Senator hits 'made in China' US presidents

[ProSense]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON (AFP) – With Chinese President Hu Jintao on a state visit to Washington, a US senator expressed disbelief Wednesday that a major museum in the US capital sells only "crafted in China" busts of US presidents.

"That is pretty pathetic! I was not aware that the collapse of our manufacturing base had gone that far," Independent Senator Bernie Sanders said in a letter to the director of the National Museum of American History.

Sanders's office released photographs of bronze-colored busts of the first US president, George Washington, as well as his current successor, Barack Obama, labeled "crafted in China."

The lawmaker urged the museum to stock its shelves with US-made goods, while noting that the museum's purchase of Chinese goods "will not have a profound impact upon our massive trade deficit -- currently at 457 billion dollars."



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110119/pl_afp/uschinadiplomacysandersoffbeat_20110119205700

[DCKit]

1. "...not have a profound impact upon our massive trade deficit.."

Death by a thousand cuts. It's cumulative, Bernie.

Every little bit helps. Besides, they're probably toxic, or flammable. And I'm pretty sure W, with his tiny head, is a choking hazard.

[Kennah]

2. To save money on labeling ...

... we should only label those products which are "Not Made In China".

[bongbong]

3. Shrub statues

On the bottom of every bust of shrub, there is a microscopic inscription in Mandarin. It reads,

"Thanks for delivering the US economy to us, George!"

[Mimosa]

6. George H.W. Bush & pals started the job shift, but Clinton was a good friend to China

Clinton signed WTO, didn't he? I recall manufacturing plants in rural and urban areas beginning to close ominously during the 1980s, but during the Clinton administration manufacturing jobs left the United States in huge numbers. Jobs making tools, textiles, blue jeans, bathing suits, ceramics, brake pads, you name it, made sure there was always some respectable jobs for younger workers.

Then in the 1980s and 1990s, the jobs disappeared, leaving despair and fast food or Wal-Mart type jobs in their wake. President Clinton did not look out for American workers. He had some strong ties with China.

Here's a link with some illuminating stats about job losses during 2001 and beyond:

http://www.epi.org/publications/entry/bp219/

[bongbong]

15. Yes

As many, many people have observed, the last Democratic president was Kennedy. Carter tried, but he had no power base in DC so he had to appoint & let DC insiders like Brzezinski run things. DC insiders vary between right-wing, far-right-wing, and despot.

[Atman]

4. This kind of stuff is pervasive, and sad

When we were AZ a few years ago, we stopped at a big Navajo reservation. Touristy place on the way out of the desert back to Sedona. An old Navajo woman was stocking shelves with "Genuine Navajo Dolls" from a big cardboard box labeled "Made In China." Oh, they did have GENUINE genuine Navajo dolls, for about much more money...but what's the point of buying a "genuine" Native American souvenir that is made by Chinese prison labor? I don't get it. Nor do I get buying a Chinese-made bust of a U.S. President.

[yourout]

5. Seems appropriate considering they seem to own our Presidents.

[radhika]

7. Lets issue a challenge to the Senate & House

Go one full month purchasing only things Made in America. Ask Congressional families (or whoever does shopping for the household) and office staff to do that also. Compare notes at the end of the month. See how much luck they have...

I tried this a few years back and couldn't even find a decent pair of clogs for work that were fully made in USA. I checked all tags and boxes. My personal favorite was a pair of shoes that was designed in Italy; uppers were made in Czech Republic 3) soles and assembly in China. Then these world travelers were shipped to Los Angeles to be sold in a Discount Store for $40.00. I should get to travel that much.

[Plucketeer]

9. Making them revert to a...

stone-age existence seems somehow appropriate! :crazy:





Mr. Boehner - how's a kid supposed
to support his family like this???

[madrchsod]

8. 20 yrs ago my mom found one item at the statue of liberty....

that was made in the usa.

i went to the museum a few months ago and yup, there`s a lot of chinese stuff. but there is usa made stuff too.

[sarcasmo]

14. You did better than me I couldn't find anything made here in that gift shop.

Maybe I gave up to fast.

[Nihil]

10. Oh dear ...

For a moment then, I thought a politician had actually dared to
say out loud what a lot of people have thought for years ...
but then I read that it was just about the tourist trash busts
rather than the badly manufactured and unsafe series of actual
presidents that you've had over the last few decades ...

:hide:

[No Elephants]

11. Good for Bernie, for putting a spotlight on this issue!

[4_TN_TITANS]

12. "I was not aware that the collapse of our manufacturing base had gone that far"

WTF??? Bernie is one of the better, if not the best, in the Senate, but NONE of these guys get out there and see what we see. Was anyone else here as shocked?

[sarcasmo]

13. It was the same thing at the statue of liberty museum all was made in China.

I bought a postcard which was made in Canada. My FDNY hat from the ground zero museum, made in China. Sad times we live in, sad times indeed.

[KurtNYC]

16. nice admission of ignorance

"collapse of manufacturing" or is it really the result of relentless union busting. (no pun)