The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: Timothy on July 12, 2012, 12:30:00 PM
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Never thought I'd agree with anything Harry Reid has to say!
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid slammed the U.S. Olympic Committee Thursday over reports that the Team USA uniforms were made in China, saying officials "should burn" them.
Reid, D-Nev., made the remarks following reports that China has already taken gold from America by manufacturing the uniforms Team USA will wear during the opening ceremonies.
“I think the Olympic Committee should be ashamed,” Reid told reporters on Capitol Hill. He said they should "burn" the current uniforms, and would rather America's athletes wear shirts with "USA" hand-painted on them.
Repeated messages seeking comment from the U.S. Olympic Committee in Colorado were not returned.
With corporate sponsor Ralph Lauren designing the duds, the job of making the red, white and blue uniforms falls to its apparel contractors in China, the New York Daily News reports. Every item in the uniforms that the U.S. athletes will wear at the opening ceremony in London will carry an overseas label.
The company, in a statement, said the outfits aim to embody "the spirit of American athleticism and sportsmanship."
But fashion designer Nanette Lepore said she was shocked that none of the uniforms had been made stateside, telling ABC News that it was “absolutely” possible that the Olympians could have been fitted in U.S.-made clothing for the opening ceremony.
Ralph Lauren also is dressing the Olympic and Paralympic teams for the closing ceremony and is providing casual clothes to be worn around the Olympic Village. Nike, meanwhile, has created many of the competition uniforms for the U.S. and outfits for the medal stand.
Prices for the apparel range from $55 for a beret to $795 for the men’s blazer.
In a statement to ABC News, the U.S. Olympic Committee said it was “proud” of its partnership with the company.
"The U.S. Olympic team is privately funded and we're grateful for the support of our sponsors,” the statement read. “We're proud of our partnership with Ralph Lauren, an iconic American company."
In 2008, Ralph Lauren took criticism for an oversized logo on the opening ceremony uniform that some said overshadowed the Olympic rings, as well as reports that Chinese tailors worked overtime to finish the uniforms at the last minute.
"Lauren — and most likely his son David — celebrated not the spirit of athletic competition, but themselves and their brand, morphing our athletes into unpaid billboards for the "Polo™" pony and rider that has helped bring the Laurens great ... riches," The American Politics Journal wrote.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/07/12/reid-calls-for-officials-to-burn-china-made-team-usa-olympic-uniforms/
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WTF >:(
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The sheeple don't give a damn!
The same people that are screaming that they want more jobs are the same people that flock to purchase Chinese made goods. The same people that say they want decent wages are the same people that are flocking to Walmart and Costco to purchase products from companies that screw the makers - One of our very good venders has contracts with wally world, and the crap he is forced to do to supply them is unbelievable. Walmart and Costco take virtually zero risk in their inventory and sales - It all remains on the back of the supplier.
I market memorial products to funeral homes. You wouldn't believe the number of people that are glad to put a WWII, Korea, or Vietnam vet's flag in a case or display box made in China or some other Asian country. Sure, sometimes it costs more to have made in the USA products, but when you think of the friends, neighbors, and ultimately all tax payers in this country you are helping it is money well spent.
I am currently known in our company for having zero tolerance for any foreign made product being used for U.S. Veterans; I look first to manufacturers within Minnesota; Second I look to manufacturers within other states; and Third I will look to offshore, but I utilize domestic distributors to supply those products to us. My biggest pain right now is a local manufacturer of a product we sell over a million dollars a year. This company also imports the same item from China. Someone in our office keeps diverting our orders from U.S. manufacture to China made. Last week I found a newly delivered lot of this product that was made in China. Our purchaser's next task was to place a replacement order and request a return tag for what he ordered incorrectly.
Our company leaders have taken a stance; I deliver the stance message on a broader scope; I give our sales and customer service teams the tools to share the message; but we can not get our front line and backroom teams to see the value. Anybody out there have a vision for our nation and looking for a job?
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It's not just the sheep! There are several folks on this very forum that don't give a damn either!
http://www.downrange.tv/forum/index.php?topic=16252.msg208814#msg208814
I posted this a while ago with little or no response from our membership!
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Thank you for bumping it up Timothy!
