Made In China

The bi-partisan flap over the American Olympic uniforms is both amusing and pathetic.

In case you’ve been on vacation and righteously away from TV news and internet exposure, it appears the uniforms that the American Olympic team will wear to the opening and closing ceremonies were manufactured in……OMG…..China!!!

The Ralph Lauren company apparently won the bid from the U.S. Olympic Committee to provide the threads for our team.

You are no doubt aware of the Polo brand----mostly from the snooty ads of spoiled blue-bloods posing in their Polo gear on the decks of their sailboats or on the grounds of their summer homes in the Hamptons. Don’t count on any of the Polo models to be actually SMILING in these ads. No, a smug “I deserve to be in the one percent” smirk  is all you’ll get.

Since the bombshell information on uniforms took Capitol Hill by storm, there have been few smiles from either Democrats or Republicans too, some even going so far as to say we ought to BURN the uniforms and start from scratch.

Please.

Is the news re: the uniforms slightly embarrassing? Yes.

Does it matter in the least? No.

With Congress facing incredibly important issues, it is absurd that the only consensus we can get in this election year is over such a non-starter of zero consequence. Republicans blame President Obama for making it hard for businesses to make things in the good ‘ol USA. Democrats use the issue to blame Republican-backed fat cats for shipping jobs overseas.

Here’s my question:

If it is UNPATRIOTIC to wear uniforms manufactured in another country, is it somehow OK for the US Team to use ANYTHING produced overseas?

With no specific knowledge to rely on, my bet is that it’s highly likely that MUCH of the gear that the U.S. Team is travelling with is made elsewhere. From the soccer balls to the athletic shoes to the spandex suits to you-name-it, a moratorium on imported goods would likely leave our athletes arriving in London nearly naked and without equipment.

But at least they would be patriotic.

And while we’re condemning the U.S. Olympic Committee for this HORRENDOUS error, let’s take inventory of the personal possessions of those who are criticizing, namely the vaulted United States Senators and Congressmen and women who are quick to point the finger.

Again, without benefit of any specific knowledge, I’d bet my last dime that 100% of Congress owns and wears many items produced in other countries. If any of them own an iPhone, an iPod or iPad, they are using devices assembled in China. Horrors!

Can you BELIEVE that a UNITED STATES ELECTED OFFICIAL would betray their country by financially supporting a foreign one?

Enough!

We are living in a GLOBAL ECONOMY. Your Dell laptop is comprised of hundreds of parts either manufactured or assembled in a dozen countries. Get over it.

Jobs disappearing overseas and a shrinking U.S. manufacturing base are real issues that need to be addressed. We need healthy debate on this problem.

What we don’t need are hypocrite politicians posing as patriots.

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