American-made products: To buy or not to buy

LUTZ - These days, a lot of the products we use are made overseas, especially in China. But plenty of people see growing value in only buying items made in the USA.

Jim Deitch says he learned it from his 96-year-old grandfather.

"Growing up, I was always taught to buy American," said Deitch, Chief Operating Officer of Southern Comfort Homes based in Lutz.

Deitch says his company goes to great lengths to buy products made in the U.S.

"Buying American means we keep the money in our economy. Buying American supports American companies," he said. "It goes to our core values and we feel strongly about that."

Deitch has written letters to executives of large companies to congratulate them for buying American. He says it's a patriotic way to do business.

But Robert Forsythe, dean of the College of Business at the University of South Florida, says if everyone decided to buy only American products, it would actually harm the U.S. economy.

"Other countries would retaliate," said Forsythe. "On net, it would be a loss."

With growing concern over China's economic power, "Buy Amercian" supporters say they're gaining strength. Roger Simmermaker, of Orlando, runs a website called www.howtobuyamerican.com .

He directs consumers to all kinds of American-made products, from deodorant to mustard.

"It's patriotic to buy American," said Simmermaker. "And American-made products are easy to find."

General Electric it is moving much of its appliance manufacturing back to the United States, adding hundreds of jobs. They say U.S. factories and workers can turn out better products at affordable prices.