I did not buy any toys for the many children in my life this year. Admittedly, money was very tight after the economy collapsed from eight years of Republican mismanagement. However, the main reason I did the scrooge thing this Christmas is that I simply refused to buy Chinese made toys for the American children I love so dearly.

The American children I love so dearly need to inherit, from all of us, a nation with a strong manufacturing base. These children need to grow up in an economy that will pay good wages to all our citizens and that actually makes things. Buying cheap junk made in third world nations for Christmas presents is not doing these children any favors.

I cannot understand why no American toy companies are making toys in America. Obviously, the greed of the corporations and American governmental trade policy has combined to destroy toy manufacturing in this nation. If both our corporate leaders and government officials cannot change their behaviors and start making toys in America, we should boycott completely imported toys and change our elected leaders at the first opportunity.

Making toys in low wage nations does fatten the bottom line of corporations at the expense of the future of the American economy. It helps pay the outrageously bloated salaries of corporate CEO’s but actually does little to reduce the cost to consumers. It often means shoddy and unsafe toys are being given to our children. The corporate CEO’s need to curb their greed and start thinking about the future of the American economy!

One of the first things we can do, starting right after the beginning of the New Year, is to visit as many retail stores as possible and file written complaints about the non-availability of American-made toys this past Christmas. Every Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target and toy store in America should be getting hundreds or thousands of complaints from patriotic Americans. We owe it to our children to demand that the toys that we buy for them actually contribute to a better future for them when they become working adults.

Imported toys do not contribute to a better future for today’s children. They do not contribute tax revenues to provide healthcare and better schools in the way American-made toys do. They do not provide decent paying jobs for their parents in the way American-made toys do. They are certainly not as safe as American-made toys.

American-made toys help pay the national debt and reduce the trade imbalance with foreign nations by reducing imports. American-made products help build the American economy. They help pay for our police forces, emergency services and military.

Retailers who do not sell American-made toys should be boycotted. Toy companies who do not manufacture toys in America should be boycotted. Toy imports should be taxed heavily. Imported, cheaply-made, often unsafe toys are not in the national interest. Our governmental policies should reflect clearly that reality.

Toy companies need to hear from consumers that Americans want to buy toys made in America. I urge consumer groups, labor unions, church groups, political activists and patriotic individuals to organize efforts to get this message to the toy companies. Our political leaders need to hear the same message.

We can all circulate petitions at work and in our communities. We can all write members of Congress and President Obama. We can write our local newspapers, blog on the Internet and call radio stations. A little picketing of toy stores, Wal-Marts, corporate headquarters of toy companies and Congressional field offices might help us deliver the message that American-made toys are one of the many changes we need to make in the American economy.

I will certainly be talking about this subject on my Democratic Talk Radio program in 2009. I hope other patriotic talk radio hosts regardless of ideology will join in these efforts along with writers and grassroots political activists. We owe it to the children of America.

Greedy, unpatriotic corporations should not be forcing me or you to choose between disappointing the children we love or being unpatriotic consumers mortgaging the economic future of those same children. We are willing to buy American.

The challenge to Wall Street and corporate America is simply stated, “Are you willing to manufacture and sell us the American-made products we want to buy?” Those companies smart enough to accept the challenge will certainly have a ready and willing market of patriotic Americans who love our children.

Written by Stephen Crockett (Host of Democratic Talk Radio http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com and Editor of Mid-Atlantic Labor.com http://www.midatlanticlabor.com) . Mail: 698 Old Baltimore Pike, Newark, Delaware 19702. Phone: 443-907-2367.

Feel free to publish or reproduce without prior approval.

In response to my column, Buying American-made Toys, I was sent this link. Democrats, progressives, patriots and labor leaders need to add this link to all our websites and newsletters.

DEB KOZIKOWSKI provided the link. Here is some information from the Rural Votes.com website about her:

“A former elementary educator, Deb serves as CAP Chair for the National Writers Union, United Auto Workers, Local 1981. She has broad background as a business and technical writer and small business consultant as well as a long career in real estate. In 2004 she served as liaison between the Kerry Campaign and Rural Leaders for Kerry and was a co-founder of the DNC’s Rural Working Group. A lifelong resident of western Massachusetts, Deb currently serves as Vice Chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party and is a member of the Executive Board of the Association of State Democratic Chairs.”

Kind Regards,
Kimberly Puopolo-Larcom
Entrepreneur for Astrosportswear

Here’s one of the results you’ll find:
http://www.eadlighting.com/twinkling_lights_clear_indoor.asp

Get educated on RoHS directive, google “RoHS wikipedia”

Very Happy Holidays!

http://www.uschristmastree.com/main.sc

Please send me an email telling me if you could read this, because when I press “submit comment” I only get “discarded”
teslajovovich@yahoo.com

I am wondering if you would consider adding my website to your site.

I manufacture and sell gymnastics leotards at very reasonable prices.

My website is: Gym Brat Leotards

http://www.gymbratleotards.com/

Thank you,

Kim Murphy
Gym Brat Leotards

I am Mary, web person for FindUSMade.com. We are a consumer built resource for Made in the USA products.

We have 25 categorized departments listing thousands of sources. We also list 12 online malls as well as state malls, manufacturers, retailers & directories with exclusively US made inventory.

Our newest tool for consumers is a dynamic search of the prime locations from across the Internet with exclusively US made products. It is virtually 100% free of imported goods.

We agree with you that shoppers should easily be able to find Made in the USA products and we’re working hard to create that ease. Most people would be surprised to discover what awaits them in the American made marketplace. Please visit us and see what American manufacturers have to offer.

Kind Regards,

Mary

Here’s a quote from an article printed in The Columbus Dispatch:

“The source of it’s merchandise is what really distinguishes American Apparel from other retailers. While most companies import virtually all of their garments from abroad, everything sold by American Apparel is designed and made in Los Angeles of fabric its 3,200 workers knit and dye. The company also operates all its stores. ”

Here’s a quote from a recent press release:

“American Apparel Expands To China:

…and other items soon to be sold to Chinese youth will continue to be manufactured at the company’s downtown L.A. headquarters—a stark contrast from the current trans-Pacific apparel trade flow…”

I’m not going to comment about their various activist activities. At this point in American history, and the history of outsourcing… I’m just going to not read it.

http://www.americanapparel.net/

When I decided to switch their food during the big Chinese melimene crisis, I did a lot of research, and found that I liked not only their sources, but their nutrition.

Here’s an excerpt from a letter I sent them and their reply:

“Q:So, just out of curiosity — what percentage of your ingredients come from China… or do you know?

A: Canine Caviar’s specs call for all American grown products, with the exception of the Lamb and Venison which comes from New Zealand as they are certified “scrappie free”.”

I’m not sure this qualifies for your list quite, but it’s close, and I’m very happy with the food.

http://www.CanineCaviar.com