Rally Caps and Thinking Caps

[DougTravels]

Has anyone seen the Chevy commercial with the Rally Cap theme?
I really don't know how much good it will do, but I think it is a pretty cool idea.
To just show some collective ambition to turn things around couldn't hurt.
It would be great to see some Rally Caps with Buy American printed on the inside so it shows when turned out.

On a related note,Detroit Tigers Owner Mike Illitch, just did a little something to help the Auto Industry. The GM sponsered fountain at Comerica Park recently became unsponsered due to Gm's pulling out. Rather than getting another sponser, he has donated the fountain advertising to the big 3 and now it is the, GM Ford, and Chrysler fountain.

I know this thread is bordering on a soapbox thread, but what I hope is maybe someone can come up with other ideas that may help spur the economy. (Without getting into a political debate please).

One thing I thought of, all TV stations have to do a number of public service commercials. I was wondering if Buy American campaigns are acceptable, if not they should be right now.

OK Folks what can we do- Thinking Caps On- Lets Go-
No whining or blaming lets get positive.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

I know this thread is bordering on a soapbox thread, but what I hope is maybe someone can come up with other ideas that may help spur the economy. (Without getting into a political debate please).

Kinda impossible since politics are what started it; and lack of politics is the only thing that'll end it.

 

[greg334]

First Screw Illitch! He got enough of my tax money to build a stadium, has returned zero to the people who he has used and now has been taking more money to rip down buildings that he should have paid for himself. Something about a billionaire getting rich off the backs of others sometimes gets to me.

As for Buy American, sorry GM until you take down from your tech center the Canadian and Mexican flag that sit right next and at the same level to our flag, don't even dare suggest anyone what to buy American!

 

[DougTravels]

You're dead wrong hawk, and you totally missed the point of this thread.
I said can we come up with some ideas to help speed up the recovery, without getting in to a political debate.
Here are a couple of ideas off the top of my head. The next time we are filling our carts at Wallmart, Kmart, Kroger and the like. Do a couple of things, 1st are there a couple of items that you could put back and buy from a local small business person and still get close to, better or equal value? Have you looked at where these things were made, and of those that are foreign, are there American made products that you could substitute?
Do you insure from some Geico type insurer? Could you do as well from a local Insurance business.
Do you know of somone who has a product that you like, spread the word.
Is there an innovative idea that we could spread via forwarding Emails that might give a little spark to some sectors.

 

[DougTravels]

I do dare suggest that our best way out is to buy American, Yes even a Chevy with a percentage of Mexican Parts. So you don't like Illitch, Greg that is fine. It still doesn't take away the fact that he gave some free advertising to the big 3, Yeah he probably did so for his own good news tidbits but the result is still the same.
Please Naysayers take your doom and gloom over to the soapbox (I'll see you there) all I am asking for here is just to think about anything we can do that will have some positive effect, not a cure all just something positive that will help in some small way.

 

[greg334]

Doug,
I would recommend this to help the economy -

The Fair Tax

Have a solid understanding how this all works, spending money will not fix a thing. just like the false hopes of the stimulus money, there are no real jobs that are created, there are no quick fixes for a faltering economy except serious changes to the way government works The Fair Tax is what is needed now - it is not perfect but it is fair to everyone and it surely beats 66,000 pages of an antique progressively punitive tax system by light years.

 

[DougTravels]

Spending money does help. depending on where it is spent. Expedited freight money spent helps me directly! Would someone in NE Indiana spend some soon.
People spending money on American produced goods and services helps greatly.

 

[greg334]

Spending money does help. depending on where it is spent. Expedited freight money spent helps me directly! Would someone in NE Indiana spend some soon.
People spending money on American produced goods and services helps greatly.

I whole heartly agree but here is the thing Doug, where do you get the money matters more.

OK if the government gives me $10,000 to spend but I only give them $1800 in federal tax money, AND everyone who is an adult gets that amount $10,000 even if they don't pay taxes, how do we pay for that?

We really can't.

We have to borrow the money and at this point we have to pay higher interest rates than if we had a strong dollar to get others to invest in that debt.

The real answer is we have to raise taxes to pay for the debt and the interest and this will put our economy in the dumpster. The effect that will be felt will be a few years after we have spent the $10,000 and it will be more harmful than if we did nothing.

The cure is to eliminate the spending of the money in the first place through the government and deal with reducing the cost of the government to lessen the taxes to the people who will then spend more money.

I would rather see a tax change to the government than to be told to just spend money. The key to this problem, the economy's problem is taxes and the stupidity of the people who are so scared to change the way we pay our taxes (they are so fooled into believing in this system). I thought this was the era of the Change We Can Believe In, but I must be wrong because it seems to be the era is Change We Can Believe In except changing the IRS.

 

[wellarmed]

First you mentioned detroit tigers.Is this a new addition to the detroit zoo?If detroit ever gets a ball team detroit tigers sure has a good ring to it.ROFL You mentioned buying American,that my friend died with Sam Walton.I don't know if you remember or not but 90% of what WalMart sold used to say made in America in big bold letters and now in very small print you will see made anywhere but America.Everyone used to gripe that WalMart was pushing out the little guy and that was true but Sam was doing it with American products.Now,since Sam died,You have the right to gripe,"maybe". Is it not the American way to buy cheap and sell high to increase profit and not worry about quality,if things don't break you wouldn't have to buy another one.Doug,you can't get people to unite it's a waste of time,not that I can't appreciate what your trying to do. It's like your story telling threads,well over a thousand reads and only a handful of people could let there hair down and have fun,the rest,just a quick read and back to a thread where there was something to gripe about or worrying about that next load as if it's going to come faster.Give them something to gripe about and watch them unite,then type the no holds truth and watch them scatter.Well I'm in enough trouble better stop,hope to see you at a J one day.

 

[DougTravels]

Good to talk to you wellarmed. I know it is a tough question. Just trying to see if someone comes up with something good, maybe a little stream of good in an ocean of uncertainty.

 

[greg334]

The Fair Tax - it is a good idea

 

[DougTravels]

Do you think the present administration would sign it, Greg?

 

[Slo-Ride]

Buy American: (Mostly stems from the auto market)
I spent some time paying union dues with the U.A.W. in Lansing
Mich,,back when the big Oldsmobile's where being produced there..Ya know everything they ever gave me was produced overseas,,hats,,hat pins,,lapel pins,,,ash trays,,,etc etc..at one time even the work boots that where offered for sale came from overseas...Yep the UAW buying from overseas kinda strange don't ya think..
Anyways I agree with buying American only I try to refer to it buying on the North American continent I have no problem with my money going to a Canadian company or Mexican company,,at least it stays on this Continent,
It can and should be done in my book it just takes a lil extra effort to search out items ya want to buy..

Fair tax dang good idea,,, proplly wont happen in my life time

 

[greg334]

Do you think the present administration would sign it, Greg?

it wouldn't matter because it would have to be an amendment to first repeal the tax clause in the constitution and then the congress will have to veto proof the legislation.

The real problem is congress which is not the administration. We the people have to ask ourselves if we want to keep going down this destructive road or have a real change not for change's sake but for the country. The underlying issue is that we think we are entitled to all of this stuff and we are as a country getting too lazy.

 

[inkasnana]

I have a question, why is so much farm land being held in land banks and not being farmed? When my grandma was alive, she was paid to have her field held in a land bank and not farmed. Wouldn't that land be better used to grow crops that can be used in this country? Wouldn't that help the farmers out more and in turn help the country? I guess I just don't understand the reasoning behind it all.