Portland Open Thread

pdxtex · #1 Posted **Sep 13, 2007, 2:29 AM**

Ok, so this topic got closed in the city discusions for not being "city specific" enough, but whatever. So I'll try here because it is regionally significant (ahem super moderator). Ok so what is your opinion on the City of Portland buying foreign vehicles for their service fleet? Specifically, I saw a City of Portland Jetta, a new, not even made in this country Jetta. Yeah, so its a foreign car, made in an entirely seperate foreign country (Puebla, Mexico). Im not bagging on build quality as anybody with the right training can build a car just fine. But, Im in the boat that buying domestically made goods is still important, and I think its a misuse of City funds. A city government should be the first entity to support a national cause, and a good one at that, retention of American manufacturing jobs. So why is Portland not buying domestic cars? Someone made a good point that perhaps it was diesal, which might make a bit more sense but I have no way of confirming this. End of rant....Opinions?

mhays · #2 Posted **Sep 13, 2007, 3:32 AM**

I'd prefer they buy US goods too. But I'm also willing to pay higher taxes to pay for it. You pretty much have to support both, because they're presumably doing it for a cost savings.

onebulgar · #3 Posted **Sep 13, 2007, 9:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdxtex

Ok, so this topic got closed in the city discusions for not being "city specific" enough, but whatever. So I'll try here because it is regionally significant (ahem super moderator). Ok so what is your opinion on the City of Portland buying foreign vehicles for their service fleet? Specifically, I saw a City of Portland Jetta, a new, not even made in this country Jetta. Yeah, so its a foreign car, made in an entirely seperate foreign country (Puebla, Mexico). Im not bagging on build quality as anybody with the right training can build a car just fine. But, Im in the boat that buying domestically made goods is still important, and I think its a misuse of City funds. A city government should be the first entity to support a national cause, and a good one at that, retention of American manufacturing jobs. So why is Portland not buying domestic cars? Someone made a good point that perhaps it was diesal, which might make a bit more sense but I have no way of confirming this. End of rant....Opinions?

Foreign? Most Japanese cars are built, here, in the US. How about the rest?
http://www.jama.org/

WestCoast · #4 Posted **Sep 13, 2007, 2:07 PM**

Not sure if this fits in this forum, but who knows:

If the foreign product is better at a given price point/budget...done deal.

Is anyone really going to desire a lower quality product on the basis that, 'at least the profits are going to american companies?'

That's basically subsidizing mediocrity....THAT'S a waste of tax revenue!

zilfondel · #5 Posted **Sep 13, 2007, 7:14 PM**

Are there any American car companies that manufacture in the US anymore? I thought they all moved their mfgr capacity to Canada and Mexico, and all the Japanese car companies to america.

pdxtex · #6 Posted **Sep 13, 2007, 11:35 PM**

There are still a ton of American cars being made on US soil. Given the big 3's recent woes concerning huge pension payouts and through the roof health care for retirees, alot of plants and jobs were closed. But they have consolidated alot of their resources in newer and more efficient plants as well. There is so much reverse engineering that even though Detroit still pumps out retro models and big trucks, alot of the smaller sedans are on par quality wise with their foreign counterparts....IE, US cars are actually quite reliable, and have been for a long time. Anyway, what the city probably spent on that car, is a dime in the bucket in comparison to their transportation budget. Who knows, maybe they got the car for free from Volkswagen.

WonderlandPark · #7 Posted **Sep 14, 2007, 3:02 AM**

This is such a done and stupid topic. Car manufacture country is so irrelevant. get over it.

A GM car or truck is as likely to be Canadian as American.
A Volvo is a Ford product
More American made Hondas are sold here than Japanese Hondas
Your Geo Metro is mostly Japanese
Your new VW bug is a third Mexican
and so on and so on

It is friggin irrelevant, if the city of Portland saw that the Jetta was best, than so be it. If the city wanted to buy the best laptop for all its employees, than it should probably get a Japanese made Fujitsu, it turns out the best streetcar was Czech, NATIONALISM IS STUPID AND IRRELEVANT IN THIS WORLD........

pdxtex · #8 Posted **Sep 14, 2007, 3:43 AM**

it seems like the 3rd decree of the portland mantra is "buy local", followed by reduce, and recycle. of course im making that up but in sustainable portland, buying stuff grown locally or made locally seems to matter to alot of people, not just me..buying a car, dishwasher, stereo component, running shoe, whatever, that is made in this country is following the same principal, you know where your money is going and whom it is benefitting. call it whatever you like, but buying american made products still matters to me, and alot of other people. if the offshoring of manufacturing or service jobs does not concern you, then you either missed the boat, don't care, or have alot of money buried in your backyard......

pdxtex · #9 Posted **Sep 14, 2007, 3:45 AM**

my bad - double post....

