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In my family, my paternal grandfather, my father, and I have always owned or leased American-made cars. It wasn't just a sign that we believed in America and American workers, but also supporting our local community, of which we are not only a part, but from which we benefited (in the '70s and '80s, many of my father's patients were auto workers and execs, but that quickly changed with the advent of HMOs).
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But we also believed in (and I continue to believe in) the free market. Competition is always good. The Japanese auto industry, in the 1980s, forced America's auto industry to catch up and make better products. Today, America has fallen behind again, and that would be the case even without gas prices approaching $5.00.

Some of that is because of gargantuan retiree health plans (absurdly covering Viagra and costing $1,500 of every new GM car) and union demands and wages. But many auto workers have lost their jobs and many of those who did not have made considerable wage concessions. While I support competition, I also believe we can't exist as merely a consumer society. If we don't keep some production here, we'll continue to fail economically. And while auto workers' salad days are over, they shouldn't be paid sweatshop or slave wages, either. That will be bad for America's economy, too.

Today, there's another issue, too: What does "Made in America" mean? Does it mean the parts were made here and assembled elsewhere? Does it mean the parts were made there, but assembled here? That's the mix of many cars (and other products) today, and "Made in the U.S.A." doesn't really entirely mean it was made here, anymore.

If I had the money to buy a new car today, I'd stay in the tradition of my father and his father. I would NOT buy a foreign model. Never. I do believe that's part of supporting America and being patriotic.

On the other hand, my late maternal grandfather--who came here with nothing and built a multi-million dollar business--bought Japanese cars after his American ones were in the shop so much. He felt it was American to buy the most competitive, well-built product. When my grandfather bought a Japanese car for my little brother, my father was sort of embarrassed that one of his kids would be seen in a non-American car. It was almost sacrilege.

So, what do you think? Is patriotism not just sacrificing for our country, but also "buying American"? Even though I'm a free marketeer--in this age of America shipping many of its manufacturing jobs away to foreign markets--I believe that it is.

We have to support our country's economy, or pretty soon, we will be China's China or China's El Salvador or Bangladesh. In the past, we developed the great new inventions, like the automobile. And we built them for us. I'm afraid that if we don't support our own economy, other markets will create the next big things. And we'll be building it . . . for their consumers.

Something to think about on this 232nd Independence Day: How independent will we continue to be if we produce nothing and buy their products?

In the late '70s and '80s, our gasoline supply and auto industry crises were bad, but they were tempered by the strong American dollar.

Now, our dollar is weak, coupled with incarnations of both of those problems. So, we are in a worse Catch 22 than ever.

Would producing and buying more American products fix that? I'm not advocating protectionism (the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act in the early 1900s "protected" our economy out of existence and into a steep depression), but part of my freedom--part of my independence--is to choose to buy American, whenever I can (which is, sadly, rarer and rarer an available choice, these days).

Does you patriotism include this view?

Due to trade agreements, there is nothing 'made in America.' One of the major cities harmed by the decline in the Big Three is a city in Canada. GM is about to close down its plant there and the workers there are up in arms declaring it is contrary to the trade agreement and are threatening suit.

Here in Virginia, a Volvo plant fired 1/2 its workforce due to poor sales.

My Prius is imported but purchased from a dealer here in the US, delivered by a teamster via truck from Seattle.

Well, you get the point.

But the bottom line for me is the bottom line. The Big Three should have known those SUVs days were numbered. Just like in the 70's they are caught with their pants down. The quality of the cars have nothing to do with the line, it's piss poor engineering, deliberately done to squeeze the most revenue out of each car.

No, my next car will be purchased as was my last car-- after careful weighing of the my needs and those of my family, the quality of the vehicle, and the price.

In my opinion, the single most UNpatriotic acts occuring are those huge corporations that gouge the United States in balloon-inflated no-bid cost plus 2% contracts. Halliburton's (VP Cheney was CEO) motto is: "Don't worry about price ~ it's cost plus 2%." Blackwater USA, all those involved, whether now or in other administrations, HOW can these corporations be considered patriotic when they see no wrong in inflating prices simply because they can?

Like you said, I'm not even sure a person CAN buy an American made (totally) car today. I drive a GMC, but I have no idea if it was built entirely here. I like to invest in American companies, but that's even getting harder to do. Patriotism is supporting our military, taking part in the political process, giving to the charities you believe in, being part of a community, helping people getting started in a business, creating jobs and having an optimistic view of America. I still get a chill when passing the Statue of Liberty or visiting the wall my grandmothers name is on at Ellis Island. I love the National Anthem and the flag. But in this "global community and economy" it's tough to buy patriotic.

I couldn't have said it better andiamo1. America is the absolutely best nation in the world, and it will take people like you who will keep her steadfast and heading towards a bright future.

Corporations have been conferred with "personhood" having all the rights guaranteed to individuals. Why do we not question the patriotism of corporations? Especially those corporations who take severe advantage of the U S taxpayers by inflating their costs on Federal government contracts. Just how patriotic is it for Halliburton to say, "Don't worry about the price, it's cost plus 2%"?

I always used to buy American cars. In 1974 I bought a new Plymouth, it was a couple of years later I spotted this maple leaf symbol, it said Made in Canada. Now, even though I own two American cars, there is a sign on the window that a large portion is not American made. We did have a Subaru that was assembled in Indiana. It is hard to tell what is the best way to buy American. I hate to say it, but the UAW and other unions who are pouring tons of money into the Obama campaign, have ruined the Auto industry, steel industry and Aluminum industries in the US, and the teachers union uses their clout to keep on incompetent teachers at the expense of our kids education.

Lady Earth You can weave Blackwater and Haliburton into every thread now matter if it makes sense or not. You need some new talking points. Cost plus 2% isn't a great contract.

mejk,

One the contrary, those contracts have meant billions for Halliburton and Blackwater USA.

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