Issue Position: Buy American

Issue Position

"It is better for Americans to purchase from Americans, even if the things purchased cost more. If we purchase a ton of steel rails from England for twenty dollars, then we have the rails and England the money. But if we buy a ton of steel rails from an American for twenty-five dollars, then America has both the rails and the money."
~ Robert Ingersoll

When it comes to American tax dollars, our federal government should be doing business with American companies, spending our money at home to support American workers and manufacturing.

It may not happen tomorrow, or even next year, but if we could put a future date in place and say that by that date we'll be spending all of our government dollars in this country, that would bring manufacturing back and be better for America in general. This must be a priority for us, as it will not only help grow the overall economy but will provide good middle class prevailing wage jobs and allow any citizen who is willing to work to achieve the American dream.

We need to reinvest in our own country so that we can have a sense of pride in our own accomplishments and know that we're doing what's right for our children's future. Right now we're leaving our children a huge mess, and neglecting the infrastructure they'll need to clean it up. Our roads are falling apart, our bridges are unsafe and we can't even keep our parks open or invest in the maintenance they need to remain viable.

Just last year, state officials in San Francisco, CA, in order to save money declined federal funding for the Oakland Bay bridge project because they wanted to avoid compliance with the Buy American Act which has been in place since 1933. By purchasing steel and labor from a Chinese company, they saved themselves millions on that particular project; however, now we have a bridge of questionable durability and China has the largest chunk of the $7.2 million spent. The typical Chinese worker employed by the bridge manufacturer arrives at work at 7 a.m. and leaves at 11 p.m., often working seven days a week, lives in a company dorm and earns about $12 a day.

American workers lost out on jobs and American money left this country to support a foreign nation that pays what many believes are slave wages. We should not be using our tax dollars, money that belongs to the American people, to support foreign nations that exploit workers and to eliminate American jobs.

We also need to enforce the trade agreements we already have. Fair trade is more important than free trade. Our government should be focusing on responsible trade that doesn't undercut the American worker, our way of life, or the trade protections already put in place, like the Buy American Act. Our president needs to tell countries like China that we want to maintain good relationships, but it is not okay for them to manipulate currency and product pricing. If they want to trade with us, we want to be able to ship just as much to them as they ship to us, and we don't want an influx of cheap poorly made products that are sold here often for less than they cost to produce. Everyone needs to play by the same rules. We need to make our economy stronger by buying things here in this country, whether it be steel, staples or customer service.

One of the most important areas we should be focusing on with regard to buying American products is our military. We should not be purchasing ammunition or any other products that our military needs to function from a foreign country. It should be made in America. This is a matter of national security. We're purchasing bullets and tanks from Japan, China, and Taiwan, the lowest bidders. That puts us at risk because we're purchasing the cheapest products rather than the highest quality, not to mention the potential for those supplies to dry up should any of those nations come to see us as the enemy one day. When we put our men and women in harm's way, I want to know that the bullet proof vest or the helmet they wear was made here, by American hands, and that they are the best quality possible. I want them to be protected.

The people who protect this country, and lay down their lives for our security, deserve the best. American workers who built this country and spend their lives providing for families do too.

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