion and Milan beating Camry and Accord in JD Power rankings three years in a row hasn't been quite enough, yet.

[chiefstang]

You have to understand that a very large portion of the auto market is made up of people that have already bought foreign cars. By asking the public to buy American because it is obviously the right thing to do you have in a sense insulted everyone who has ever bought a foreign car. You have implied that they have already done the "wrong" thing and it sits off the same mechanism that causes one to blush. Their defense mechanism turns on and they get angry. Unfortunately, you can't make people do the rational thing. They have to feel like they made the decision to come back on their own. Mr. Farley has this very task in front of him. Hopefully he is the genious he was made out to be when hired.

 

I'm thinking that he is realizing that it is more difficult to convince an American to buy American than it was to convince an American to buy Japanese. The blind import loyalist are much easier to keep once they have been converted. While it seems like a domestic loyalist is just waiting for something bad to happen to give them excuse to jump ship over to the imports. I realize that is an oversimplification but it sure hell seems like reality to me.

 

Mark my words, if my left rear tire ever loses another pound of air pressure I will take my Explorer with 145,000 miles and sell it to the scrap yard and go buy one of those brand new totally redesigned Corollas. I'm tired of all the problems I've had with this damn Explorer. Before this tire issue, I had to replace an EGR valve. Cost me $100 bucks. No telling what it is going to cost me to get the nail removed from that tire. Right now it has cost me almost a half a cent per mile in maintenance costs.

 

My cousin had one of those fancy Toyota Camry's that needed to have the tranny replaced at 5,000 miles. Turns out he shifted the gears in an incorrect manner so it wasn't the car's fault. Based on his experience and the fact that I am pretty sure that I would never incorrectly shift the gears I am confident that I would never have to spend a dime on a Toyota. My cousin also had to have the engine replaced on his prior Toyota because it sludged up. Turns out that even though he thought that he had changed the oil every 4,000 miles, he really only dreamt those oil changes since he didn't keep any receipts. Toyota was able to decipher his dream patterns and convince him of this. Hence the reason he bought another Toyota. My cousin must be real accident prone. I can't wait unitl I finally get a Toyota and show him how bulletproof they really are.

 

It's bullshit like these two scenarios that Ford is going to have to overcome. How they are going to do it I don't really know. The Fusion and Milan beating Camry and Accord in JD Power rankings three years in a row hasn't been quite enough, yet.

Funny and true. Perception is half of the battle. But in the last few years I have noticed that I don't have to tell my customers about quality gains. They are actually telling me. Even the evil ones cross shopping the Japanese cars. I don't think that you would be alienating Toyota customers by asking people to buy American, though. It worked after 9/11, albiet in a state of heightened patriotism, which is what we need. Someone to stir the pot, and make people proud of where they live and who they are. I don't think it should be limited to the auto industry, either. It should be asked of everywhere, from everyone. Be proud. I am.

[fbmphil]

It is good to buy American, but you must buy for the right reason. Buy the high quality American cars. Not blindly buy the Junk.

 

+1

 

I'm all for buying American and supporting the U.S. economy, but I'm looking out for ME first, and that means buying the best product available for what I'm willing to spend. If that means buying a foreign car over its domestic alternative in a specific situation, well, sorry, but I'm not going to buy an inferior product just to buy American. And like it or not, throughout the 80s and 90s, many American vehicles WERE the inferior products, but the tides are slowly beginning to change and consumers are being turned back on to higher quality of domestic vehicles. Built in Mexico

 

Also, if you shop at Walmart and bitch at me for considering a foreign vehicle, die in a fire.

Edited August 2, 2008 by fbmphil

[Ralph Greene]

I see nothing wrong with your intent, and I understand what you are trying to say and do.

 

The problem is....a lot of folks understand there are no real American auto companies, just as there are no real Japanese car compnies. These are all global manufacturing companies. They build plants, manufacture vehicles, source parts, and hire people all over the world. The notion of "our car companies" and "their car companies" has been obsolete for some time.

