things are like they are because of the "Golden Rule"...that is, "He who has the gold, makes the rules"

A combination of sophisticated advertising techniques, "free market economies", corrupt and/or inept politicans, greedy corporations, rampant technology, globalization of corporate entities, and several other trends-- have made it inevitable that shoes from Malaysia will be cheaper than shoes from Tennessee.

Since J.C Penny and Sears-Roebuck and McDonalds etc., have shown that carefully manipulated chains can drive Mom & Pop out of business, those with access to power have slowly manipulated the system until it is almost impossible to have anything else!...People now start small companies IN ORDER to be bought out by the mega-corps! I had one bank change hands 3 times as it moved from one merger to another!

Sure there are a few alternatives to some of these bandits, but it is practically a full-time job keeping track of who the good guys are! Tobacco companies own bread companies and toothpaste manufacturers...etc...

And BECAUSE it is so hard to follow, and generally costs more to be conscientious, most people simply buy what is cheapest and shoved under their noses.

I don't see any sigh of change soon, I'm sorry to say.