Late to this thread, but have opinion that is worth as much as anyone else's ....
I am not going to rehash anything to volatile, but while not bashing vendors (or members), I think it is a benefit to the rest of us to describe good and bad issues while dealing with vendors. I read the whole thread and thought I would be pissed as well, especially being told to my face such info from any vendor.
I don't know Dave (Hawk) or Larry (X33RS) personally but I think we are all here for the right reasons. While I can see Daves point, I think Larry knows what he is getting ahead of time so the marketing of where it is made, is old hat.
I like "made in the U.S.A." in theory, but politics is the underlying name of the game these days. I think greedy/corrupt union bosses with politicians have poisoned the well, which in turn has soured myself (possibly others) to "the made in the U.S.A." tag.
IMO they have sold out the american people by making back room deals, for the voting block of the union(s) . Now this is on a grand scale, but I still take it on a case by case basis, depending on the item.
There are defects in anything made anywhere, even in the U.S.A. I do like the fact that I can call the factory/company when I have a problem with a US made part, and talk in english about it, and get it resolved.
Just my 2 cents