By ARTHUR VIDRO
By Arthur Vidro
Our political leaders of all parties frequently extol the virtue of buying American-made products. Best I can figure, it’s somehow tied into patriotism. But it’s far from easy to do.
In the old days, though, it was fairly easy.
When I was born, a person buying a television usually bought a unit made in the United States. That’s what the stores were carrying.
When I became an adult, the United States was down to one television manufacturer (Zenith).
Every town also had television repair shops and radio repair shops. When the devices ceased functioning, they were repaired. Of course, those were the days before anything more advanced than a transistor was in the unit.
Nowadays, with computer technology having invaded nearly every product, a device that no longer works properly is discarded and replaced.
Thus, repair shops have almost completely faded from the scene.
Computerized parts do not lend themselves to repair. That’s why computerization has led to far more discarded products and a less “Green” nation.
In the 21st century there have not been any television makers in the United States. This phenomenon evolved because consumers tend to opt for those items costing less money. As foreign-made (sometimes shoddily made) units amassed more and more market share, the U.S. companies could no longer compete.
Our nation is slow to follow our leaders’ encouragement to “Buy American” when doing so costs us more money.
I’m not saying “Buy American” is good; I’m not saying it’s bad. I’m saying it’s darned difficult.
We can try. We can summon up the will and the cash to pay a little extra for the privilege of buying American. But it’s still an almost impossible task.
The average gasoline-propelled car contains about 30,000 parts, making it impossible to buy a vehicle that is purely American. You have to settle for 50% or so American.
Even consumer goods without computer components have fled our shores.
Textiles. Woodworking tools. Thermoses. Shoes. The few American manufacturers that still exist are in the minority. And they cost more. Me, I’m willing to pay extra for New Balance shoes, not because they’re American, but because they’re kinder to my feet.
Claremont once had a colossal shoe-making factory, on Mulberry Street at the bottom of Park Avenue. That mammoth building now contains the Time-Out Americana Grill and a whole lot of empty space.
Why? Because our nation’s consumers were not willing to pay extra to buy American when cheaper alternatives became available.
About sixteen years ago, in a state far away, fed up with how quickly our light bulbs were burning out, I set out to buy quality bulbs. I visited a mammoth lighting store (the size of Ralph’s Supermarket in Charlestown); it had racks upon racks of all kinds of bulbs, from the commonplace to the ultra-specialized.
But I couldn’t find what I was seeking.
A manager asked if he could help.
“Do you sell light bulbs made in the United States?” I asked. “I’d even pay extra for them.”
He seemed startled, even amused. “Don’t have any.”
“Can they be ordered?”
“No.”
“Do you sell light bulbs made anywhere in North America?”
“No.”
“Central America?”
“No.”
“South America? Europe? Africa? Australia?”
No, no, no, and no.
“Antarctica?”
That brought a smile but another no.
“Taiwan, Israel, Singapore?”
No, no, and no.
Finally, I asked, “Do you sell light bulbs made by any country that isn’t China?”
“No.”
At least he was honest. Despite the upscale merchandise in the store, it stocked only the cheapest light bulbs – those made in China.
Buying the cheapest version of a product had already become the American way.
Still, the situation is not hopeless. Earlier this year in a local hardware store I found a pack of Sylvania light bulbs saying “Made in the USA.” I bought the package but haven’t opened it yet.
But now I see the fine print on the package. “Made in the USA” is in big letters, followed by words I have to scrunch my eyes to read: “with U.S. and Global Parts.”
Sigh. Even U.S.-made light bulbs contain foreign components.
Arthur Vidro’s “EQMM Goes to College” appears in the May/June 2021 issue of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine.
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