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Republicans and Democrats railed Thursday about the U.S. Olympic Committee's decision to dress the U.S. team in Chinese manufactured berets, blazers and pants while the American textile industry struggles economically with many U.S. workers desperate for jobs.
I think they should be embarrassed. I think they should take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over again," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters at a Capitol Hill news conference on taxes.
"If they have to wear nothing but a singlet that says USA on it, painted by hand, then that's what they should wear," he said, referring to an athletic jersey.
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi told reporters at her weekly news conference that she's proud of the nation's Olympic athletes, but "they should be wearing uniforms that are made in America."
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said simply of the USOC, "You'd think they'd know better."
In a statement, the U.S. Olympic Committee defended the choice of designer Ralph Lauren for the clothing at the London Games, which begin later this month.
"Unlike most Olympic teams around the world, the U.S. Olympic Team is privately funded and we're grateful for the support of our sponsors," USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky said in a statement. "We're proud of our partnership with Ralph Lauren, an iconic American company, and excited to watch America's finest athletes compete at the upcoming Games in London."
Ralph Lauren also is dressing the Olympic and Paralympic teams for the closing ceremony and providing casual clothes to be worn around the Olympic Village. Nike has made many of the competition uniforms for the U.S. and outfits for the medal stand.
On Twitter, Sandusky called the outrage over the made-in-China uniforms nonsense. The designer, Sandusky wrote, "financially supports our team. An American company that supports American athletes."
Ralph Lauren's company declined to comment on the criticism.
In fact, this is not the first time that Ralph Lauren has designed the Olympic uniforms. Yet that did little to quell the anger on Capitol Hill.
"It is not just a label, it's an economic solution," said Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y. "Today there are 600,000 vacant manufacturing jobs in this country and the Olympic committee is outsourcing the manufacturing of uniforms to China? That is not just outrageous, it's just plain dumb. It is self-defeating."
Israel urged the USOC to reverse the decision and ensure U.S. athletes wear uniforms that are made in America.
Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., separately sent letters to Lawrence Probst III, chairman of the USOC, complaining about the made-in-China uniforms. Brown suggested that the USOC find a manufacturer with a facility in the United States, suggesting the Hugo Boss plant in Cleveland.
"There is no compelling reason why all of the uniforms cannot be made here on U.S. soil at the same price, at better quality," Gillibrand wrote along with Israel.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., said that while millions of Americans are unemployed, "there is no reason why U.S. Olympic uniforms are not being manufactured in the U.S. This action on the part of the U.S. Olympic Committee is symbolic of a disastrous trade policy which has cost us millions of decent-paying jobs and must be changed."
In a tweet, U.S. track and field Olympian Nick Symmonds, who will compete in the 800-meter run at the London Games, wrote: "Our Ralph Lauren outfits for the Olympic opening ceremonies were made in China. So, um, thanks China."
This is hardly the first time patriotism has been discussed when it comes to Olympic clothing. The must-have souvenir of the 2002 Salt Lake Games was a fleece beret, something that athletes wore in the opening ceremony and prompted countless people to spend hours on lines waiting to purchase during those Olympics.
Those berets were made by Roots, a Canadian company that was the official U.S. team outfitter for that opening ceremony.
In the last four years, the USOC has faced criticism for some of its sponsorship deals as it has scrambled to deal with the economic downturn.
When General Motors left as a sponsor, the USOC signed a $24 million deal with German automaker BMW that raised eyebrows. At the time, the USOC highlighted the carmaker's 42-year history of selling cars in the United States and the fact that BMW has 7,000 American employees
The USOC and the International Olympic Committee also were criticized for sticking with BP as a sponsor after the deadly oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico.
ABC World News reported Wednesday night that the uniforms were made in China.
And those same congressfolk hop into their foreign built auto to trudge home from the office. Sen. Brown, Ohio, is only speaking up because he's up for election against a good challenger--otherwise he's not to be seen or heard from.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I wonder if any flags used in the ceremonies will be made there too.
My guess is Lauren donated the uniforms. He paid the Chinese $50 a piece to make them and then wrote off the supposed cost of $1100 each, as a tax deduction. Then he can take the profits and donate them again this year to the Obama campaign. You can be anti American and anti Union as long as you donate to THE CAMPAIGN.... :sick:
Certainly have to be union clothing workers left in the US after all the companies moved to other countries to avoid paying taxes. Maybe they could convert an unused UAW plant in a swing state--executive order could establish a new clothing company.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
With the way some things are shaping up, Barry's campaign might not need the contribution. The opponent is looking less embraceable with each new day.
