I Want My 70's Back!

[@billsimpson604]

If we tried to manufacture consumer products inside the USA with the very high hourly labor rates we have here, everything would probably double, or triple in price. Sure, a million people might make a higher income, but everyone else would become a LOT worse off. For every one person that would gain, 30 people would lose. A 55 inch TV made entirely in the USA would cost thousands of dollars. Inflation would wipe out any savings you might have in 8 years. My dad bought a Sony color TV about 10, or so, years after they started selling them. It cost a LOT. That thing burned through 3 VERY expensive picture tubes before we got rid of it. You were lucky to get 100,000 miles out of a vehicle before Japanese imports forced Detroit to improve quality, or go bankrupt. National security items are about the only items you want to be able to make inside the USA. And unlike decades ago, big corporate managers only care about profit and short term share prices. Years ago, it was making a quality product. Today, they are paid in their company stocks, so they do what they can to push up the stock price to get rich in 5 years, before problems surface. In the 1960's, the average corporate manager made something like 20 times what their employees made. Today it can be 1,000 times. And the Federal government allows more mergers, which reduce competition. I remember reading how shipping containers allow a T-shirt to be shipped from Asia to the USA for about a penny. Those steel boxes changed the global economy more than people realize. And they were an American invention due to roadway traffic congestion. If we try to make everything inside the USA, many large US corporations will disappear because what they build here will be far more expensive than what the Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese can build, and sell all over the world. Chinese made SANA is already eating into Caterpillar sales because they can undercut Cat's price. Heavy equipment is national security, so we might need tariffs to limit what they can sell here. Toasters & TVs aren't. Making everything inside the USA sounds good, but be careful what you wish for because the price of everything will go WAY up, if we try to do that. That new 55 inch smart TV will cost you $ 3,000 instead of $200. And new factories will be more automated, so millions of Americans won't suddenly be working in them. We can't change the world economy, nor can we change human nature. After all, we are only 5% of the global population. That is why we need to encourage the smartest people from the other 95% to come here and develop technology, so we can remain competitive against China with 18%. That is a lot of brainpower.

[@virgilbierschwale5001]

Hip hip hooray I’ve been watching your videos to help put me in the right frame of mind to fix mowers I’m a computer programmer and I’ve been fighting this crap at keep America at work for twenty years Wholeheartedly agree with you

[@northerndarklight5305]

My wife and I were married in 1974. We started out buying all our appliances at a local scratch and dent sale. Mostly Maytag, A.O. Smith, Whirlpool, Frigidaire, Amana. Scratches don't affect performance, and that's what we could afford. We bought new appliances in the early '90's and gave away the old ones to a family who lost everything in a fire. Those old appliances are still working for those folks. Every once in a while, they replace a belt or a pump or a thermocouple, or a thermostat, but you could easily do that back then with OEM parts. I got my car parts at a local salvage junk yard where you crawled around the stacked-up cars, looking for your needed parts. Although I once did buy an OEM heater core for my '67 Mustang from a Ford dealer.

[@vlvtopcat]

So true.Thanks for your thoughts.

[@Doodle-dm6qf]

Tom when I come home from Vietnam I bought a 65 Chevy truck from our local dealer for 2,200 dollars and today im still driving it every day. It was built for work and has never let me down. Ive taken it to Alaska with me 3 times while I was logging up there. I put a camper on it to live in up in Alaska while I was working.. Now I bought a 2017 Dodge pickup in 2018 to play around in and that thing has damn near bankrupted me. One thing after another. Engine ,transmission, rear end you name it and it been repaired. What a piece of crap. I wish Made in America was like it once was. On top of it that dodge cost me more than my house when a bought it. Good God.!!!!!!

[@RoyRucman]

I have raised three families since I was19 yr. Old I am 74 an I can tell u that u are rite an I have stuf that is 60 years old so u just keep saving Tom love ya keep trucking an be safe

[@theyardboy9316251562]

I'm 46. We've lived in our house for 20 years. I've replaced every major appliance at least once. I've lost count of how many washing machines and dryers We've gone through.

