I got a few questions I need help with.

[Deleted]

Where did buy local go? Where did the mom and pops go? Here is one of my big ones my dad raised our family on 160 acres , some of the neighbors did it on 80 acres now they stab one another in the back to add 160 acres to 10,000. Yes it is better for a few their government subsidy checks a year are more than your retirement account will ever be. Same sex marriage ? (No this isn't Iowa anymore!) Why do people want a government to babysit them and tell them what to do? Open government business ownership would have started a revolution in my dads or granddads time. My dad at 83 sits back don't say much does alot of staring off in the distance and I just figured out why . He has watched his country die as he knew it , there will only be puppets from now on. I love my country but our government has been our highest form of organized crime for along time. Seems to me voting is condoning. So I'm sitting on 40 acres of timber and pasture dragging my feet and hoping there are a few more out there feeling this can't be right. Rocky

[ozark]

I was staring off in the distance but a glance at the computer brought me your post. I read it with interest and then returned to staring off in the distance. Ozark at plus 81.

[whyohe]

Rocky, dont feel alone. I try to buy local when possible. As you said not too many of the "mom and pop" retailers left. Unfortunatly cause they dont buy in large quantities they have to charge more and in some cases its almost twice as much(wich is kinda unfair IMO) and in todays economy most just cant do that. we live in a ME first society with not much consideration for others except what we can fleece from them. we have people that dont want to work and want the government to pay them.work and having pride in your work, whats that? my grandmother and father taught me different. she grew up on 144 acres and my dad would go up to the farm to work during the summer. back in their time if your neighbor got hurt and couldnt tend to his crops you would go and tend them for him and not expect payment in return and he would do like wise. you tried to get along and respected your neighbor. i wish these type times would return.

soryy for the rant.

[orion]

Amen,
Your not the only ones feeling that way. Here we are letting all the crooks and politicians in DC and Wall Street get away with murder, they are taking taxpayers dollars and paying off bond holders and people who made bad derivative bets. Nothing more than paying off a bunch of jerks who made bad bets in Vegas. It truly is disgusting what is going on in Wash. No one is paying off my losses in my 401 k. I am done with the 401 K anyway. I believe in short time they will tax the hell out of them anyway as things keep getting worse and worse (another sucker scam set up for Wall Street and the bastards in DC)

One question I have is, where the hell is the Supreme Court these days. Sitting there with their thumbs you know where. There is so much anti constitutional activity it boggles my mind, and they will not say a word. (primarily the federal reserve and our money system is a total crime). "It has to be brought before them in a case" what a crock.

The whole buy American thing, really is the answer. We don't need a law, but everyone should start doing it. The dumbing down of young people by economists in our Universities is so bad, the only thing they teach is that more borrowing and more spending will save the economy. That is just moronic. The only way to build anything is for people to save and build real things with money that is already in existence. It does not matter if a person saves wood, cement, grain. Someone has to save something and sacrifice first to build something of value. The powers that be don't want anyone to believe it. The constant drivel of how globalization and outsourcing is the key to prosperity in this county is the biggest Ponzi Scam in history. It only in riches a few. Don't worry we will all do each others laundry and cut each others hair for a living and everything will be fine.

Either everyone buys American or we need completely free trade. Not what we have now, where the Chinese, Japanese, and Europeans have one set of rules and we take it up the ****. When I was a youngster, I used to do a lot of work in the Big three auto plants. You were told prior to working in the plants not to drive a foreign car into the lot because it will get keyed by the employees. I thought OK, fair enough, until I walked in the door and noticed all the gigantic stamping machines etc. that said Hitachi, Daimler Benz, etc. on them. Thats a crock to. Either we all buy American, or its OK for everyone to buy what ever the heck they want. Trust me I like my CZ rifle, Nikon scope etc. But I firmly believe if we all made a true effort, it would turn our economy around significantly.

[ozark]

We have wheat, rice, corn and an abundance of other food items. Lets barter and make a bushel of wheat worth a barrel of oil. When they get hungry they will consider that a bargain. Bill Cosby claims that anyway. Makes sense to me.

[davewolf]

This is a tough subject and I agree, buy American...but how? I remember our legislators in Pa, passed a law stating that any vehicle bought by a state agency, had to be over 60-percent American made. Guess what, no bids, simply because no car company would sign paper stating they were over 60-percent American made. The law had to be reversed.

I suspect the problem is the "world economy" our worth based on a global banking system. Simply because a product is "assembled in the US" or made in the US and assembled "over there" does not make it American made...(IMO)

But for some unknown reason, apparently the majority of voters believe that the Gov, will make things better...and call out for help every single day. Guess they've never met most legislators on a one on one basis, outside of the campaign trail.

As a one time mom & pop retailer, I knew the ups and downs of the business...and the mega giants undercut my best prices. I'm not even close to 81, but I can understand what we've lost. The campaign for President touted, "I'm for the little guy." Well, I sure haven't seen a single sign of it.

Yes, they assemble and make products cheaper "over there" but we couldn't begin to make a living on their wages.
Have a great day!
Dave

[chuck41]

Dave, you are right on. I too had a small business. Among other things, I built computers. Then came "rebates" that gave large kickbacks for buying from the big resellers. I had to pay for each item to go in the computer including the operating system. After the crazy "rebates" you could buy a computer for not much more than Microsoft charged me for the danged operating system alone! That was the death knell for the small businessman.

Now most items you buy are no longer worth repairing. Whey you can buy a replacement item for less than it costs to repair it then you use it until it needs work, send it to the landfill and pick up a "new" one from China at Wally World.

[davewolf]

Chuck:
I still do the retail routine, selling for what they call a "big box" store. Truly think I'm over-worked and underpaid, and the big boys only look at the bottom line.

Tout customer service but don't allow enough employees for us to give it. Read an interesting article on how American's are now doing there own work for big business, and it include online banking. But what really gets to me is those dang automated check-outs. Two cashiers (real people) and 6 automated checkout at the Giant the other night.

The savings to the big guys is out of sight, but the little guy or girl no longer has a job. I sat my hand basket loaded to the brim on the floor, asked to see a manager and told him, when you get back to giving customer service, please let me know and I'll comeback. But I'm only one person--a voice in the wilderness so to speak--need more folks to do the same.

Your right about computers and even sporting goods products, cost far more to fix them then buy a new one. Sad, really sad.
Have a great day!
Dave