Penny Wise, Pound Foolish

When our kids were very little I used a phrase enough that it became a family motto that went beyond the commonly held belief that you get what you pay for.  That phrase was "cheap China toy," which is now the code for anything that is so poorly made or conceived that it is not worth owning or doing. It originated with the observation that toys, especially electronics, that are made in China are almost always substandard at best and dangerous at worst.  But it's not just toys, as I talk to a number of people in various industries who tell me how poor Chinese goods are, such as the poor quality of steel, the poor the quality of clothing and accessories, the poor quality of manuals, etc.  And to top it off, so much of this stuff are illegal knock-offs.  But so many suppliers and retailers carry this cheap "stuff" because it's cheap.  I'm a pretty cheap so-and-so, but I'm making an effort to avoid Cheap China Toys, but it's often hard to do, as they're everywhere.  I hope whomever is elected helps solve this huge economic and moral problem (though I doubt any of our "leaders" "tener cojones" to do so), as it just isn't worth our collective souls to consume inferior Chinese goods and the accompanying lack of manufacturing standards, poor treatment of workers, disregard for laws and property rights, unjust trade policies, and more, just to save a few bucks.  It costs us a lot more than we think.

image from http://www.grand-china.com.cn/eng/images/factory_3.jpg