Lawdog it wasn't our past buying habits that created this, it was labor unions and bleeding heart liberals.

Do you know what the AVERAGE wage is in America?? It's $30.67/hr. In Vietnam it's $4.35/hr. In China, it's considerably higher at $19 something, BUT in China their lowest minimum wage is also $1.47/hr... yes, less than a buck and a half an hour.

How do you expect American companies to produce zip ties or tupperware for anywhere close to the price of foreign made stuff? We've voted ourselves out of the ability to manufacture throw away items for a reasonable cost. The only things American companies can AFFORD to manufacture are things that come with high price tags.... vehicles, medicines, computer components, rocket ships, defense equipment, etc. They can't pay people $15-20/hr to manufacture the stuff to stock the shelves of the Dollar Tree.

Tupperware, a company that manufactures SOME but not all of their food storage containers at a U.S. plant can still be purchased if you want American made. They're only $100 for a 4 piece set. Just make sure the ones you're buying WERE made in America....

Could not possibly have anything to do with government regulations like the epa, safety and workman's comp. The government increases the cost to do business in this country quite a bit.