Change takes time
Every supporter of the Buy American Made Campaign has seen that more people are checking labels to see where products are made and it has been a real eye-opening experience.
When I’m out shopping, I ask store workers to direct me to the American-made items they have available for the product I am looking for. I also ask them if their distributors are offering them a larger selection of American-made items than they did in the past. From what we all see, and from what we hear from consumers, the majority of food items are made in the United States, but when it comes to clothing, shoes, electronics, furniture and hundreds of others, foreign-made products still dominate America’s stores. However, store managers are telling our supporters that they see more American-made products on their available merchandise sales lists, which are helping them to secure more American-made items for their stores.
Store personnel also report that because America’s consumers are more vocal about requesting American-made items and because consumers are being more selective with what they buy, change is happening. The key is to have more American-based companies make more competitive products so the selections of American made can continue to grow.
What people are clearly seeing is that outsourcing industries and jobs around the world went on for too many years and it took away the ability for workers to support themselves. Now it’s up to America’s consumers to change the balance of what they decide to purchase, which will benefit all Americans in the future. Quite frankly, there is no reason why the majority of items we use in our daily lives can’t be made in America again.
Thanks for your participation. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome. Email them to [email protected].
Michael Blichasz
Torresdale
Pass the Beagle Bill
A bill that will improve the lives of countless animals in Pennsylvania laboratories is currently making its way through the state Senate. The Beagle Bill (SB 381) offers important protections for dogs and cats, including the opportunity for adoption after testing ends, and requires publicly funded institutions to disclose how taxpayer dollars are used to support animal experiments. It also ensures that companies producing drugs, pesticides and industrial chemicals are using modern non-animal test methods, rather than conducting unnecessary animal tests. Despite extensive animal testing, 90% of drugs ultimately fail in human clinical trials. In contrast, non-animal methods based on human biology offer significantly more accurate results. Passage of this bipartisan legislation will position Pennsylvania as a leader in biotechnology by moving away from outdated animal tests and toward more reliable non-animal technologies, which will ultimately lead to better treatments for people. As director of animal research and testing at Humane World for Animals, I encourage my neighbors to join me in asking their legislators to support the Beagle Bill at www.humaneworld.org/PAAnimalTesting.
Vicki Katrinak
Bustleton
The hate America crowd
American liberal Democrats are the greatest threat to our nation. It is not China, Russia, North Korea or anyone else. The leadership of this party truly has intentions to destroy our nation and replace it with some form of socialism or, worse, communism. President Trump exposes their corruption daily. He forces these ideologues to admit they support illegal immigration, crime-ridden streets, drugs in our neighborhoods and now flag burning. They are always on the wrong side of every issue. Today’s Dems are spoiled, self absorbed, incompetent and lazy. Nothing like Bill, Hillary and the rest of that swamp who could actually lie effectively. Please support Trump to rid our municipalities of these weak-minded greedy people who use us and hate America.
Steve Madden
Mayfair
SEPTA’s Krasner Tax
I have read a lot about SEPTA’s transit woes and all the money the Authority is asking from the state — that is, the taxpayers.
I think SEPTA has been poorly managed, but one of the main deficit issues is largely out of the hands of SEPTA.
I have heard next to nothing from our wimpy politicians about what one might call the “Krasner Tax.”
Back in March, CBS local news did a story on people who refuse to pay their fares. One bus driver said that more than half of her riders do not pay. (Story is still on YouTube.)
I believe a recent KYW news radio story estimated about 40% of total riders refuse to pay.
I tried researching this issue, but SEPTA does not provide much information except to say that they lose over $50 million a year from rider theft. That would fill a lot of budget holes.
Our DA, Larry Krasner, is famous for not punishing smaller crimes such as retail theft. Fare refusal is retail theft. Maybe people jump the turnstiles because they have no fear of consequences.
I do not want to pay another penny to support SEPTA until the fare theft problem is under control, and we see how big the real SEPTA deficit is. We shouldn’t have to pay a SEPTA “Krasner Tax.”
Richard Iaconelli
Rhawnhurst
