They also started putting plastic gears in their gas powered stuff. No bearings, just bushings in the shaft. Crap like that.

All these companies some of us remember are all now owned by the same company. This is how capitalism goes. Eventually, a company makes a mistake, and a competitor will absorb them.

This is dramatically simplified, but the big joke is that capitalism breeds competition and that is good for the consumer.

The illusion of choice via mergers and acquisitions.