This was emailed to me and I thought it was worth posting:
We've all seen the emails about not buying gas on certain days or from certain retailers & we all know they don't really work for whatever reasons.
I think this boycott could actually work.
Subject: China imports
Do you want to send a message to China ?
Are we Americans as dumb as we appear or is it that we just do not think? While the Chinese, knowingly and intentionally, export inferior products and dangerous toys and goods to be sold in American markets, the media wrings its hands and criticizes the Bush Administration for perceived errors.
70% of Americans believe that the trading privileges afforded to the Chinese should be suspended.
Well, duh..why do you need the government to suspend trading privileges?
DO IT YOURSELF!! Simply look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says 'Made in China ' or 'PRC' (and that now includes Hong Kong ), simply choose another product or none at all. You will be amazed at how dependent you are on Chinese products, however you will be equally amazed at what you can do without. Who needs plastic eggs to celebrate Easter?
If you must have eggs, use real ones and benefit some American farmer. Easter is just an example, the point is.. do not wait for the government to act.
Just go ahead and assume control on your own.
If 200 million Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese goods, that's a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our favor...fast!!
The downside? Some American businesses will feel a temporary pinch from having foreign stockpiles of inventory. ** Downside ??
The solution ?
Let's give them fair warning and send our own message. We will not implement this UNTIL June 4, and we will only continue it until July 4. That is only one month of trading losses, but it will hit the Chinese for 1/12th of the total, or 8%, of their American exports. Then they will at least have to ask themselves if the benefits of their arrogance and lawlessness were worth it.
Remember, June 4 to July 4.
Send this to everybody you know. Show them we are Americans and NOBODY can take us for granted.
If we can't live without cheap Chinese goods for one month out of our lives, WE DESERVE WHAT WE GET!
We can't drive our cars for that month, because most car manufacturers are purchasing their steel from China. It's cheaper! The sad fact is, China makes the middle class wealthier.
"Broad-minded is just another way of saying a fellow is too lazy to form an opinion."-Will Rogers-
Fact is, many people are already TRYING to do this, and the key word is trying, as it's almost impossible. I try to look at everthing I buy, especially looking for the "Made in the U.S.A." signature, which is harder and harder to find.
I agree Kevin, it's almost impossible to find anything to buy that doesn't say made in China, India, Korea, or Taiwan as most of the factories that used to make our clothing and shoes have moved their operations overseas for cheap labor.
Caught this in the on line version of the gazette while looking for something else
Quoted Text
Online Letters to the Editor for May 17 Saturday, May 17, 2008
Text Size: A | A | A Instead of stimulus checks, encourage more ‘Made in USA’ goods We just passed the 2008 Tax Freedom Day [April 23]. Surely it moves to a later date with each passing year. Guess we are getting a few extra freedom days this year, thanks to the government stimulus checks.
How can they be called government stimulus checks when the money is not the government’s, but our own hard-earned money. I’m not complaining about getting more of my own money, but there are far better ways to stimulate the economy, are there not? Wouldn’t a better stimulus plan be one in which manufacturers would bring production jobs back to the United States?
Wouldn’t a better stimulus plan also be one in which retailers would reduce the selling of foreign-made goods by putting “Made in USA” goods on their shelves? Perhaps our government needs to have policies to highly tax the imported goods (previously made in the United States).
Unfortunately, we also need to put much of the blame on ourselves, because as consumers, we are failing to seek out and buy things that are “Made in USA?” We all complain to our government that we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. When will we all take the initiative ourselves to reduce our own dependence on foreign-made goods?
Sure, they are cheap, but remember the old saying “you get what you pay for.” We have indeed gotten what we paid for — in more ways than one.
Your idea might raise the awarness that maybe 80% of stuff we buy from Target- Big losts --WM and even--
Even RUDICKS- most if not all of the nice flourescent reflective safety coats wornby the fine City employees are made in CHINA- Maybe they could find a company in New Hampshire that can make the jackets for twice as much $ How much more is the cost of living in New Hampshire than Chine ? @0 or 30 times - Im sure no one would object to paying more.. ( as so many have said ). The solution to this problem will have to come from somebody really smart.
A good Chinese import boycott for a month could put a store out of business- at least on the ropes
Your idea might raise the awarness that maybe 80% of stuff we buy from Target- Big losts --WM and even--
Even RUDICKS- most if not all of the nice flourescent reflective safety coats wornby the fine City employees are made in CHINA- Maybe they could find a company in New Hampshire that can make the jackets for twice as much $ How much more is the cost of living in New Hampshire than Chine ? @0 or 30 times - Im sure no one would object to paying more.. ( as so many have said ). The solution to this problem will have to come from somebody really smart.
A good Chinese import boycott for a month could put a store out of business- at least on the ropes
But maybe the business would then start selling stuff made in the USA and the unemployment rate would go down and we'd all be better off.
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