| Since 1957, when I purchased my first car -- a used | | | | labor. |
| 1950 Dodge -- I guess I've owned at least a dozen | | | | Many Americans have been snookered into believing |
| different vehicles, including a couple of Fords, a | | | | that it is patriotic to buy a Chrysler, Ford or Chevy |
| Chevy, a Chrysler Imperial (tagged the "Gray Ghost" | | | | instead of one of those mean ol' foreign cars sold by |
| by friends.) I've also held title to a Mercury, Datsun, | | | | those unfair, greedy capitalists overseas. |
| Buick and a Dodge Omni. (Obviously brand loyalty is | | | | Don't pick the car you like best, the car that's more |
| not my thing.) | | | | efficient and better looking, the car you feel will |
| While I'm not a noted shopper, and I tend to grab | | | | serve you better! |
| the first thing that approximates my need, I do give | | | | No, for the good of Chrysler, General Motors or Ford, |
| some thought to my purchases. In buying a car, my | | | | buy the car that doesn't look as good, doesn't |
| thoughts turn to: 1) cost; 2) Does it run? 3) Does it | | | | perform as well, isn't engineered as well, costs more! |
| have a good radio and tape recorder? and 4) Can I | | | | Don't feel badly if your car isn't so great; remember, |
| take it home now? | | | | you're patriotic! |
| One thing I give little or no thought to is: Was this | | | | The truth is that when we Americans buy an inferior |
| auto conceived, designed, built, promoted and sold by | | | | product we encourage inefficiency, we encourage |
| American labor? By Japanese labor? By German | | | | poor engineering, we encourage poor design. |
| labor? By Italian labor? By Samoan labor? | | | | Why should the auto makers break their backs |
| Over the past several years, as America's debt | | | | finding better products at lower prices when |
| soared and its balance of trade became what | | | | "patriotic" Americans will buy any piece of junk they |
| economists refer to as "unfavorable," there has been | | | | produce -- and pay more for it to boot! |
| an increasing tendency -- in no small way aggravated | | | | Do the unions fare any better? Do they end up with |
| by former Chrysler Corp. Chairman Lee Iacocca -- to | | | | better pay, better job security or more pride in their |
| blame the Japanese and others for America's | | | | productivity by taking money from Americans who |
| problem. | | | | buy their product not because it's the best but rather |
| This jingoism has come to be known as the "Buy | | | | as a charitable gesture? Not likely. |
| America"campaign. In other words, look not at the | | | | America must shun the jingoism of those who would |
| quality of workmanship, the price tag, appearance, | | | | sell them cheap, those who would appeal to their |
| warrantees or maintenance costs, look rather for the | | | | lesser instincts, those who would have us blame |
| "Made in America" sticker. | | | | others for our own deficiencies. |
| By jingo! That not only defies the intelligence of the | | | | We best serve our country, and ourselves, by |
| American people, but does a disservice to American | | | | making the best, buying the best, being the best. |