 

While it's true Ford and GM are headquarted in the US, and the Japanese companies are head quartered in Japan, that doesn't mean the owners live in those countries. These companies are owned by share holders all over the world. All these companies pay profit taxes all over the world, real estate taxes all over the world, payroll and retirement taxes all over the world, contributute to local economies all over the world. More Americans own shares, and participate in the profits, of Honda and Toyota, than Japanese people do. And profits go to the shareholders. It's difficult to really figure out the nationality of a car company....no matter how some of the mid westerners spin it. And ironically.....since GM and Ford are not currently profitable, haven't been profitable for a while, and won't be for a while, they have paid no corporate income tax to our gov't, and won't, for many years. While Toyota and Honda and some others, being profitable, are paying thier fair share of taxes in jurisdictions that require that. At least some car companies are paying us taxes. I know Honda of N America is a profitable company.

 

If Ford was really serious about asking us to "buy American", surely they could have manufactured their bread and butter cars, the Fusion and Milan, in the USA and not Mexico. Maybe this is what makes some angry when you ask them to buy American.

 

And I sometimes think this buy American idea is really a "buy UAW" thing, when it's the UAW that mostly keeps Ford and GM from being competitive....if not now, at least in the past. That extra cost has to be paid somewhere, by someone, and will affect competiveness. I fault Ford and GM for caving in to Union pressure partly for being in the condition they are in, which really means Ford and GM management make the mistakes. They were plenty of mistakes made, on all sides, enough to go around to all parties involved. Maybe they just all got "fat".

 

I personally wish to support Americans, and support American business. I also think many American vehicles are leaders in their class. So I mostly buy so called American cars. But I'm not for a minute fooled into believing Ford and GM will be as loyal to American workers and suppliers. They understand they are in a global business. Good luck to your dealership surviving this economic slowdown. It will end eventually. For the most part, you have class leading products to sell. That shoud help because eventually the car business "war" will eventually be won by the company with the best products. It's really about the product.

Edited August 2, 2008 by Ralph Greene

[8A4RE]

I work for a Ford dealer in upstate, NY and recently we ran an ad that asked people to buy American. The backlash was quick, and surprising. People were upset that in a "global economy" why were we trying to mislead people. Now I know that even Ford is guilty of outsourcing some of it's labor, but they have to to remain competitive. But at the end of the day, Ford is an American company that employs and supports thousands and thousands of American people. Toyota employs just enough Americans to brag about it. But my biggest concern is why is it bad to ask the people to support our great nation in a time of economic need. In the 80's we were in a recession similar to the one we're dealing with now, and I remember Reagan emploring the people to buy American... I remember the proud little American flags with the "Made in the U.S.A" adorning everything from kitchen sets to coffee tables. And I remember people being proud to buy them. It worked then, and I would like to believe it could work now. So where are the cries for patriotism now? I know our foreign policy is not a popular one now, but our economy needs help, and nobody wants to step up to the plate and ask people to be accountable and do their part. I just want to cry every time I see a Toyota with an American flag on the antenna. Is it bad to buy American, bad to be American? I don't think so, but people had better wake up and see that buying that Nissan is hurting us... Alot. Gos bless us, and God help us if somebody doesn't man up, and do what Reagan was able to. Obama? McCain? Bush?...Anybody? No, huh? Guess it's up to the people.

 

I took an Educational buyout from Ford in Jan. 07 and started college full time. As a student and former line worker, I prefer to write papers and give speeches on the "Big Three" every chance I get, as a way of giving back to the UAW. I did a "Buy American Cars" persuasive presentation in my communications 101 class. I found that most of my audiance had little clue that Big Three cars provide far greater to the local economy than foreign cars. I presented my research and showed how foreign cars take market share away from the Big Three. I was also able to provide research showing that states with the highest forclosures had direct ties to the auto industry and the Big Three.

 

I feel that we are obligated to educate and promote the facts to anyone that will listen. I do this on a daily bases even though I have long forgotten how to do my jobs on the line.

 

As a Big Three dealership, you could be doing more than just telling the public what to buy. You could show them that "Big Three" automobiles boost the local economy. I know that with a little effort it can be done.

