RyanF, Your point is a good one. Even a retailer to who has a deal with a foreign manufacturer to sell a boot that costs the real manufacturer $5 to make and another $5 to be sent here on a big boat in a big metal box is only trying to compete in todays retail environment and keep the stock holders happy. The problem with this is two fold. First is the competitve advantage the manufacturer has with his low wage labor, the second is that the retailer sells the foreign boot at a price that is only enough below the price of an American made boot, with a 40% markup, to get people to choose the foreign made one. The quality maybe the same, a bit less or a bit more less, but the price is always less than the American made boot. When someone argues that this is fine they are saying people who make American boots should be paid much less than they are currently so retailers can make a bigger profit on American made boots. This is where you get the "unions ruined American manufactering" line. Or like someone once said to me " those lazy illiterate autoworkers getting paid to much money ruined the American auto industry", but as pointed out, foreign countries make cars here, so maybe something else helped ruin American auto manufacturering? Perhaps over paid executives who thought if assembly line workers would work a little harder the cars would get better gasoline mileage? I just don't understand the hatred for people, in this country, who make things with their own sweat. I have yet to see a CEO of a corporation announce he was quiting his job because he isn't getting paid enough more than the people on the assembly line. I hear about "class envy" but what about "beating up on the little guy"?
I know you were not arguing against American workers, I just wanted to address your arguement concerning retailers. Everybody knows this stuff anyway, if they really think about it. I don't know if Cabela's employees are paid well or if they have health care? I hope so.
Last edited by ben-t; 05/12/11 08:56 PM.