[@robcole332]

Awesome video brother and I’m right there with you. It’s sick the way things are today.

[@jaymeyers950]

Im with you tom wish was like when was a child back in the 60 s n 70s

[@kerryPhillips-t7b]

This guy is so correct. Too many products made with cheap plastic parts.

[@Fatboy.25]

Tom, why don’t you run for President. I’d love to be living in the 60s and 70s.

[@michealwilliams5639]

I was born in 1955 and I agree with you.Things use to last longer and could be fixed and they lasted a lot longer.You could keep things a lot longer.And agree jobs should be brought back to the USA THEY may cost more but we would have better quality.

[@stevenb.182]

I miss the 70's too. We've been lied to, my entire life.....but at least in the 70's they weren't so blatant about it.

[@mjg263]

Yep, I’m in the same boat and I hate it. My dad taught me all about repairing and maintaining things all through the 70’s when I was growing up. When anything broke down we would get the service manuals, necessary parts and tools and fix it. Preserving our old Motorola b&w tv set that I inherited when we finally got a color set was what got me started in electronics. If I wanted to watch Rockford Files or Hawaii Five-0 I had to figure out what tube or part was bad and fix it, cause mom and dad didn’t like those shows and they were watching the new color set lol! Same with mowers and cars, pop taught me most of that stuff and shop class in school taught me the rest. It’s sad that the days of getting your moneys worth are gone, I hate throwing stuff out but replacing a mother board (if you could even get one) just ain’t worth it.

[@knighthawk86855]

My dad bought that B&W Motorola/Quazar at the little tv/repair shop he rented an apartment for all 3 of us.... Above the repair shop..... It was Nicholas TV shop, it closed back in 2006..... And my dad rented the apartment back in 1968.

[@jaymeyers950]

I remember them days when the TV repairman came to the house n repaired the TV back in the late 60 and 70s

[@robcole332]

I remember as a child, our 1 and only tv (black and white) quit working. My dad tore it apart, removed the tubes and went to the local Drug Fair store who had a tube tester. Found the bad tube and went back home and fixed it

[@joe-fix-it9046]

Hi Tom, I agree with you 100% These companies know that there is no money in making things that last. They want you to keep buying. That's why things are made poorly so they do fail. Ever notice that things fail shortly after the warranty expires. That's because they know more or less the longevity of their product. These extended warranties are nothing more than a money grab and the reason why I never buy them, however I always ask them what's the length of the extended warranty. That information pretty much tells you how long the product is expected to last. Just my thoughts on that. Have a great day.

[@robertmailhos8159]

I agree with you the 70s where a great decade

[@harrydickson4575]

Totally Agree with you 100%

[@tonym6920]

Yep, they call it planned obsolescence. I think the big difference Tom is that back in the day, workers took pride in what they did. Today, it’s just slap it together send it out the door and if there’s a problem, let the customer deal with it.

[@DOCREAL1118]

We live in a world where people are competing with each other to see who can have the most!! I do tease you but I also know you are a smart man with your money!! I miss American made that was affordable. I certainly hope Trump can change some things but the days we miss so bad are sadly gone for good. Great video brother!

[@timtweet8149]

Wife heard the audio and said she has a radio flyer sled and a metal rescue down under lunch box. I hear ya about keeping old stuff around cuz they still work. I'm the same way about being fragile with what I purchase.

[@knighthawk86855]

The Q-led is like looking out the window it's so sharp.... I have a 1990 35" magnavox tube, color tv, I use for my gaming TV for my older consoles.

[@moabwheeling1305]

Your 100% right Tom. Things were so well made back in the 60s and 70s and today its made like crap. I grew up in the 60s and 70s and I remember going to the electronic shops with my dad and he would have a few tubes from our tv that he needed to check . The electronic sores we frequented had about six of the stations to check the tubes. It's sad nowadays with the throwaway society that we had evolved into. I miss the 60s and 70s when things were so much simpler. I could go on and on but I will spare you and your subscribers. Take care brother and catch you on your next video.

