Should the US Government Buy Only US Made Products?

[anaconda]

The government should buy us the best bang for our tax dollar. Which means trading in an open world economy. However, there is a potential national security issue if supply lines are cut off in war time. So there may be an argument (in this case) for "protectionist" policies in procuring national defense products.

[SpreadOfLiberty]

Weapons yes, office chairs no.

For things we have to trust buy here, but for regular items get what is cheapest.

If the government would use products to near failure instead of selling things off like trucks every 5 years we would save a lot of money.

[SpreadOfLiberty]

Yes they should. They are using our tax dollars and if they are going to extract our money by force, it damn sure should stay in the country.

Dollars can only be spent in the U.S. so in the end it evens out.

[erowe1]

What the government buys should have nothing to do with where it was made.

[heavenlyboy34]

Dollars can only be spent in the U.S. so in the end it evens out.

Dollars are accepted as legal tender in numerous places in the world. In some places you'll use more or less dollars than the local accepted currencies because of exchange rates.

[heavenlyboy34]

This is the wrong question to ask. It should be "Should the US Government buy anything?" The answer is no. They should ask for donations. (the IRS already has a mechanism for "patriotic donations") In reality, the government doesn't buy anything (at least not at this point in time)-they use credit, with citizens and holders of US debt paying for it.

Just wanted to bump this to the latest page in case newcomers are interested. /exits thread

[SpreadOfLiberty]

Dollars are accepted as legal tender in numerous places in the world. In some places you'll use more or less dollars than the local accepted currencies because of exchange rates.

I did forget about that. Still, they will make their way back to the U.S. probably. If not, the extra cost of the products will cost us money anyways.

[cubical]

Why would anyone want their government paying higher prices(assuming identical products)? To say yes, is dumb imo, unless it is in some sort of back door way to get the government wasting money on this stuff rather than oppressing it's people.

[cubical]

Dollars can only be spent in the U.S. so in the end it evens out.

It is irrelevant. Pieces of paper does not mean wealth. We could ship our dollars overseas and they could burn it for all I care. It would actually make us wealthier as a nation if they did.

[GunnyFreedom]

Why would anyone want their government paying higher prices(assuming identical products)? To say yes, is dumb imo, unless it is in some sort of back door way to get the government wasting money on this stuff rather than oppressing it's people.

ding ding ding we have a winnah!