Years ago my Uncle had a costume Jewelry business but when talking to his son (my cousin) one day he explained had they lost it to the Asian imports. That was over 20 years ago.
Look at the Steel industry like Bethlehem Steel and Pittsburgh Steel, gone for the most part. Japan beat us out decades age.
The clothing industry is another. I rented for 10 years an old shirt factory that went under. Now I own the old pants factory, converted and renovated for my uses as my Electric Bass making shop. In my own business we are down 75% from where we were pre-911.
The Auto industry has lost more jobs in the last 30 years than we can count. The number of consumers are way up from 30 years ago but the percentage of the market is way down for USA makers. Even with them, how much of an American Car is actually made in USA? Not America, the Americas or North America, USA. Buying engines from Brazil like GM does or assembled in Canada is still jobs lost in USA.
About 20 years ago when getting ready to print some new Brochures my Art designer told me for large quantities I could get better prices by printing in Hong Kong. Soon after, the printing industry would yield to the internet and die down.
The envelopes we use for packaging our Strings were made by 'American Envelope', a company who we started business with around 1982. My Rep there was an older guy named Marty. About 15 years later, he would come to visit me at the shop in Pa. but the company had 2 or 3 mergers and changed their name twice by then. Now, nearly 30 years later, they have changed again a couple of times buying up other paper companies as each industry has shrunken all the way around and they need to do more to survive. My Rep is STILL that same now 28 years older, Marty. ONE Job saved out of millions.
About 30 years ago I heard about closures, consolidations and mergers with companies like IBM and other corporate giants.
In 1975 the commercial work in NYC for a bass player or established studio player was booming. The older guys were telling me how slow it was from 10 years earlier. I was so busy I had to turn work down to take a day or a week off and the people who would hire me got pissed I was away. In 1985 I had to make calls to look for work as it was dying.
The Airlines, Clothing, Instrument making, Cars, Steel, shoes, household items, etc.. almost all gone to imports.
Last week I had trouble with my email so I called my provider 40 miles away. The phone rang in the Philippines. A few months ago I had a question with my credit card which is from a fairly local bank a state away and the phone rang in India. Last year I had car trouble and warranty work on a leased Pontiac. I called to complain and when I asked what country are you in, they answered Argentina!
So Eric, young man, I salute you (and myself, EVERY day) for the effort you are making to make in USA. You are going up against China and Romania in making affordable double basses and succeeding. A very commendable effort.
I am afraid to call someone about a product or service and complain because I don't know what country that job might be farmed out to. How comfortable do you feel giving out your SS# to a girl in India?
Everybody I talk to from the owner of the Diner to the guy that does my HVAC work (heating and air conditioning) have sung their woes to me.
Big business from the Oil companies to the banks to the stocks to the war makers have taken over the world pushing the working man into a corner of the bottom of the barrel if not UNDER the barrel itself.
Life in the working world is not what it was 30 years ago and especially not what it was for the USA Manufacturing business. We have all slowly learned to live with less. When I rented my first apartment at 20 years old (1973) when I got my first Broadway show job my Father had to co-sign the lease as I was under 21. The rule there was that my rent had to equal no more than 1/4 (a week) of my monthly take home pay to show that I could afford the $190 a month rent. An older guy playing Cello in the Pit couldn't believe how high my rent was compared to his for such a small 1 bedroom apartment. There were rent controlled and rent stabilized leases back then as well.
One day I was at the movies with my younger son and he said "daddy, can I have some money for a candy and a soda?" so I gave in $5 and let him get it on his own. He came back with just the candy and I asked why no soda. He said "$5 wasn't enough!" .. Now he's in College, my eldest just graduated and I feel like I'm pushing a hundred years old working just to pay bills. It is not just Manuf. Jobs. It's life in general here in USA. Hey, when they added a nickle deposit on soda bottles in NYC some years ago the stores raised it 10 cents to the 5 it went up. They keep 3 of that 5 as well but saw the excuse to raise prices.
What good is promoting 'made in USA' when just recently GM announced a 27 million dollar loss for the year? Then we find out the outgoing CEO took 23 million or so of that and the other Execs, who knows? Maybe GM didn't loose a dime. It was the CEO and the other Execs that took whatever even though it wasn't there. Maybe if Greed and parachute contracts were not allowed they could have taken a normal HUMAN salary and helped to save their business, the Jobs they killed and the confidence in the American auto consumer. Now, GM is off the stock market and privately held. All of this was legal within the laws written and bent. If I have a bad month or a bad year, I take less because I have to. Congress wouldn't bail me out if I was hanging for life by a thread. Hey, they look down at the bottom of the barrel and can't see that far down so we working people and small business people are on the life rafts rowing with the palms of our hands..
Hey, at least I'm having a good year but it didn't come without personal sacrifice. Count the pennies, nickles and dimes. The dollars will come. Spend your money wisely and live within your means.
If you put your money in a long term CD at a bank and make 2% against 3% inflation and CPI, didn't you just loose 1% on your money? If you put money in stocks aren't you rolling the dice? I haven't seen the Stock market move much overall in over 30 years. In the late 80s we had 'Black Monday' where it plunged way way down. It went back up and then on 911 it went down again. Then the Bank and Auto failures made it plunge again and now its back up. Back up to where it was but not UP up if you know what I mean. The ceiling in 30 years (please correct me if I am wrong here) has been about 10,000-12,000 max on the Dow, right?
Well, old Juzek Basses and Kay Basses have soared in price in these 30 years, right? The other handmade carved basses are pushed up in price from the bottom it seems and sometimes from the top with a big sale of a famous Italian or even an English bass.
So, what are you waiting for?
Call me, Buy a Bass already.
It's proven to be a better investment over time than the stock market in the last 30 years. I say, enjoy your money before the Banks or someone else does!
Provide for your family and try to Live in a way where YOU are in control of your money. Think about it. Live and enjoy life. No one else will do it for you..
CNN goes to commercial as my National Address ends...