MarkDaMan · #10 Posted **Sep 14, 2007, 6:06 PM**

^likewise, a streetcar manufacturing plant built in Oregon, that can meet the demands of a nation going streetcar crazy could provide a huge boost to our economy, increased taxes, additional industries to supply goods, and national, if not international press.

PacificNW · #11 Posted **Sep 14, 2007, 6:46 PM**

According to the news many Americans who would prefer to "buy American" do not because of the higher retail cost. I wonder what a pair of "Nike's" made in the USA would cost vs. the same model/style which was made in SE Asia?

pdxtex · #12 Posted **Sep 14, 2007, 9:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PacificNW

According to the news many Americans who would prefer to "buy American" do not because of the higher retail cost. I wonder what a pair of "Nike's" made in the USA would cost vs. the same model/style which was made in SE Asia?

probably alot. but you can still get a pair of new balance running shoes made in maine, for the same price, if not cheaper then a pair of nike's.

http://www.nbwebexpress.com/information/madeinusa.asp

as for the street car, im stoked that oregon ironworks got the bid to make them. i hope its a successful venture.

zilfondel · #13 Posted **Sep 16, 2007, 8:39 PM**

I haven't bought any Nike shoes since I was like ten. I remember when their shoes took a very... extreme... artistic jump off the deep end and I lost interest. Their shoes look a lot better now than 10 years ago, but I'm not going to pay $170 for some running shoes, either. Call me stingy but that just seems wrong, unless you're an athlete.

leftopolis · #14 Posted **Sep 17, 2007, 10:43 AM**

So the city of Portland is buying cost/fuel efficient cars...and this is some sort of controversy for you?

OK...giving you the benefit of the doubt that your not some kind of idiot nationalistic troller, just perhaps a bit naive and hypocritical...

1) The vast majority of mass -market cars today are produced internationally--the parts aren't made and put together in one country/factory unless you're Ferrari--bet then you prolly don'y want P-town buying a fleet of $200,000 cars.

2) A sophisticated and practical consumer purchases goods/services based on competetive value/quality, not origin of manufacture.

3) If an individual were concerned about where thier money was going and who it was benefitting...there are over 150 countries on the planet to buy goods from who:
A) Aren't currently engaged in a first-strike-unprovoked war, and
B) Use less than thier share of the worlds resources based on population.

zilfondel · #15 Posted **Sep 20, 2007, 6:29 AM**

Ironically, 'buy America' is a requirement for mass transit vehicles - the only loophole that exists is if there are no mfgrs in the states, which allows you to procure elsewhere. Will be used to great advantage for the Oregon Iron Works Streetcar...

Tim the Enchanter · #16 Posted **Jan 29, 2008, 12:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdxtex

Ok so what is your opinion on the City of Portland buying foreign vehicles for their service fleet?

I am for them buying the best vehicles they can for the amount they have budgeted, if that means a foreign one then so be it.

Dougall5505 · #17 Posted **Feb 3, 2008, 2:25 AM**

Isn't it funny how the experts predicted snow the last couple weeks and it never really panned out? Thats Portland's weather for you. When the experts least expect it, EXPECT IT! Anybody get any of the white stuff this morning? Heres my house.

Anyway I thought it was about time we had a weather thread. How about the tornado a while ago?!

zilfondel · #18 Posted **Feb 3, 2008, 7:56 PM**

I'm still waiting for a jökulhlaup. Would really mess up my skiing tho.

Dr Nevergold · #19 Posted **Feb 5, 2008, 6:34 AM**

There was a tornado recently??

Dougall5505 · #20 Posted **Feb 5, 2008, 4:36 PM**

Ya up in vouncouver. I'm sure the couple of couv guys can tell you about it: couvscott, 360rich, puyopiyo?

story: http://www.kgw.com/news-local/storie...n.c52dc46.html