Put Your Money in Your Own Pocket

Chevrolet Corvette

Prior to the mid 1970s, American companies were the world's undisputed manufacturing leaders. Our high-quality, innovative products were delivered around the world making the United States the greatest economic powerhouse of all time. However, by about the mid '70s, domestic products, especially automobiles, fell behind their foreign competition in quality and price. This led many people to buy foreign products, thus making Japan and Germany, and later China and South Korea, the new economic powerhouses while the American economy declined. Recently, though, the American companies have made a comeback. Our family, friends and neighbors are once again making fine products.

Dodge Viper

In the automotive world we can find several examples of these fine products; the Dodge Viper was recently named one of the most beautiful cars in the world (The Car Connection), the Ford Mustang provides the most horsepower per dollar (msn), the ultra safe Tesla Model S (as of this writing no fatalities have ever been recorded in any Tesla) has the highest score ever recorded in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's crash tests (San Jose Mercury News) and, along with the Model S, the Chevrolet Impala has been named one of the best cars ever (The Los Angeles Times). And, from personal experience, I can attest to the quality of American cars as I have owned 30 of them over the last 36 years. I've been left stranded more often because I locked my keys in the car than I have because of a breakdown. The same is true of the dozens of American police cars I've driven over the years. I take their reliability for granted.

Chevrolet Impala

Tesla Model S

This obviously doesn't mean that all American cars are superior to their foreign counterparts, but it does indicate that, even if they are not, the differences have become minimal; no longer warranting sending our money overseas. But, unfortunately, buying foreign cars isn't only about which is the better automobile. Owning a foreign car has become a status symbol, but not necessarily because they indicate a higher social class, although that is sometimes part of it, but because they represent the status of the more "enlightened." It has been my observation (and that of the Washington Times and the R.L. Polk Company) that members of certain groups are more likely to own cars made by foreign companies; liberals, recent immigrants, and those living on the coasts. Someone in one of these "enlightened" groups may feel that owning an American car makes them look less "aware." And, the feelings can be arrogant and strong. So strong, in fact, that one critic displayed his contemptuous anti-American bias even while praising the new Impala (AOL). Others may feel that American cars just don't have style and sophistication. They should take a look at that Tesla again.

Ford Mustang

Many of my friends and family own foreign cars and at least one of my family members sells them for a living, so I have likely offended some people I care about (I apologize). My foreign car owning friends and family will likely point out that most foreign car makers have American factories employing American workers and that even American car makers buy foreign made parts. Although this is true, the net profit always returns to the corporate headquarters, thus boosting the economy of the home country. If this weren't true, why would they open plants in the United States? It is my belief that if, beginning tomorrow, everyone in America bought only American cars, our economy would be fully recovered immediately. Let's try it.

Detroit, Michigan, USA