I remember following it, and I was surprised, based off some of the nasty posts on some of my threads, that nobody abused you over it.
If we want the good economic times in this country again we need to support our fellow Americans and their jobs.
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No problem!
I know that it's hard to buy American, sometimes it's impossible on day to day items but we all need to try!
Yesterday, I went to the market and intentionally bought two bars of Dove soap and showed them to my wife and her sister who'd just bought some from the local Wally World. There was a 1 oz smaller bar from WW vs the local market and they were priced nearly the same. I've slowly been moving my wife in the direction of thought that WW cannot lower prices without reducing the quantity, quality or size of the products they offer! They FORCE companies to do their bidding or they will NOT buy their product!
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These uniforms look like Obama himself designed the things..
They make the kids look like young French Socialists from the 50s..
What were these guys thinking at the USOC farming out these uniforms to CHINA?.. I believe I'd check em prior to competing or coming back home. It is China, after all...
What a stupid, bad idea...
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What your all missing is that the U.S. Olympic organization is A PRIVATE organization.
They get to pay for their own uniforms. The get to choose their own designer of the uniform. The get to choose WHO MAKES THEM, and they have said all along that they are proud of the company they are teamed up with in chee-nah' to make them.
We have no dog in this fight - as we (The People) do not pay a penny of funding.
We may give personally but nothing more.
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RTFM...
I'm well aware of those facts but it still doesn't sit well with me! I also don't care much for the big RL logo on the blazers either...YMMV. Regardless of the funding mechanism, they're representing the United States of America!
.02
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Gee, that's funny, when Romney the "outsourcer" ran the Olympics in Salt Lake the US uniforms were made in the US.
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Yet there was no uproar when the Secret Service bought two luxury motorcoaches, FROM A CANADIAN MANUFACTURER, for the dickhead-in-chief to use while campaigning for re-election.
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@ tt11758 - um... that was GM Canadian mfg facility.
No biggie really.
@ Timothy - Yah mate, not saying I don't like it also - and someone needs to be strung up by the short and curly's for such a dumb moves. Unless it was totally intentional... which would not surprise me in the least. Just that we have no dog in the fight.... other than to piss in the wind and say this sucks.
This Sucks!
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This Sucks!
It do suck indeed!
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The sheeple don't give a damn!
Bingo!!!
then again what is not made in China these days.. the list is getting shorter and shorter each year..
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I don't know if it's been posted here yet but the uniforms for 2014 will be made here. http://times247.com/articles/team-usa-s-olympic-uniforms-will-be-made-in-america-in-2014
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That's because Chinese winter wear sucks.
In Korea US Troops froze in their summer weight uniforms.
Chinese troops died in their quilted winter gear.
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I don't know if it's been posted here yet but the uniforms for 2014 will be made here. http://times247.com/articles/team-usa-s-olympic-uniforms-will-be-made-in-america-in-2014
Thanks Jumbo. However, that does not explain ...
1. Why the 2012 uniforms are being made in China;
2. And it only states that the uniforms being worn during the opening and closing ceremonies will be made in the U.S.A. What about everything else they wear as they compete?
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1. Why the 2012 uniforms are being made in China;
Simple.
The Olympics is all about the money. All decision are based on what brings in the most money to the US Olympic Committee (USOC).
The USOC doesn't "buy" the uniforms. They accept the donation of them from the company who is willing to PAY the USOC the most money. The winning "bidder" gets the advertising rights and their logo is seen on all the uniforms.
While the USOC mandates certain things, mainly quantity and schedule, they don't require the uniforms be made in the US. That would drive up the cost to the bidders and lower the money the USOC receives.
Ralph Lauren, in an effort to keep their advertising cost (this is what this is for RL, advertising) down, then seeks the lowest cost method of fulfilling the "order". Hence the Chinese made ones.
Sure RL is willing to go with US made ones for the winter games which aren't as big and don't require as many outfits.
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Never thought I'd agree with anything Harry Reid has to say!
<snip>
Only because the selfish, self-serving, soon-to-be-senile old goat either did not know it was Ralph Lauren or did not know that Lauren was a big Obama & dimocrat supporter. I didn't know about Lauren either....no more Polo for me and when I pass through Dillards and the salesmen asks I'm going to tell him why I keep on walking.