 

Sources Cited:

 

http://www.levelfieldinstitute.org/index.html

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa36...10/ai_n21033393

http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:oGOJn74...us&ie=UTF-8

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/ne...tions-top-5.htm

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...UTO01/806040449

Edited August 2, 2008 by 8A4RE

[chiefstang]

+1

 

I'm all for buying American and supporting the U.S. economy, but I'm looking out for ME first, and that means buying the best product available for what I'm willing to spend. If that means buying a foreign car over its domestic alternative in a specific situation, well, sorry, but I'm not going to buy an inferior product just to buy American. And like it or not, throughout the 80s and 90s, many American vehicles WERE the inferior products, but the tides are slowly beginning to change and consumers are being turned back on to higher quality of domestic vehicles. Built in Mexico

 

Also, if you shop at Walmart and bitch at me for considering a foreign vehicle, die in a fire.

No I don't shop at Walmart you lemming. Glad you look out for yourself. Hope you enjoy your freedoms that myself and other veterans have afforded you while you stayed home and looked out for you own selfish ass. It's nice that you know how to take from your country, but refuse to give. Everybody, this is the whining jagoff that's the problem, here. The minute you contribute to society in any way, maybe your opinion will matter, but as long as it's all about you, Shut your mouth. If you don't like this country, and have such a problem with it, fine. I'll buy the raft. Get the f**k out.

[SVT_MAN]

Shopping at Wal Mart doesn't mean you aren't buying American anyway. Wal Mart carries a large quantity of American made items, you just need to look for them.

[fbmphil]

No I don't shop at Walmart you lemming. Glad you look out for yourself. Hope you enjoy your freedoms that myself and other veterans have afforded you while you stayed home and looked out for you own selfish ass. It's nice that you know how to take from your country, but refuse to give. Everybody, this is the whining jagoff that's the problem, here. The minute you contribute to society in any way, maybe your opinion will matter, but as long as it's all about you, Shut your mouth. If you don't like this country, and have such a problem with it, fine. I'll buy the raft. Get the f**k out.

 

I enjoy the fact that you're attacking me for the exercising the very value that you claim to have personally afforded me: FREEDOM.

 

Your last four sentences sound like they're straight out of the mouth of ol' Chairman Mao, you fucking Commie. I'm now a lesser (and more selfish) person than you because I choose not to serve? Lose the superiority complex, fuckhead. I don't owe anything to anyone when it comes to deciding where and how I spend the money that I earn, and that's the beauty of the United States, CHOICE.

Edited August 2, 2008 by fbmphil

[chiefstang]

I enjoy the fact that you're attacking me for the exercising the very value that you claim to have personally afforded me: FREEDOM.

 

Your last four sentences sound like they're straight out of the mouth of ol' Chairman Mao, you fucking Commie. I'm now a lesser (and more selfish) person than you because I choose not to serve? Lose the superiority complex, fuckhead. I don't owe anything to anyone when it comes to deciding where and how I spend the money that I earn, and that's the beauty of the United States, CHOICE.

You call me a Commie. That's funny. I dodged bullets for you, and you call me a Commie and a fuckhead. Online anonymity makes you a very brave little boy. If you want to disagree with me that's fine, but then you tell me to die in a fire, and insult me, all because I'm proud of my country. Thank you for proving me right in everything I've said. I said people should be proud to buy American and you insult me. You are very brave while typing. If you were in front of me I would tear your throat out. You ought to be ashamed. If not, rest assured that I am ashamed to call you a countryman. Thank you again for proving me right. You do think it's wrong to buy American.

[suv_guy_19]

You are very brave while typing. If you were in front of me I would tear your throat out. You ought to be ashamed.

 

 

You ought to be ashamed.

[fbmphil]

I just find it funny that you call me a "lemming" and "selfish" because I choose not to do things that you perceive as being "the right thing to do". I support this country and I support those who serve, but to belittle me simply because you served in the military is ABSURD. I owe you no more respect than any other poster in this thread, just as I owe nothing to the faceless corporations that pervade our country. If you call me "selfish" for applying my rights as an American, then I'll call you a commie for insinuating that I keep my mouth shut or "get out" if I disagree with what you're saying.

 

Members of the military like you who play the "respect me more than your fellow brethren because I fought for you" card disgust me. I owe you nothing over and above any other upstanding citizen of our country, and if you believe that your service makes you a better American than me, I'll have to disagree.

 

And for the record, I drive a Ford and the vast majority of purchases I make are American-made items from American companies.

Edited August 2, 2008 by fbmphil

[chiefstang]

You ought to be ashamed.

