So, Is it made in the U.S.A., or is it made in Mexico?

[CathyA]

I bought DD a scratching post for her cat today. I was pleased, because on the label it said "Made in the U.S.A." When I got home, I found a label on the bottom of the post that said "Made in Mexico".
I wonder how many companies are lying about the "Made in the U.S.A.", in order to sell it. Maybe they would say "But the label WAS made in the U.S.A." That really irritates me.

[decemberlov]

This would really irritate me too! Was part of it made in the US and possibly another came from Mexico...and assembled here? Would that even make sense ???

[bunnys]

I think maybe the time to buy exclusively USA made items to make a political statement is past. The water in that river is too muddy. Just try and buy a car made exclusively in the USA--or any product for that matter.

Maybe efforts in the future should focus on lobbying legislators to pass trade agreements that are more favorable to the US and level the playing field. As it currently stands the deck is stacked to favor countries like China and to encourage US industries to move their operations overseas where they can manufacture products much more cheaply and still sell them back to the US market for a hefty profit even with the cost of transporting those goods included.

[Tradd]

Since studying for the customs broker license exam, I cannot tell you how absolutely complicated the rules of origin (determining the country of origin of a good) are.

The rules of marking the country of origin are quite strict. Customs bounces stuff back pretty frequently for marking errors.

Labeling something as you discovered, Cathy, is illegal. I can see a company relabeling something once it had arrived in the U.S. Bad business practice, don't know how they would be caught for it, though, or what the penalties could be.

[ToomuchStuff]

The Stanley toolworks group, has lost to the FTC, multiple times, for the brands they make and sell. (Mac, Husky, Stanley, and a few more). Take a picture and send it to the companies contact us, email as well as the FTC. Typically, in the tool world, I see that sort of thing listed as assembled in the USA, of domestic and foreign components.

[SteveinMN]

The Stanley toolworks group, has lost to the FTC, multiple times, for the brands they make and sell. (Mac, Husky, Stanley, and a few more). Take a picture and send it to the companies contact us, email as well as the FTC. Typically, in the tool world, I see that sort of thing listed as assembled in the USA, of domestic and foreign components.
Stanley is on my ---- list for moving their headquarters out of the U.S. to avoid paying taxes. I don't mean to start an OT political thread on that; just pointing out that sometimes "American" companies aren't really American.

[Alan]

Stanley is on my ---- list for moving their headquarters out of the U.S. to avoid paying taxes. I don't mean to start an OT political thread on that; just pointing out that sometimes "American" companies aren't really American.
I'm associated with a company which recently incorporated as a plc in Ireland. The difference between 12.5% corporate tax there and the 35% corporate tax here enabled it to finance expansions in two US plants.

[SteveinMN]

I'm associated with a company which recently incorporated as a plc in Ireland. The difference between 12.5% corporate tax there and the 35% corporate tax here enabled it to finance expansions in two US plants.
Good for them! Maybe not so good for the rest of us....

It also raises the questions of how Ireland can provide what it does for its residents on a 12.5% corporate tax when U.S. corporations (the few that actually pay 35% tax) are adamant that it can't be done on a corporate tax rate that is nominally three times that.

[Alan]

Good for them! Maybe not so good for the rest of us....

It also raises the questions of how Ireland can provide what it does for its residents on a 12.5% corporate tax when U.S. corporations (the few that actually pay 35% tax) are adamant that it can't be done on a corporate tax rate that is nominally three times that.
Their government may not waste as much as ours.

I'm not sure why it may not be so good for the rest of us. Being able to save off the top allows more to be spent at the bottom. More local employees paying federal & state income taxes, more contractors and service providers doing work at local facilities, all paying into the our federal and state governments.

Seems like a win/win for everyone to me.

[creaker]

Good for them! Maybe not so good for the rest of us....

It also raises the questions of how Ireland can provide what it does for its residents on a 12.5% corporate tax when U.S. corporations (the few that actually pay 35% tax) are adamant that it can't be done on a corporate tax rate that is nominally three times that.

Taking a look at all the military Ireland has(n't) deployed across the planet might be a good place to start.

[Tradd]

Lot smaller population in Ireland, too.

[SteveinMN]

Their government may not waste as much as ours.

I'm not sure why it may not be so good for the rest of us. Being able to save off the top allows more to be spent at the bottom. More local employees paying federal & state income taxes, more contractors and service providers doing work at local facilities, all paying into the our federal and state governments.

Seems like a win/win for everyone to me.
So why should the contractors and service providers, all faithfully paying their share of taxes, give the corporation a free ride because it's not based where they work? Besides, giving corporations tax breaks does not seem to correlate in any meaningful way with the number of jobs they provide. At least not in this country. Maybe the difference is that Irish corporations don't own Ireland the way American corporations own America.

Oh, and I am aware we've veered off-topic. I'm fine with continuing this discussion in a more appropriate thread/forum.

[Alan]

I'm fine with continuing this discussion in a more appropriate thread/forum.
Not necessary. After 7 or 8 years of discussing this topic on these forums I've found that it's a waste of time to point out that a smaller percentage of something is worth more than a larger percentage of nothing. Many countries and some of our individual states know it, that's what counts.

[SteveinMN]

Not necessary.
As you wish.