I touched on this idea in an earlier post, but I want to expand on it here.
In 1941, the government passed the Berry Amendment (USC, Title 10, Section 2533a).
I believe that because of the news of drug and supply shortages following the Coronavirus, the US Federal Government should extend the Berry Amendment to all items purchased by the Federal Government, or purchased by state governments or private corporations using federal funds or federal contract money.
American tax dollars should be spent only on items made and assembled in the US, with American sourced materials – with limited exceptions for stuff that is not available in the US. E.g., tires have to be made in the US by a US company, but rubber has to come from somewhere else because the US lacks the climate for rubber plantations.
This will do several things:
It will boost the US economy, especially in manufacturing.
It will encourage the on-shoring of jobs because companies who want to sell to the US government would have to make stuff domestically.
It will discourage off-shoring of existing jobs.
It will protect our IP because if the US government wants to buy a piece of technology, like a cell phone, ever chip on the inside would have to be made in the US. That would prevent China from stealing the secrets to making the chips.
It will make American made goods cheaper, as giving American made goods a guaranteed customer, will encourage reduction in cost by taking advantage of the economy of scale.
To put it bluntly, I went to my tax guy yesterday to do my taxes. I saw just how much of my hard-earned money I sent to the federal government.
If I am allowed one bit of input on how my money is spent, this is what I want more than anything else. I do not want one penny of my tax dollars to buy some foreign-made piece of shit for federal use.
That should go as far as every trashcan bought by the federal government being made in the US by Rubbermaid, from plastic refined by an American petrochemical company, from oil sucked out of the ground in Texas or North Dakota.
Even EBT should be limited to made in America products. You can buy all the Florida’s Natural orange juice and Dixie Crystals sugar you want because it’s grown in Florida, but you can’t buy Tropicana that’s grown in Brazil. Not with my tax dollars you can’t.
If you agree with this sentiment, contact your Congressional Representative and Senators. You can use the USPS to find your full 9 digit zip code.
And if you agree with this, spread the message.
I want to flood Congress with the message that the US government should “buy American.” Not just critical medical supplies like Trump wants, but for every single fucking thing that they buy.
Two thoughts on this.
First, we already have a buy American Act. It applies mainly to products used in construction, not end products like shoes or pharmaceuticals. There is a waiver process to the Buy American Act, and it is not terribly difficult to get a waiver.
Secondly, I am extremely reluctant to enact any law that REQUIRES domestically produced products. As much as we want the home team to win, we also need to acknowledge it is a global economy. Additionally, guaranteeing business to US companies removes any incentive to compete against a global market. Net result, a single manufacturer of widgets in the US will be handed a virtual monopoly by the US Government when using government funds.
Final thought. I can support this as long as there is a waiver due to price differences. I think there is something along those lines in the waiver process for the Buy American Act. If US manufactured is more the X% above the foreign produced product, a waiver may be granted. Something like that.
Regardless of any of the above, I fully support moving manufacturing back to the US. Yes… some products will be a bit pricier due to labor costs, but with the advanced state of automation available, that will likely be a minimal number of products.
Japan, China, and other countries around the world do this.
I’m getting tired of our money going over seas while other nations don’t buy from us unless they have to.
I have been saying this for years. It is, truly, a no-brainer.
One of the people I know here in Australia supplies parts to the US navy and I worked with US army several times when I was in our army. Try to remember some parts of the world are friendly.
Military equipment is the odd man out. Most nations don’t have the ability to make the arms and equipment we do so we supply to the world.
Australia as a common wealth nation was dependent on England for arms. Now that can but from us. They get their small arms from Austria.
But I see no reason why the US, which invented the cell phone or LCD screen should buy them from any one else but American companies made in the US.
Jkb
My main point was some people are friendly. We are not all China. Blanket bans hurt everyone.
Original design for our current rifle was Austrian but alway made in Australia. Has been changed a bit. Lithgow has been making service and civilian firearms for over 100 years. Britain sold some designs up to the 1950’s but nearly everything was made here.
Until recently it was policy to make as much as we can here. Like all government policy sometimes totally messed up.
Personally think most of the navy ships we build here should be contracted out to overseas and the savings spent on more crew training.
Yes we buy F18 etc. somethings are easier to buy. They fly over my house nearly every day.
If my background was slightly different and a lot younger company about 30 km from me is looking for anti tank missile and other engineers at present to develop new products. Ok I like testing big bangs.