The athletes should protest and either provide or start a fund for their own American made uniforms.
Coward companies running away who don't want to help maintain the system which enabled them to be born...that's just "capitalism", right?
I don't believe I own anything RL, and I can't see that changing. I suspect very little clothing is union made anyway...although I do have a nice Schott leather coat that I believe is. Wasn't cheap...but it's nice.
PS
I don't own any designer cloths except Hawaiian shirts. I only buy Hawaiian made ones. Mostly from the Salvation Army. I doubt I have spent $200 a year on cloths over the last 50 years. Just not that important dressing fancy.
My city in particular couldn't be less like foreclosure-ridden inland California. Wages are highish here and the population is in general very literate and educated. The economy here isn't dependent on construction jobs and the tax base isn't forecast on increasing mirage home prices. I don't see the knowledge based jobs here simply evaporating overnight.
I don't spend a fortune on clothes either. So much of what is on the rack today is made in less than awesome places with less than awesome quality - no matter the pricetag or label. Thankfully, cars haven't succumbed to this.
It is already ugly in the major cities. It will get uglier as we deteriorate into a 3rd world.
If members of Congress were really that concerned, then let them be the first to give up their Blackberries (Canadian company, built overseas) and Iphones (built in PRC at Foxconn). Just a bunch of hypocrites mouthing off.
How has pay for management compared in the before and after? Have the management folks taken pay and benefit cuts?
What about the prices for the product? Has the lower cost per item shown up as a greatly reduced price for the item sold here? I.e., did a shirt or underware that used to sell for $15.00 or $5.00 made here drop in price when the item cost 1/20th as much to make? Meaning $1.50 shirts and $.50 underware package?
Where has the extra profit margin gone?
What role has government setting the rules for companies moving production and importing product back played in this? Can those rules be changed? I.e., China moving products into the US during Clinton era when the rules banned the direct import by moving them through Mexico?
Looks to me like it's the same automotive problem with companies wanting to pretend to be US companies with some facets of their description and yet import stuff into the US without tariffs or controls, costing us US jobs.
Seems a little harsh blaming the poor workers in KY at the Fruit of the Loom factory for their jobs having gone overseas. They weren't the high cost labor folks to begin with as I see it.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
California - nice to visit, still wouldn't want to live there, unless I had some considerable wealth.
Nobody looks to HK for anything regarding responsible business operations, lack of corruption, or anything close to ethics. Nobody goes to China for "progress".
There's more to the story than unions, here. It's simple cheap labor, social and environmental crime. and a massively divided society based on the consumerism of idiots, whether or not anyone wants to admit it.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
And how the tax burdens of said execs have fared in the past 30 years, as well...
The bottom line, it is up to the Federal government to impose tariffs on imported goods from 3rd World Hell Holes. They are not doing it and it will continue to force layoffs. I was on the USS Midway and was going to buy a $17 T-Shirt. It was made in Honduras. On an American Ship. The "D"s and "R"s are working together to bring US down to the Global average. It is a Bi-Partisan effort with the UAW blessing.
We need to cancel ALL trade agreements and drop out of the UN and WTO.
Labor costs were the key reason when textile leaders betrayed their homeland, and they are one of the factors in the evolution of auto manufacturing. And these cost savings aren't passed on to the consumer. What's the average wage in a Ford factory in Mexico? Not reflected in the vehicle price, but maybe in exec rewards.
I agree with the rest of it. Even if some get upset when anyone talks about any kind of conspiracy...the same forces control both parties, and it is proven by the issues seen in the past 30 years no matter who is in office. I often doubt any real wealth has technically been created for some time - it is just being moved around, from many to a few. Free trade isn't fair trade, we're in Romney's trade surrender - but he's just as part of the problem as anyone.
The City Council voted Monday to delay the vote until Wednesday to avoid mediation and head straight to federal bankruptcy. The council previously had voted to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, but Monday night members expressed a desire for more time to look over financial information and talk to constituents.
CBS2 reporter Jeff Nguyen reports the City of San Bernardino can no longer pay for anything on credit, such as gasoline for its fleet of garbage pick-up trucks. As a result, taxpayers may be left holding the bag for taking away their trash promptly as early as Wednesday.
