In case you forgot, my original title for this forum was:
“Time for Jeff Bridges to dump Hyundai….”
The topic understandably turned to automobiles, manufacturers, etc. – which was fine by me. I’ve made it clear that I agree with Rt. 66 and his/her belief in buying American made cars, etc. He has made his case so thoroughly I honestly do not know what I can add to defend the documented quality of the American made automobile or the mass screwing of the American blue collar worker.
The bigger picture to me has become American apathy towards American Made goods – particularly cars manufactured in the U.S.A.
It just baffles me that there is so much venom spewed by Americans against American auto workers and American made cars. It would seem that much of that comes from outright jealousy that the American auto worker had the nerve to make a decent enough wage to own a home and send his or her kids to college. That jealousy is then channeled towards the American car itself.
Then there appears to be guilt. The shame of, in a way, selling out one’s own country during a time of nearly unparalleled crisis, by buying a third world automobile and then trying to justify it by blaming it on unfounded, inferior American quality.
There are no doubt people here who have purchased an American made car that turned out to be a lemon. They have a legitimate gripe and may never buy anything other than an imported car again.
But, all the jealousy, guilt, shame, anger or whatever else is the motivation, does not change the fact that we are all still Americans. Maybe, at the end of the day, we can stop sweating the small stuff and pull together to help fix what the politicians cannot.
By buying American again, or even consciously making an effort to buy American made again, right now, today, even if it hurts or costs more, we can make a tiny step forward in restoring our sorely-needed manufacturing base. Americans did it during the World Wars. Why not now ?
Given the pickle we are in, I don’t think you can consider it protectionism. Nor blind patriotism, or being foolish with your money. Right now, today, it just makes sense.
Please take a few minutes of your time to ask Jeff Bridges to use his clout as a major celebrity and publicly renounce the Hyundai commercials and jump on the American Made bandwagon.