[@jaymeyers950]

Going thru town today noticed that the local TV n appliances repair shop is empty n closed either he retired or passed away

[@RobyHelms]

I agree with you tom

[@todddewell6314]

Total sense. Crank it out crank it out. No quality what do ever!!

[@dfields9511]

Yep: I didn’t grow up in 70s but in the 80s learned to take care of stuff and fix some things. One of my mowers is a 1974/1975 Craftsman with a Tecumseh 3.5 HP engine. It runs like a top. I just helped my father with his washer and dryer Both about 38years old I ended up replacing them because parts were no longer available for the washer. The dryer needed a part that cost more than it was worth. I ended up finding a good FrrEEee washer. And a dryer was tossed because of a $1 fuse. Fixed it and gave to my father. The old dryer I used some jb weld to fix some plastic part temp and sold cheep as it did work otherwise. Sold with full disclosure of the plastic that was jbwelded . I scrapped the washer to a metal scrap yard, it weighs 220 lbs

[@angelicaconiguliaro3179]

You sound exactly like my little brother(33) been saying this for years. Unfortunately there is not enough of us too stick together to change things anymore. We have alot of family tools and heirlooms that you can tell the quality difference, definitely glad we have them. Feel bad for the kid's nowadays they'll never know what "Quality&Craftsmanship" truly is.

[@knighthawk86855]

I have my high school blow dryer, I used to have very long hair metal head here it's a old one I got second hand from a hair solon in 1985.

[@dnrsmallenginerepair]

Great video my friend Brother Tom

[@RobyHelms]

Happy new year

[@knighthawk86855]

Thank God we have a roofer in the family, an electrian, and a plumber.... Funny part, I can do it all, and repair anything. In the 70s my mom and dad had a 25" b&w quazar, it was on wheels, and that thing lasted 35 years... My dad got a huge 27" wooden concole quazar color tv, and that thing lasted over 30 years..... I have 5 flat screens that all have been replaced within 5 years, cheap pos.... LMAO

[@NicholasMayes-v9g]

I agree with you everything is just junk now days the quality of things now days are not good like they used to be

[@lyleklemm7408]

Right on tom thanks for video

[@howardsutton3502]

I agree with your rant but wishing will not make it so l like things that can be repaired instead of buying a new one that’s why l am watching you and others fix and repair

[@knighthawk86855]

Don't mean to leave so many separate messages but you hear about the OBD3 in the new cars, it going to report you for speeding, not doing a full stop, not using a turn signal, it's going to report you to the cops and your insurance company.... Nuts.

[@GuysPlayingWithTools]

Yeah, they don't make anything the way they used to. Technology keeps making things smaller and faster.

[@PSN7373]

I still have a 12 inch tv with a built in vcr works great it's over 20 years old

[@MarkMeadows90]

I totally understand that brother. Most things were made better back then. Not everything, but most. Like you were mentioning things made back in the 70s were a lot better and lasted longer, built to last. Some cars weren't built to last though. Heavy emission controls, etc etc. New cars weren't that reliable. As the 80s and 90s came around, cars starting getting better and more effecient. But most other things made later on were not as good. Yes, lot of "cheap" things over the years. I wouldn't mind going back to the 80s, but it was a time I wasn't even born yet lol

[@randyedmisten1374]

Something broke you fix it

[@DOCREAL1118]

FIRST!!! 💪🦿🦿🙏

[@gregneves8000]

I agree with you right up until you said give me points and condensers I hate them and I'm around your age

[@brianwelsh-primecutslawnca4364]

I still have old stuff that works great still Tim. Where ever I can I get stuff repaired. New stuff these days is just junk. 👊'ski. 😎🦘