Congressional “duh” moment
Jerry920 sends us a link to CBS News wherein they report that Congress passed a new law that requires the US military to only use US-made flags;
“I thought it was appalling our Department of Defense would have flags made in other countries,” [Congressman Mike Thompson, author of the bill] said. “But it’s also important because we need to be making more in America.”
While the military flag rule passed, a similar bill requiring all government-purchased flags be made in the U.S. has repeatedly failed. The change isn’t cheap. Chinese-made flags cost significantly less than all-American ones.
The new requirements apply the existing Berry Amendment passed in 1941 to flags. That amendment bans the Defense Department from buying food, clothing, military uniforms, fabrics, stainless steel, and hand or measuring tools that are not grown or produced in the United States, except in rare exceptions.
After 9-11, our building manager handed out little flag pins that we could wear to show our patriotism in those uncertain days, but the little baggie it came in was stamped “Made in China”, so I refused to wear it, to the chagrin of my office mates. So, I don’t understand why the Pentagon needed to be told to buy American in the case of our flags. But, I guess they’ll save money wherever it doesn’t affect them personally.
Category: Big Army
In a nutshell, that is why our econmy is a mess and we will lose the next major war we get into due to lack of manufacturing capacity. The mantra has been “get it cheaper”
for the last century, and has progressed to where the American public doesn’t care if it hurts us as long as we get our toys and doo-dads cheaper regardless of origin. In the process we have forced our manufacturing to constantly shift to lower cost zones, even if those zones are in potential enemy’s territory. We have encouraged other’s capacities to rise as we have driven ours into the ground to save a few bucks…. like Pogo said, we have met the enemy and he is us.
I have a question and it really bothers me to even think of it. I wonder if any of the folded flags presented to the loved ones of a fallen service persons…were made in China? I sure, sure hope not.
@1 David, thank you and well said.
@1 I would add that profit margin is also in the mix somewhere.
Is this anything like the embroidered “made in china” inside the early berets?
Sorry guys, “Buy American” sounds good, but the reality is that buying cheap is the better economic practice and most economists agree. It’s one of those basic economic principles that most people don’t understand because it’s not intuitive.
“We should buy things where they’re cheapest. That frees up more of our resources to buy other things, and other Americans get jobs producing those things.”
John Stossel explains it better than I can:
http://www.creators.com/opinion/john-stossel/the-stupidity-of-quot-buy-american-quot.html
The Federal government is wasteful enough without paying more for products when they don’t have to. It’s OUR money afterall. However, when it comes to things like parts for jets where sabotage or spying could be an issue, buying from a trusted source is the better option.
@6 Common Sense… I don’t know who to credit, but the axiom “if common sense were common, we wouldn’t have to talk about it” comes to mind. I intend no offense, but there is no fucking way I am buying a flag to fly outside my house or place of business that is made anywhere outside these borders. Not gonna happen.
But then, I’m no economist.
I don’t know why there would be any question. Some things made in America are actually less expensive than those made overseas.
I checked the country of origin on my flag before I bought it.
@6 – I think the missing element is, appropriately, common sense. We long since passed the point of buying what it makes sense to make cheaply, and insist that EVERYTHING, no matter how complex, cutting edge, or even strategic, has to be built elsewhere and imported. Some things NEEd to be built domestically. We could buy nothing but Tulammo for the military and it would be really a lot cheaper than that nasty ol’ Lake City stuff we buy now – but who wants Russia to be our ammo supplier? How is passing our entire electronics infrastructure to China any more sensible?
God help us when ut comes to making large numbers of ships. it if wasnt for the Jones act 0f 1928 there would probably be zero civilian tankers or transport ships made in the US, As it is the companies that do make these get as many prefabricated parts and modules as they can from overseas.
Im kind of with Common Sense. If the bank is almost empty, it makes sense to save money where you can. I think where people are misled, is that they believe the price difference is a few pennies between an imported and domestic product. I’ve seen where the minute it says something HAS to be made in America, the one or two guys that make it here still, use that as an excuse to charge whatever the hell they want, since the contract is very specific in what they want. Yes, I want to see manufacturing brought back to the US, I manufacture the pallets and crates they ship what we make, on for crying out loud, but I can understand how a world economy works too.
When I hit 20 years with the Guvmint they gave me a pin. The pin was made in China. I threw it away.
9 years ago my daughter went to Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego for a friend who was graduating Boot Camp.
Myself being a Marine Veteran of Vietnam, she was thoughtful and purchased a Marine Vietnam Veteran baseball cap for me while on base.
She brought it back to me, the cap was clearly and boldly marked “Made in Vietnam”.
I was disheartened. What was the USMC thinking by selling this on base? I’ve never worn it, never will.
I still have the cap only to remind me that my daughter was thoughtful enough to honor me.
The reason Congress is passing the law on mags is the Troops were buying P-mags instead of getting the Mil- issured Mags. The commerical Mags were failing to feed like the Mil-Mags. A Ammerican supplier was not making money with his inferior Mags. Joe