This is kinda old news, but I think it needs rehashing a bit. It seems that the big Mattel recall, 1.5 million toys made in China may be the straw that broke the camel's back. The problem with this new set of recalls and crappy Chinese merchandise is too much lead in the paint. So I guess the Chinese leaders are going to have to get the lead out of their collective butts and bring about some sense to this nonsense.
First they were trying to poision all of our pets with that chemical in the food. What was that all about? Many, many other problems have arisen with Chinese-produced items. In June a whole bunch of toy trains had to be recalled -- you guessed it, the old too much lead in the paint situation.
I've got a solution for this leaded paint business. The Chinese need to hire Sherwin-Williams to load up a big boat with good paint, and we all know it is good, and sail to China. Apparently we in America don't know how to make toys anymore, and the Chinese don't know how to make paint. We need a little Chino-American cooperation for the safety of our kids.
There is some other stuff the Chinese can't get right -- toxic ingredients found in fish. Who would eat Chinese fish? If my catfish doesn't say "made in the Mississippi Delta" I ain't gonna eat it.
I once bought some "made in China" crawfish. I must have been stupid, and I apologize to my Cajun Coon-Ass friends in Louisiana. I promise I will never do that again.
How about that Chinese toothpaste? What is one of the last things you would think that America would import from China -- toothpaste? I just don't want Chinese taking over my bathroom. This toothpaste, it was reported, was used mostly in jails, so I guess that was part of the punishment. The judge might give the convicted 5 years and a case of Chinese toothpaste -- serves him or her right.
I'm not real smart when it comes to all of this international trade business, but it looks like a no brainer if you import more than you export. A trade deficit ain't good for the American economy or labor force. We can be more self-sufficient if we will prod our less than intelligent Senators and Congressmen to get the lead out of their butts and enact some legislation to make this trade business a more level playing field. As Americans we can be produce more of our own goods and not have to import all of this cheap-ass stuff from other countries.
Look at all of the foreign products in your local WalMart. That commercial giant would look like a ghost town without imported stuff. Another case in point -- one day I went to Fred's looking for three specific items I needed. I got them -- one was from Brazil, one from Indonesia and one from Taiwan. That is utterly rediculous.
Sorry I had to get on the old soap box today, but some things really do bother me. You'll hear more things that irk me as time goes on.
Have a nice day and buy something Chinese -- preferably something that is painted.
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One of my favorite presentations I've seen is a study of who buys stuff from Wal-Mart.
Wal-Mart, as we know, once tried to carry a lot of Made in the USA stuff, but has given up on that so as to increase profit margins. Guess who still shops there? The blue collar workers who make products that Wal-Mart sells from foreign producers. In effect, blue collar workers are buying their own way out of markets by purchasing products in Wal-Mart made overseas more cheaply. Talk about a Catch-22.
The U.S. mega-corporations who have engaged on a profit-driven campaign to outsource American jobs may well regret the day they did so.
Think about it for a moment... American consumers are held hostage to retail gas prices and are seemingly prepared (if not willing) to pay $3 - $4 per gallon and breath a sigh of relief when prices get close to $2 a gallon.
That scale of expenditure has a DAILY impact on household net disposable income.
OK... we go into a retail store to buy a T-Shirt. Label says "Made in USA" priced at $15. Next rack, a "Made in China" equivalent is selling for $9.00.
Reality: We don't buy T-shirts on a daily basis so why are "WE" not willing to support BETTER American-made quality that will outlast "Made in China" 3 times over?
In that context, "Made in China" costs us $27 versus $15 for a better product that is Made in the USA.
To Fisher-Price and to Mattel I have this to say... Get your act together! Yes, you have shareholder considerations but when a per-share return has to be maximized by sacrificing the health and well being of your customers then something has gone very wrong.
BRING YOUR PRODUCTION BACK TO THE USA and so what if your retail price goes up by 10% - 20%? On a current $10 purchase price do you really think that U.S customers will balk at an additional $1 - $2 bucks in order to insure QUALITY and SAFETY?
QUESTION: Can someone explain to me why Chinese manufacturers use LEAD-BASED paint? What is the "benefit" of using lead based paint versus lead-free paint?
QUESTION: While China can "sabre-rattle" it's enormous holdings of U.S. bonds and other financial securities they need to be VERY AWARE that any attempt to derail the U.S. economy will ripple through ALL of the European economies with the net result that the Chinese economy will be in RUINS! Don't lose sight of the fact that the CHINESE economy is sustained through EXPORTS.
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