FTC: Made In The USA Comments Concerning Donald Newton--P894219 To whom it may concern at the FTC; Anyone wishing to lower the content requirements for "Made In America" guidelines should leave America immediately! Where is your pride??? My spouse and I try very hard to purchase products manufactured or produced in America by our fellow citizens. Stimulating the economy here in America where we live and work is very important to us! Shopping for American made products allows us to share our very good standard of living with other Americans. Hell, it's the patriotic thing to do! However, it is very difficult or nearly impossible to locate American made products. During the last 15 to 20 years, millions of American jobs and products have been shipped overseas in the interest of making the rich richer. Globalization of the economy is merely an excuse to drive down the cost of labor which reduces the American standard of living. It is no coincident that American families must employ both spouses to enjoy a family income similar to that of a one wage-earner family of 20 years ago. Politicians wrap themselves in the American flag during election campaigns. They routinely raise issues about reciting the pledge of allegiance in school. They promote legislation forbidding the burning of the American flag. However, back at the office they are catering to every money-waving lobbyist bent on exporting jobs and importing products produced with cheap labor. Their justification is always the same. Such goods lower consumer prices and create a lower cost of living. This is not necessarily true but it sounds good. Have you people at the FTC priced a pair of Nike shoes lately??? The truth is that products made with cheaper foreign labor translate into pressure to lower American wages and yes -- the standard of living of American citizens! The corporate greed and Wall Street mentality are unchallenged by legitimate debate because of "economic" censorship in all forms of media. The newspapers, magazines and Television networks are concealing the truth to protect their valuable advertisement revenues. Democracy has long feared censorship by the government. In this day and age, when American-based corporations refuse to pledge allegiance to the American flag, the real threat to free speech, patriotism and democracy itself is -- corporate greed and Wall Street. There will be no public debate on your content guideline proposals. You will eventually respond to corporate greed and pressure and do their bidding. You will make it easier for my family to find and purchase American made goods. The shame is that the label will represent a lie! Patriotically Yours; Donald NewtonDonald Newton Donald & Patricia K Newton |