WASHINGTON — The Bush Administration made a revealing mistake this week when aides used a banner made to look like boxes stamped “Made in the USA” and used masking tape to cover up the real “Made in China” mark on boxes that were used as props at an event meant to generate enthusiasm for the President’s latest tax cuts.
The phrase “Made in the USA” is a point of pride for skilled and dedicated working people who have poured their strength into building our country. “Made in the USA” is not a political slogan and it should not be used as a façade for an economic plan that tears away at the stability and strength of the American middle class.
Misleading the public is a cheap shot that reflects a disregard for American workers who have lost their jobs because of misguided trade and economic policies. Unemployment is at an eight-year high, health care costs are rising and health care coverage is falling, retirement savings are being depleted, the nation has 1.7 million fewer jobs now than at the end of 2000, and manufacturing industry workers – who really do make things in the USA – are losing jobs faster than in any other industry.
American workers deserve more than props and the phony tax plans the Administration is pushing. Now is not the moment for false fronts and political games. It is time for a real economic plan that addresses the crisis in our states and cities and remedies the failings of today’s economy.