POLL: Should U.S. Olympic Team Uniforms Be Made in USA?
Some lawmakers are furious that uniforms for the 2012 Olympic team are made in China. Vote in our poll and then tell us what you think in the comments section below.
Bedecked in red, white and blue, the U.S. Olympic Team is always dressed to impress, but some lawmakers think it would be better if their uniforms were Made in the USA.
Sporting berets, blazers and pants by American designer Ralph Lauren, the Olympic team will pay a bit of homage to China, who manufactured the garments.
Both Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress argued the U.S. Olympic Committee’s decision to dress the team in Chinese manufactured items was wrong when so many U.S. workers need jobs.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters at a news conference that the Olympic committee "should be ashamed of themselves."
“I think they should be embarrassed," Reid said in an article in The Washington Post. "I think they should take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over again."
In a statement, the Olympic committee defended the partnership with Ralph Lauren, an iconic American company, and reminded lawmakers that the team is privately-funded and relies on the support of sponsors.
Should the team only wear items Made in the USA?
Vote in the poll and then sound off in the comments section below.
reg
5:28 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
and union-made, too
Gale mowen
7:28 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Burn them
maizenbluedoc
8:47 am on Friday, July 13, 2012
I suppose it is correct to have the olympic athletes wear uniforms made in the USA, while relegating we peasants to wear and use cheap, inferior Chinese products.
Robert Kelly
9:35 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Is it true that the financial support for the olympic team is from private funding and sponsorship? Not from federal tax revenues? If this is true, then I think the senators and congressmen should shut up about it because they have no more right than anyone else. Personally, I think it is embarrassing that they would have the uniforms made in China, but apparently it has nothing to do with government.
JoSCh
2:12 pm on Friday, July 13, 2012
Good points all Robert. Both the US Olympic team and the US Congress are funded at least in part by multinational corporations. As usual the losers are the American public.
Marty Turney
7:44 am on Friday, July 13, 2012
I agree with Reg, Gail & Robert. With everything going on here in our country regarding jobs why would out USA team leaders not "Buy American"-shame, shame!
Katana Danielle
8:24 am on Friday, July 13, 2012
Should have been common sense to wear US made clothes .
Adam Crisp
9:11 am on Friday, July 13, 2012
I took a quick look through my closet this morning and I can't find one thing that was made in the U.S. It was shocking, but I wonder what percent of clothing is actually made in the U.S. nowadays. I heard Brooks Brothers still made clothes here, but I have a shirt and couple ties from them, and they were all made outside the U.S., according to the label. Try the experiment yourself. Are you wearing American-made clothes?
Sami
2:20 pm on Friday, July 13, 2012
I would be curious to know if China's are made in China ?
JoSCh
3:29 pm on Friday, July 13, 2012
Probably Italy, they make really nice stuff there.
Right Here
5:08 pm on Friday, July 13, 2012
Uniforms were made by company owned by Ralph Lauren, a big Obama/Democrat doner. Outsourced to China. Isn't irony ironic?
JoSCh
5:14 pm on Friday, July 13, 2012
After a month when Mitt Romney raised $106M what do you define as a big donor? <- please note the spelling of donor also.
Liberal in SC
5:22 pm on Friday, July 13, 2012
Before I retired in 1995, I worked as an Army Supply SGT. THERE IS A LAW ! (It's just not enforced now, called the Buy American Act.) Trust me, I spent a LOT of Our Tax $. But if I needed something that was NOT Made in the USA, I had to justify that Purchase with a mountain of paperwork !
Check out this article from 2 days ago.
http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2012072811/republicans-attacking-obama-because-republicans-blocked-buy-american-stimulus
Liberal in SC
5:24 pm on Friday, July 13, 2012
Who remembers the story that came out a few years ago? Our US Border Patrol Uniforms are made in .... MEXICO !
Shawn Drury
6:27 pm on Friday, July 13, 2012
You can find some ties that are made in the US. And, as far as I know, the only sneakers made here are New Balance. And maybe the occasional t-shirt. But everything else made in China/Malaysia/Pakistan/Indonesia/Paraguay or some other place besides the US.
Ben York
5:05 pm on Thursday, July 19, 2012
It has been government policy for the last 30 years to facilitate shipping jobs overseas. They make and ratify treaties (i.e. NAFTA and others) that forbid "buy American" policies. And now the political scum pretend to be outraged because a few sports uniforms were made in China.