Who's on first?

By Dave Helisek
Special Writer

I get so tired of trying to figure out who is on the American manufacturing workers side. In the June 17 edition of the Detroit News, the chief executive of UPS is quoted as saying, "’Buy American’ gave a lousy message to the rest of the world. If other countries decide they want to do this, they can use this as an excuse."
Mr. (Scott) Davis, the chief executive of UPS, is talking about the provision in the stimulus package that urges/mandates “Buy American” features in the program.
In the same days’ newspaper, there is also an article about Republican senators not in favor of the “Cash for Clunkers” provision in another bill that is to help jumpstart the car industry. They say the government has done enough for the car companies.
I've also held onto a clipping from the Feb. 13 Detroit News in which the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ripped the “Buy American” provision of the stimulus bill.
Now, I read the news today but I also needed to do some shopping, so I went to Adrian and bought some clothes. I read the labels when I got home and started thinking about this article. My new shorts were made in Bangladesh. I bought three shirts; one was made in India, one in Pakistan, and one in Vietnam. My new pair of Levi's jeans was made in Lesotho.
When companies say we have to compete in the global market, I really wonder if the CEOs will accept the compensation that CEOs get in Lesotho or Bangladesh. Or do they just mean that workers wages have to compete? I also get completely mystified at the good patriotic wing of the Republican Party when we as Americans are urged to be more like the Chinese or Vietnamese. Aren't they Communist, or is Communism just good for wages but bad for CEO pay? You tell me.
I think that the day of American business making products for the United States and the world is over.
The business of American business is now strictly to sell imports to Americans.
I view the business of manufacturing like this: You have raw materials, you have a manufacturer, you transport your goods to the retailer and the retailer sells the end product. We have now all but eliminated the first two steps of this process in America and these were the steps where the middle class was created.
The “Buy American” language in the stimulus bill just covered the stimulus bill, not any other law or treaty or right of any other business. If we're going to spend a trillion dollars, yours and my tax dollars, to help America, why should those dollars in this single bill go to China or Brazil or Lesotho?
I'll bet that all the other countries in the world are laughing at us for even having this argument. Or, they are licking their own chops waiting for our tax dollars to help their economy.
Dave Helisek is a resident of Manchester and regular contributing columnist for the Manchester Enterprise.