FTC: Made In The USA Comments Concerning Mary Ellen Clark--P894219 TO: THE HONORABLE ROBERT PITOFSKY AS AN EMPLOYEE OF NEW BALANCE AND A CONCERNED U.S. CITIZEN, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY OPINION ON THE PROPOSAL FOR THE "MADE IN USA" GUIDELINES. I BELIEVE THAT 75% CONTENT IS MUCH MORE REALISTIC THAN THE CURRENT 100% GUIDELINES, THOUGH I FEEL IT COULD BE REASONABLY LESS THAN THAT. HOW MANY PRODUCTS ARE TRULY 100% AMERICAN MADE? I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY NOT AS MANY AS MOST PEOPLE MAY THINK. THOUGH A LOT OF PRODUCTS MAY NOT CARRY THE ACTUAL LABEL, THE PUBLIC IS LEAD TO BELIEVE THAT MANY OF OUR NATIONS PRODUCTS ARE MADE IN THE U.S.. FOR EXAMPLE, MOST PEOPLE ARE UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT GM VEHICLES ARE MANUFACTURED IN THE U.S, WHEN IN FACT, MANY OF THEM ARE MANUFACTURED IN CANADA! THE SO CALLED ALL AMERICAN HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE BEARS FORGED STEEL, YET TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE ARE NO FORGERIES IN THE U.S.. YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, MANY AMERICAN MADE VEHICLES HAVE FOREIGN ENGINES AND DRIVABILITY COMPONENTS. THESE ALL SEEM TO BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED. SO, WHY THEN IS ANY OTHER FOREIGN MATERIAL FORMED INTO A PRODUCT BY THE HANDS OF U.S. CITIZENS NOT CONSIDERED "MADE IN USA"? THE UNITED STATES SEEMS TO HAVE TAKEN A BACK SEAT IN ITS RECOGNITION TO "SPARE THE FEELINGS" OF OTHER NATIONS. AS A PROUD, HARD WORKING AMERICAN CITIZEN AND EMPLOYEE OF NEW BALANCE ATHLETIC SHOE, I URGE YOU TO STRONGLY CONSIDER THE NEW PROPOSAL. FOR THE SAKE OF JOB SECURITITIES AND THE EVERCHANGING TECHNOLOGY, I FEEL IT IS THE ONLY WAY WE (AS A NATION) WILL EVER HAVE MORE THAN ONE OR TWO OF THESE LABELS ON OUR SHELVES. WE DESERVE RECOGNITION! THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. Lynn M. Bolduc |