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Another stupid, unconstitutional idea from the dumacratic party.
http://hotair.com/archives/2012/07/13/senate-dems-introducing-the-team-usa-made-in-america-act-of-2012-seriously/
Six U.S. senators put out a statement late Friday detailing the bill, saying it will require the committee to adopt a policy that ensures ceremonial uniforms are “sewn or assembled in the United States.”
“The U.S. Olympic Committee was 100 percent wrong to outsource the manufacturing of U.S. uniforms for the opening ceremony to China,” Sen. Bob Casey. D-Pa., one of the sponsors, said. …
The lawmakers introducing the bill signaled it would be applied to future Olympics, but continued to call on the Olympic Committee to “do the right thing for this summer’s team” by soliciting new, made-in-the-USA uniforms. …
But Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who is also sponsoring the new bill, called on the committee to use an American company, suggesting Rochester-based suit maker Hickey Freeman as an ideal candidate for the job. He also said the New York state firm would be “thrilled” to partner with Ralph Lauren provided Ralph Lauren wants to make the uniforms stateside.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<MORE AT LINK>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
After all the stink about Obamacare anyone who supports this is a blithering idiot.
Since the USOC is a private organization, that receives no federal money it does not fall under the "commerce clause".
The clause that applies here would be the "equal protection clause".
As long as one private US corporation (GE) is allowed to contract their manufacturing needs to China then all private US corporations have to be allowed to do so.
This is the equivalent of saying Rastus can't shop at Cabela's, but every one else can.
I'm not impressed that the USOC did this, but I was not impressed when GE made the same choice.
An even bigger reason to burn them is because they look asinine, like something the Soviet "Young Pioneers" would have worn on May Day.
But that is part and parcel of the current communist regime.
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Tom,
I am torn on this. It is true that the Olympics and the team are private corporations. We don't want this type of messing with our personal and business lives. However, somewhere along the line we need to voice our opinion to the committee. They are representing us as a nation.
Another item that really chaps my hide is that the money wasted and sent to China for this is used in the opening and closing ceremonies - Two big shows that are noting more than the Disney over blown Super Bowl shows that have nothing to do with the event. How can we support our athletes and not put money into the coffers of this crap?
Now back to our elected officials spending time on this. It was good for them to expose the issue and express displeasure. However, to keep messing with it is at best the same as them getting involved with performance enhancing drugs in professional sports. At worst it is a dog and pony show to distract us from the real issues facing us this November ... Hey ... Look ... Dancing With The Stars is on again!
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Tom,
I am torn on this. It is true that the Olympics and the team are private corporations. We don't want this type of messing with our personal and business lives. However, somewhere along the line we need to voice our opinion to the committee. They are representing us as a nation.
Another item that really chaps my hide is that the money wasted and sent to China for this is used in the opening and closing ceremonies - Two big shows that are noting more than the Disney over blown Super Bowl shows that have nothing to do with the event. How can we support our athletes and not put money into the coffers of this crap?
Now back to our elected officials spending time on this. It was good for them to expose the issue and express displeasure. However, to keep messing with it is at best the same as them getting involved with performance enhancing drugs in professional sports. At worst it is a dog and pony show to distract us from the real issues facing us this November ... Hey ... Look ... Dancing With The Stars is on again!
How about "voicing your opinion" by sending a letter of complaint in place of your donation ?
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Since the USOC is a private organization, that receives no federal money it does not fall under the "commerce clause".
The clause that applies here would be the "equal protection clause".
As long as one private US corporation (GE) is allowed to contract their manufacturing needs to China then all private US corporations have to be allowed to do so.
Section 110 of the Amateur Sports Act gives certain "special" legal privileges to USOC, including the ability to protect its trademark and symbols (and the word "Olympic") beyond that of ordinary organizations. This is in exchange for the USOC "representing" the US interests in the International Olympic Games. USOC basically is a monopoly as no other group could rise up and take their place. At least not without the action of congress.
And while minor there have been some small government agency "grants" to the USOC. Most notably the VA for para-Olympic support.
In addition there's been increased talk of asking for government handout, especially during this recession. Though they probably quenched that with RL's use of China made uniforms.