“Anyway, Shonk, as someone pointed out and I will add to, they are not TOKENS, and I don’t know where you are getting your information”

Tokenism is the policy or practice of making a symbolic effort representing no more than a minimal effort. Foreign car manufactures whose presence in the US for the most part is used to deflect from the US public criticism or accusations of discrimination of fair trade. If you compare the total car sale in the US to the total sales of foreign manufactures you could make a case that it’s a token amount. If you compare the lost of US jobs to new jobs created by noted foreign plants by definition this would be a token amount especially if you were one of the unemployed. Conversely if you were a stakeholder i.e. employee, suppliers, neighbor r etc. there would be a different take. Interesting enough by definition Chrysler is now a foreign company. Foreign companies and US firms have employed me over the years. Looking back it’s interesting how my demeanor reflects who is buttering my bread. I am getting my information from my life’s experiences.

Shonk
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

Some of this kind of reminds of some arguments over what to call people. Most "African Americans" are not from Africa. I am not German American, I am white or caucasion. I think most things/people that we call a certain name are wrong, just the way it is. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-frown.gif[/img]

 

Oh and Arctic Cat is only in as much trouble as the rest of the American or should I say US companies are. They aren't going to go bankrupt next month or anything.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

I think its a little miss guided to think Arctic Cat is in trouble. They finished 2004 with record sales revenue with diluted earnins per share that reflect positive growth.

From their 2004 annual report -

Another Year of Record Sales – For the fiscal year ended
March 31, 2004, Arctic Cat’s net sales totaled $649.6 million, up
13 percent versus $577.1 million last fiscal year.

I have not seen any forecast for FY 2005 ending this month. Has anyone else?

There are tools to measure these things outside of gut feel and wild *** guesses.

 

American made is just bull **** and you know it. Rather that do it right, or say it the right way; you would rather dumb down this country. Well up yours, you are part of the problem and not part of the solution.,


Why is American Made bull?

I also have no idea.

Maddog56, some people just don’t get it. Thanks for your input. If my grandma was here, she would agree with you. She graduated HS in ’29 and passed about 10 years back.

“American Made should refer to products made and assembled in the US.”

Clearly “The Americas” (with an s) is not the same as “America”
The darn S at the end makes a difference and I guess not all see that. It has nothing to do with PC, and I am not PC.

Bear4570 “western hemisphere is the Americas” Sorry. No. The islands in the pacific (south pacific) that are in the western hemisphere are not at all part of north or south America; hence, the Americas.

I will keep calling myself and American and if others call themselves united states-ers… they can knock themselves out.

And Bear4570, I have a lot more family in Canada than in America because of the immigration patterns of my other grandmother’s family, when they bailed out of sweden. It doesnt matter....


Shonke,

If 80,000 mercedes SUVS per year is a token to you, we will have to agree to disagree. Thanks for your definition. But you cant expect Mercedes (or all company) to make ALL their cars (or products) here… I’m not in the car business, but as far as I can tell, any and all jobs like these are important. Companies interested in markets outside the states, have to have some business presences (employees) in other places. (if you like knowing about unusual things, check out the dental composites that 3M is selling and developing - im sure its on the web somewhere)

>>> anyway: this is something I found online tonight. I am sure its facts are reasonable. I would have thought the number more like 50,000.

>>>>>
The new R-Class will be built along side the new ML SUV in Alabama at the Tuscaloosa plant. The extra money invested in the plant should hike capacity to around 160,000 cars per year from the current 80,000.
>>>>

If you have some time this weekend or whenever, google for the economic and demographic data of germany or other places – and GDP per person. Also, take a peak at what percentage of their oil they import.
I think in 2002 they had –0.2% economic growth. Not really cute with a society even more top heavy, so to speak, then our own, or just as much. I like germany, but that doesn’t change the fact that they have problems and they need more jobs very much, but…

 

Hey why don't you guys talk about riding or modifying your wheelers??? Go back and read this whole thing again......it is ridiculous!!!

USA.....USofA...Americas.....America?????? Come on!!!!!!!!! Bear4570.....get a grip.....go ride and stop analizing gramar on an ATV forum. I have gathered that you are a self-pronounced "Know-It-All", but give us a break. The entire world knows that "America" refers to the "USA"....Right or wrong that's the way it is now move on!! And further more who the he11 cares anyway. As a side note.......I really would like to check your tool box for any Chinese throw away tools.........

I am more concerned about the companies that are laying off workers and opening plants over seas then I am about foriegn plants creating jobs here.

As for the fate of AC......I will still support them......If they fold............Oh well.......!!!!!!!!........Just ride and shut the HE11 up for God sake!!!!!!!

 

After re-reading the whole post I found some alraming things!!! African-americans took over sweden, who bought mercadees? And now they are flooding the Americas with german made ATV's? And Arctic Cat is being bought out buy the shonk? This is much worse then I thought! That's it I'm moving to New Zealand, wait isn't that in Canada? LOL!!!!

 

Gee, I rode tuesday afternoon, when's the last time you rode? I thought this was a forum where you could express your opinion in this kind of thread, well at least "Theshronk" got to express his, now you tell me I can't express mine. My answer to you is just don't read it if you don't like it. See easy solution.

 

I ride every day to answer your question......and I never said that YOU couldn't or should give your opinion.

Expressing opinions are great.....not everyone has to agree with YOU!! Your opinions on triviality humor me anyway.....you seem to like to beat the dead horse....that's when people tend to lose respect for a persons opinion.

Don't take offense it's just my opinion....

 

I was just reading the under $7,000 4x4 shootout in the April Issue of ATV Action Magazine and was suprised to see where each quad was manufactured:

Honda Foreman 500 - South Carolina
Kawasaki Brute Force 650 - Nebraska
Polaris Sportsman 500 - Minnesota
Suzuki Vinson 500 - Georgia

It is almost impossible to find a truly U.S. company - even Harley Davidson sources many components outside the U.S.

The largest markets are in the U.S. It is all supply and demand. U.S. consumers are not demanding U.S. products or at least are not demanding them and willing to pay more for them. Made in the U.S. is not even marketed anymore.

I work at a U.S. manufacturing company and I drive Chevrolet automobiles (that are probably assembled in Mexico), but I can tell you that half of the cars in the parking lot are foreign makes (that are probably assemble in the U.S.)

All that said, I bought a Kawasaki Brute Force 650 because it had the features I wanted at a price I could afford and at least it was assembled in Nebraska!

Is it more important to support where the assembly takes place or where the company is based out of?