I've been thinking about this one and my most important consideration in purchase is not so much WHERE as HOW. I'd much rather buy a handmade item from an artisan across the globe, than ANYTHING at Wallyworld where they mistreat employees. And they make all this noise about being an American company, but then they buy cheap toys from China and our American children get lead poisoning.

As a very-small business owner, I'd rather give my money to another person who creates things from the labor of their hands, as opposed to a big company which cares nothing about their customers or their employees, only greed, greed and more greed.

This issue is not about lines drawn in the sand, "Buy from us, we're American" even if the company is a total pig. The issue to me is a value system. The value of a good product made to the best of one's abilities, not scrimping on materials or safety to make a bigger profit. The value of a person or company who stands behind their work and is proud of it. Not a company that stands behind our flag as an excuse to make crap and treat its customers or employees like dirt.

Every time a company like Wallyworld or GM uses "buy American" they DEGRADE our flag because of the type of institution they are. You can dress a pig in an American flag, but it's still a pig.