“The trash and the streets are not going to be swept,” warned city sanitation worker Jerry Zuniga. “You leave the trash there for too long, it’s going to be health issue.”
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/07/17/trash-collection-expected-to-drop-duri- ng-san-bernardino-fiscal-crisis/
That might end up having some unintended consequences. Where I live, the trash collection is a separate line item on our property tax bill, to the tune of $314.10 per year, per single family dwelling. If they suddenly stopped trash service, I wonder if they'd be obligated to refund that amount, since it's broken out separately?
My guess is, they'd find some rationale for not refunding it, for a service not rendered. Would probably miff off some people, and I'm sure the wealthier and more resourceful would find a way to sue the county over it.
But worse, trash trucks or no, that trash MUST be taken away. There's a local park two doors down from my house, and I have a feeling that a LOT of trash would end up down there. So, one way or another, the county would still have to remove it. Either house by house, or a bulk cleanup at that park.
Fortunately, I'm in a somewhat rural area, although right across the street from that park is a community of 67 or so houses. But, in a higher density area, I'd imagine lack of trash pickup would create a nightmare!
But auto workers are going off strike in Ohio. Didn't even know they were on strike.
Ratified contract will keep jobs here (springfieldnewssun.com)
Not sure why the UAW represents this group:
Auto union eyes Conn. Mohegan Sun casino workers (sfgate.com)
Perhaps in their desperation to stem the tide of decline, they'll accept pretty much anybody who wants to unionize with them?
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The UAW represents workers at 13 casinos, 120 health care facilities, 40K university employees and even independent writers in addition to the traditional auto, farm implement and truck workers.
False advertising - they should change their name.
Clash at an Auto Plant In India Turns Deadly (New York Times)
The Justice Department spent millions of dollars on what is considered to be the largest human trafficking case in the US, only to dismiss it on the grounds that the government would be unable to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
Federal prosecutors dropped the human trafficking case against the owner of a labor contracting company accused of exploiting hundreds of Thai farm workers.
Eight executives and business associates from the company, three of which pled guilty, were accused of misusing 600 Thai workers that were placed in farms throughout the US. Among the accused was the CEO of the company, Mordechai Orian.
In a press release on its website, the EEOC said workers were crammed into rooms in large numbers, in houses that were infested with rats and insects. Many did not have beds to sleep in, water to drink or enough food to eat.
“In some cases, bodyguards were stationed around the farms so they could not escape,” said EEOC attorney Anna Y. Park.
Even the company’s attorney sounded surprised by what he calls a “moral victory.”
“To dismiss a case with no intention of bringing it back as a new indictment is very unusual,” he said. “You never see the government just walk away from a case that they spent millions of dollars on.”
While details about the dismissal are unknown, the criminal charges are being dropped before more than 50 farm workers were given the chance to testify in court.
http://rt.com/usa/news/us-drops-biggest-human-trafficking-case-771/
Hyundai Motor labor union resumes strike (Detroit News)
While a number of factors have led to Canada’s steady decline as an automaker, the new contracts for the C.A.W. workers will probably play a critical role in determining Detroit’s future investment plans in the country.
Looming over the negotiations is the union’s defeat earlier this year at Caterpillar’s locomotive factory in London, Ontario, once owned by General Motors. Caterpillar closed the factory after members rejected the company’s demands for sweeping concessions and went on strike. The factory’s production was moved to nonunion plants in the United States and South America.
Toyota and Honda, which are not unionized, together account for about 40 percent of Canadian auto production."
Canadian Dollar’s Strength a Factor in Autoworkers’ Talks (New York Times)
Washington -The Treasury Department says in a new report the government expects to lose more than $25 billion on the $85 billion auto bailout. That's 15 percent higher than its previous forecast.
In a monthly report sent to Congress on Friday, the Obama administration boosted its forecast of expected losses by more than $3.3 billion to almost $25.1 billion, up from $21.7 billion in the last quarterly update.
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120813/AUTO01/208130392
Not more than some of us thought. Best to cut losses and run for the door. Of course that wouldn't look good for the administration, so let's stay on the sinking ship!
But think of how much financial and feet-on-the-ground campaign support those UAW workers can provide. Of course, there a many in Western Ohio who aren't that happy with the bailout not helping keep their retirements from Delphi and the IUE union workers. They probably don't care about GM any more.
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