As others have said, it would be hard to find a bike in that price range that is NOT made in Taiwan. and it is not that they are poorly made: the poorly made bikes are often the cheaper ones that are not made in Taiwan anyway, but are assembled in China. China and Taiwan are rather different countries in terms of manufacuring (and politics, but that's another story): the majority of mid to high level road and mountain bikes are built in Taiwan. All the large manufaturers use the facilities in Taichung and other Taiwanese plants to have bikes built to their design but at Taiwan rates that can't be matched in the USA... Giant is the largest manufacturer in the world for a good reason: excellent design and technology, pushing the envelope in carbon manufacturing techniques for ten years, and a training ground for many of the composite manufacturers out there. People like FSA are based here too, and most of the larger American brand bikes you look at are built here. And the reason? Purely price competitiveness combined with skilled workers providing consistent quality and innovation.

And what do you have against Taiwanese bikes in particular? Are they too common for you, or do you have a thing against Asian products in general? I am just curious, and i am not having a go at you, but i did notice you don't want to get shimano components either...

Now, Campy components are arguably better than Shimano (I prefer the feel and the function of the shifters), and they cost a little more, but as far as performance goes, there is not much difference. You're really stuck for choice in the component market if you don't like Shimano or SRAM, but you won't find Campy on any bikes less than $1800 or so, i believe. All new component groups use an form of indexed shifting via brifters. (Brake/shifers combined). Unless you want to go to a flat bar, when you can use twist or thumb shifters (and they will be Shimano or SRAM). Very low end stuff will still use stem mounted thumb shifters, basically the same as downtube shifters. and they will be POORLY made, usually in China from stamped sheet metal. If you want milled components, you pay for it!

Perhaps you need a second hand machine for your price.