You're right. I am. Got carried away, and angry. This is a subject that's important to me, and I regret the last post. Won't happen any more, and I apologise to all, even Phil. Won't happen again.

[96 Pony]

A topical topic. This just came out in my local paper today:

 

Cornelius Ford Goes Out Of Business After 68 Years

 

I don't know the details. I do know Ford insisted that they build their new dealership 2 years ago.

 

What ticks me off is the people who are wringing their hands about how terrible it is they closed then go out and jump into their Jap Crap to go shopping.

 

I don't buy the crap about Wal Mart being all crap from China when in fact, you can go to Target, K-Mart or Sears and buy mostly the same stuff. But when it comes to cars, how ignorant are people that they don't realize that profits from The Big Three stay here and all the profits on the foreign makes go back into the Japanese and German economies?

[Edstock]

how ignorant are people

Well the UK paper The Guardian did a poll of Brits. Somehow, I doubt that US citizens would be much different, except for an Elvis fixation:

 

· 1 Area 51 exists to investigate aliens (48%)

· 2 9/11 was orchestrated by the US government (38%)

· 3 Apollo landing was a hoax (35%)

· 4 Diana and Dodi were murdered (32%)

· 5 The Illuminati secret society and masons are trying to take over the world (25%)

· 6 Scientologists rule Hollywood (17% )

· 7 Barcodes are really intended to control people (7%)

· 8 Microsoft sends messages via Wingdings (6%)

· 9 US let Pearl Harbour happen (5%)

· 10 The world is run by dinosaur-like reptiles (3%) :hysterical:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/31/1

[chiefstang]

A topical topic. This just came out in my local paper today:

 

Cornelius Ford Goes Out Of Business After 68 Years

 

I don't know the details. I do know Ford insisted that they build their new dealership 2 years ago.

 

What ticks me off is the people who are wringing their hands about how terrible it is they closed then go out and jump into their Jap Crap to go shopping.

 

I don't buy the crap about Wal Mart being all crap from China when in fact, you can go to Target, K-Mart or Sears and buy mostly the same stuff. But when it comes to cars, how ignorant are people that they don't realize that profits from The Big Three stay here and all the profits on the foreign makes go back into the Japanese and German economies?

Amen, brother. That's a sad story, and believe me, all the Ford stores in my area are feeling the same pressure. Meanwhile, the Toyota store across the street is buzzing. Imagine the blow to the economy if this doesn't change, and Ford begins to go under. GM seems to be in even worse shape. Two of the largest employers in the country, employing hundreds of thousands of people... But don't worry, it's all about Phil. He's ok.

[fbmphil]

I don't buy the crap about Wal Mart being all crap from China when in fact, you can go to Target, K-Mart or Sears and buy mostly the same stuff. But when it comes to cars, how ignorant are people that they don't realize that profits from The Big Three stay here and all the profits on the foreign makes go back into the Japanese and German economies?

 

I agree, but then there's the issue of how those profits are then spent. Is it inherently wrong to buy a Honda or Toyota and have [some of] the profit go toward investing in the US economy by building more factories in the US, which in turn employs more American citizens, which in turn increases their ability to buy products and support the American economy? Or is it better to buy a union-built Ford and in turn enhance their building of factories in Mexico that employ Mexican citizens?

 

Both of the described scenarios are win/win and lose/lose situations in my opinion. EVERY company's goal is to be profitable and be capable of returning dividends and gains to shareholders. Frankly, I find the idea of corporate loyalty to be absurd. I'm just a demographic to them, and I don't owe them anything. As the American auto industry as shown, no person or idea will get in the way of a corporation's ultimate goal: profit. It is not my responsibility to buy a vehicle from them, but it is THEIR responsibility to their shareholders to PRODUCE a vehicle worthy of my consideration and ultimately, my money. In the end, the company that fits my needs best will be the one that garners my support.

 

There's loyalty, and then there's capitalism and covering your own ass. I choose to subscribe to the latter school of thought, you may not. But hey, that's what I like about America: we can disagree like that.

