FRT
02-01-2008, 03:25 PM
{Letter sent to the Fall River Herald News editorial dept.}
Recently, the president announced a $145 billion program with the political mantra that all will be right with the economy once everyone has a few bucks in their pocket. There may be an element of truth to the philosophy, but it has a false bottom.
The target of this money — or at least part of it — should be directed at the companies that create the jobs. I believe that with the right application of some of this money we can fix the problem for the long term.
I am the owner and president of a small manufacturing company that is directly related to the textile industry and home décor market located in Fall River. No one needs a PhD in economics from Harvard to realize that thousands of people across the country are struggling to keep their homes, never mind thinking about buying patio furniture.
I have written to the mayor of Fall River and Senator John Kerry about the demise of the textile business in Fall River asking them what their plans are to rescue the jobs that will go away unless they refuse to acknowledge there is a problem. I have yet to hear from them and I doubt I will. In order to fix the problem, we need to demand that the "Made In America" label means something and needs to be restored in this country.
I challenge you to find a label in your own home on any article of clothing or piece of home décor that has "Made In America" on it. Should you find something, hang on to it because it will be something for the history books in the next 10 to 20 years if something isn’t done.
While our nation is thinking green and saving our environment, we should also be as concerned about the lack of green in our pockets due to the lack of jobs. Every eligible voter should be asking every candidate for local or national office the following questions: Why can’t we legislate that 20 percent of every sku found in the big box retailers come from U.S. manufacturers? Why can’t we lower the tax rate on products that are made in the United States in order to balance out the competitive edge with foreign imports? Why can’t we give the U.S. consumer an incentive to buy merchandise that is truly "Made In America?"
If every state had the same rules, retailers could not play one state against the other. Why can’t we insist that every foreign imported vehicle coming into this country has 50 percent of its components made from parts made in America? Just think of how many auto worker jobs would be saved! Would this not put autos made in America on an equal playing field?
Our Uncle Sam is very ill. Our president and government officials are slapping band-aids on him in the hope that if they ignore the problem long enough just maybe they can get in and out of office in time to brag about all the wonderful things they’ve done for the American public, leaving the problem for the next man or woman that is elected.
My challenge to the citizens of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and this nation is to think about all of the automotive, clothing, fabric and textile related businesses that moved out, closed or have gone overseas in the last 60 years or more.
Lastly, the business tax incentives that our president wants to give companies that purchase equipment is based on the assumption that they will have the business to justify the purchase in the first place. If we are buying products made in China, Korea and Vietnam, where are the orders going to come from if retailers and consumers don’t buy from U.S. manufacturers?
In closing, I write this letter in hope that, via the media, a more in-depth research of my questions can be pursued and put before the Republican and Democratic candidates. Ask them: "What will you do to fix the heart of America?"
Peter A. Jerome
Fall River
Recently, the president announced a $145 billion program with the political mantra that all will be right with the economy once everyone has a few bucks in their pocket. There may be an element of truth to the philosophy, but it has a false bottom.
The target of this money — or at least part of it — should be directed at the companies that create the jobs. I believe that with the right application of some of this money we can fix the problem for the long term.
I am the owner and president of a small manufacturing company that is directly related to the textile industry and home décor market located in Fall River. No one needs a PhD in economics from Harvard to realize that thousands of people across the country are struggling to keep their homes, never mind thinking about buying patio furniture.
I have written to the mayor of Fall River and Senator John Kerry about the demise of the textile business in Fall River asking them what their plans are to rescue the jobs that will go away unless they refuse to acknowledge there is a problem. I have yet to hear from them and I doubt I will. In order to fix the problem, we need to demand that the "Made In America" label means something and needs to be restored in this country.
I challenge you to find a label in your own home on any article of clothing or piece of home décor that has "Made In America" on it. Should you find something, hang on to it because it will be something for the history books in the next 10 to 20 years if something isn’t done.
While our nation is thinking green and saving our environment, we should also be as concerned about the lack of green in our pockets due to the lack of jobs. Every eligible voter should be asking every candidate for local or national office the following questions: Why can’t we legislate that 20 percent of every sku found in the big box retailers come from U.S. manufacturers? Why can’t we lower the tax rate on products that are made in the United States in order to balance out the competitive edge with foreign imports? Why can’t we give the U.S. consumer an incentive to buy merchandise that is truly "Made In America?"
If every state had the same rules, retailers could not play one state against the other. Why can’t we insist that every foreign imported vehicle coming into this country has 50 percent of its components made from parts made in America? Just think of how many auto worker jobs would be saved! Would this not put autos made in America on an equal playing field?
Our Uncle Sam is very ill. Our president and government officials are slapping band-aids on him in the hope that if they ignore the problem long enough just maybe they can get in and out of office in time to brag about all the wonderful things they’ve done for the American public, leaving the problem for the next man or woman that is elected.
My challenge to the citizens of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and this nation is to think about all of the automotive, clothing, fabric and textile related businesses that moved out, closed or have gone overseas in the last 60 years or more.
Lastly, the business tax incentives that our president wants to give companies that purchase equipment is based on the assumption that they will have the business to justify the purchase in the first place. If we are buying products made in China, Korea and Vietnam, where are the orders going to come from if retailers and consumers don’t buy from U.S. manufacturers?
In closing, I write this letter in hope that, via the media, a more in-depth research of my questions can be pursued and put before the Republican and Democratic candidates. Ask them: "What will you do to fix the heart of America?"
Peter A. Jerome
Fall River