Marco,

You make a good point and let me clarify my earlier posts...

I buy American when I can, like many of you who responded here.

One reason I try to buy American products is because our manufacturing base is shrinking at an alarming rate and I want to support what's left.

In my eyes, manufacturing is a pillar of any strong economy, and it provides good jobs with living wages. Tech jobs are important. So are lower-wage jobs like janitorial and service-related work. But as we see, tech jobs are getting sent overseas with manufacturing jobs lately. And in some respects it looks like we're becoming more of a service-related economy. That's dangerous because many service jobs, say waitress or hotel clerk or short order cook, etc. don't pay a living wage.

Anyway, the point I want to make is, while I do buy American products, I don't dismiss goods from other countries.

I've had American cars in the past but now own an older Toyota Tacoma. Better gas mileage than many domestic trucks, tighter engine (I expect to get 250,000 miles out of it) solid build... and it is made in U.S. at a Toyota plant in Calif.

I too usually pass by Wally World in favor of the local hardware store because I want to keep that little guy in business. But if the local guy doesn't have it, I'm not above going to a box store once in awhile.

I don't mean to come off here as a zealot. What I do mean to say is, one of the yardsticks I use, especially when buying more expensive products is, 'does this company have a conscience... in regard to its workers, human rights, the environment...'

Also, 'do I need this thing or can I live without it instead of paying for it for 10 years on a credit card.'

Also, 'will this thing stand up to the hard use I often dish out.'

I'm not trying to judge anyone here. Alot of people are forced to make most of their purchases according to the lowest price because money is extremely tight. And the big-box stores can certainly offer low prices.

What I am saying is, when possible, I think about purchases before I make them. I try to consider where they're from, what kind of company makes them, what kind of quality they offer, do I really need it...

We as consumers have more power than we think. We're constantly being bombarded by ads and commercials telling us to 'buy-Buy-BUY!!!'

But it will go along way if we educate ourselves before pulling out the plastic or the cash.

At the risk of annoying anyone here, I would disagree with the saying, 'He who dies with the most toys wins.'

I think it's more like, 'He who dies with the most toys.... still dies.'

And even more accurately, 'Live simply so that others may simply live.'

Power to the people!

(end of Socialist rant. please return to your regularly scheduled infomercial)