Edited August 2, 2008 by fbmphil

[chiefstang]

Well the UK paper The Guardian did a poll of Brits. Somehow, I doubt that US citizens would be much different, except for an Elvis fixation:

 

· 1 Area 51 exists to investigate aliens (48%)

· 2 9/11 was orchestrated by the US government (38%)

· 3 Apollo landing was a hoax (35%)

· 4 Diana and Dodi were murdered (32%)

· 5 The Illuminati secret society and masons are trying to take over the world (25%)

· 6 Scientologists rule Hollywood (17% )

· 7 Barcodes are really intended to control people (7%)

· 8 Microsoft sends messages via Wingdings (6%)

· 9 US let Pearl Harbour happen (5%)

· 10 The world is run by dinosaur-like reptiles (3%) :hysterical:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/31/1

Elvis is in my basement smoking a doobie with Jim Morrison, and Nessie

[FordFanForEver]

Notice my name and i mean it. I will always support and buy Ford. Well, i guess since i want a future Mercury product, my name should be MercuryFanForEver. But w/e

[timmm55]

Alot. Gos bless us, and God help us if somebody doesn't man up, and do what Reagan was able to. Obama? McCain? Bush?...Anybody? No, huh? Guess it's up to the people.

 

Why does the Flag waving always seem to go hand-in-hand with right wingers/Reagan/and a Christian God? People are tired of American values being sold as a political commodity. Someone says you have to be "this" and "this" to be a good American....they feel manipulated.

There are plenty of Good Americans who won't be pigeon-holed. Society has changed, it's still evolving.....every day.

 

Personally I hated Reagan, the so called "great communicator" was a tool and was already suffering from dimentia.

 

Unfortunately many people feel the manipulation extends to "Buy American" when to me it's basic economic sense. But all things are not equal. Some American stuff is junk (so are some Japanese, German, Swedish products etc. etc.). Sometimes there isn't even a choice anymore....try buying an American made LCD HD TV!

 

Anyway....all of my new cars have been American, and only one used car was an import (Mazda).

[chiefstang]

Why does the Flag waving always seem to go hand-in-hand with right wingers/Reagan/and a Christian God? People are tired of American values being sold as a political commodity. Someone says you have to be "this" and "this" to be a good American....they feel manipulated.

There are plenty of Good Americans who won't be pigeon-holed. Society has changed, it's still evolving.....every day.

 

Personally I hated Reagan, the so called "great communicator" was a tool and was already suffering from dimentia.

 

Unfortunately many people feel the manipulation extends to "Buy American" when to me it's basic economic sense. But all things are not equal. Some American stuff is junk (so are some Japanese, German, Swedish products etc. etc.). Sometimes there isn't even a choice anymore....try buying an American made LCD HD TV!

 

Anyway....all of my new cars have been American, and only one used car was an import (Mazda).

I'm an Athiest, actually, but my point is, like him or hate him, Reagan toook a struggling economy, and boosted it tremendously by instilling pride in America, and American produucts. If we had an inferior product, then my argument wouldn't make as much sense, but with the quality, and lineup being equal or better than the imports, why is it asking alot to consider, or maybe even buy a Ford when it would clearly help everyone on this side of the pond so much? I find it VERY sad that sugguesting that people buy American on a Ford forum upsets so many people. I guess we're in an even worse spot than I thought. It's not as though buying a domestic car is a sacrifice anymore. Even with Ford's typically conservative styling, we still have better lines than Toyota. I guess it's all subjective, but they build old lady cars. By the way, my HDTV uses Texas Instruments parts. They're American right? Just kidding.

[rscalzo]

Microsoft sends messages via Wingdings (6%)

 

I always wondered what they were for...Now I know.

 

Toyota may be busy but are they selling anything beyond the Prius? For a lot of years I drove a CV for my job. but it was a Canadian product if I'm not mistaken. Ford and the other American companies do have some PR work to do if they want the public to come back to their products. I am on my third Ford SUV and each and every one was problem free. Wish the wife's VW was as trouble free. It must be on it's fifth recall.

 

And as far as the veterans are concerned, I just returned from a pistol match fundraiser solely for the benefit of a local NH relief fund geared toward NH military personnel. I tend to disagree that we don't own them something beyond putting a magnet on the rear fender. They get called up and leave the family home to cope for a year for very little in the way of payment. Way too many come home injured for life and must make do one their own. I have no problem taking a day or two out of my time and helping raise money while participating in what I like to do anyway...shoot. Slightly off topic, another local NH company, SIG/SAUER has supported this effort one hundred percent by their donations and help from the staff.