"Made in USA" flag law makes Minnesota a laughingstock once again

[Minnesota Raindog]

The brilliance of one of our state's Iron Range legislators again has cast Minnesota as a state of yahoos and rubes on the national stage. The reason? Tommy Rukavina's bill that makes it a crime to sell an American flag in Minnesota that is not made in the good ol' USofA. Exactly what Rukavina was thinking when he proposed this idiotic measure, or what the rest of his colleagues were thinking when they voted it into law, is anybody's guess. But it's getting Rukavina and Minnesota headlines now, and not the kind we really need.

Doonesbury is the latest to mock the pint-sized Ranger:

from the Doonesbury website:

http://www.doonesbury.com/strip/dailydose/index.html?uc...

"The biggest honor that you can give the flag is that it be made by American workers in the United States of America."
-- Minnesota Rep. Tom Rukavina, on his recently-passed bill which makes it a crime to sell a foreign-made American flag in that state


But why stop there? Why do we even allow a flag not made in Minnesota to be sold in Minnesota? And if it's good enough for flags, why not shoes? Or sporting goods? Or beer? Or cars?

I think Rukavina needs to step back into the real world. That's what happens when you spend too much time under the capitol dome.

[Fierce]

1. I think it's an awesome law.

If more people read the "made in" labels, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess.

[Minnesota Raindog]

2. So the answer is to ban all foreign imports of everything?

No wonder liberals get such a bad name.

[Fierce]

12. That's not what I said.

That's also not what the law says, either. Get a grip on yourself.

[Mnpaul]

4. No doubt

The flag is the symbol of our country. It should be made here.

[loveable liberal]

3. Thom Hartmann had an excellent commentary on ....

manufacturing in the U.s.. Explained the tariff system in laymans terms. I can see bringing a better life to the rest of the world which is what (I think) NAFTA was trying to do, but it didnt have to do it in a single decade. It would have been better if implemented over a generation probably. I like the idea of manufacturing in Minnesota and I dont have a problem with the law. Maybe we are heading towards increased States rights; maybe Minnesota should enact its own tariffs. Either that or lets join Canada!

[Minnesota Raindog]

5. You really think gummint needs to dictate where products are made?

I trust none of you Made-in-USA zealots own anything made in China? Certainly no vehicles with ANY parts or assembly outside of the good ol' USofA? Check your shoes--Amurcan made, I hope?

Oh, and those fireworks you shot off celebrating this great country of ours--Made in Amurca, right?

But I suppose this is the same mentality that gets us constitutional amendments prohibiting burning the flag.

[loveable liberal]

6. Geez... Take a chill pill Bill....

I never mentioned once in my post that the government should decide where things are manufactured. So far on your posts there is much ado, but I fail to see your suggested solution. Pointing out hypocrisy is easy because everyone is hypocritical in some way.

[Minnesota Raindog]

7. These colors don't run--from imported flags

Lovable Liberal, you say you never mentioned once in your post that the government should decide where things are manufactured? What do you call this comment?

"I like the idea of manufacturing in Minnesota and I dont have a problem with the law."

The law (that's the government) has decided that unless a flag is made in the USA, it cannot be sold in Minnesota. That sounds an awful lot like the government deciding where things are manufactured doesn't it?

I think my suggested solution was fairly obvious: Let any goddamn flag be sold in Minnesota without government interference, regardless of where it was made. Just like any other product. Leave the jingoistic, feel-good trade policies out of it.

[loveable liberal]

10. You also skipped the whole issue of tariff's that I mentioned....

which was the point of my post. Yes, I like the idea of manufacturing in Minnesota; you have taken this issue of one item, the flag, and started attacking those of whom you dont agree. That is pathetic. You dont know me, you are no better than anyone posting on this site, jingoistic or otherwise. Hartmann's point was that manufacturing could occur anywhere on the globe, but that tariff's supported at least 66 percent of the total federal budget until World War 1. So the issue is how to fund the federal budget not the location of manufacturing. Tariff's according to Hartmann support the creation of the middle class by keeping money in the country.

I'm tired of your vitriolic attitude.

[Fierce]

11. Oh, oh, oh! Me me me!

I have five pairs of shoes that I wear in regular rotation. Two pairs were made in Minnesota. One pair was made in Georgia. One pair was made in Massachusetts. One pair was made in China, and was bought before I cared about such things.

And I didn't shoot off any fireworks this year. I have a problem using things made by child labor to celebrate what's great about America.

See? It's easy to stand up for things when you really believe in them!

Do I have things made in China? Sure. Sometimes there aren't alternatives. But when there are, I choose the alternative. Not because I'm all "Made in Amurca" (what the hell?), but because I like to support industries that are regulated with regards to fair wages, human rights, and labor laws I believe in and that are enforced.

[krispos42]

8. If I had to guess what they were thinking...

It would be something along the lines of that they are sick and tired of trade policies that exploit virtual slave labor overseas, depress wages and benefits here at home, and encourages reckless and ill-advised credit-card consumerism so that rich people can get richer.

We've lowered our trade barriers to the detriment of our national, military, economic, and social security and the benefit of a few rich individuals. Rukavina can't set US international trade policy but he can fight the battle on a state level.

If the corporatists in Washington can't do anything about it, then it's time for the states to step up.

There are only two ways to protect our country from the economic destruction brought by uber-cheap foreign wages and manufacturing costs: tariffs and bans. Distance no longer protects us directly or indirectly from foreign competition.

[Minnesota Raindog]

9. Foreign-made flags encourage credit-card debt? WTF?

This is to stop trade policy that "encourages reckless and ill-advised credit-card consumerism so that rich people can get richer?"

Please. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

[krispos42]

15. You asked what he was thinking

I told you my guess, that he was sick and tired of the whole sorry mess our enonomy is in and is striking back however he can.

If I also had to guess, he didn't do it to give you something to bitch about. If you happy with the way things are going then have fun voting for Coleman and Bachmanm and Kline in 16 months. I guess you don't have a manufacturing job that can be outsourced to China or an IT/customer service job that can be outsourced to India or a retail/laboror job that can be done by an illegal immigrant. Lucky you.

[goodhue]

13. I may be with Tommie the Commie on this one--more goods should be made locally

Carbon footprint and whatnot . . .

Anyways, for what it is worth, here is Rukavina's response to Wall Street Journal critique . . .

(Rep. Rukavina response letter-to-the-editor to the July 6, 2007 Wall Street Journal Editorial)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I was elated when a friend told me the Wall Street Journal editorialized on my bill requiring U.S. flags to be made in America. You see, I hardly ever agree with your views since at the Minnesota State Capital I proudly proclaim to be the country's worst capitalist.

Your editorial missed the whole point of my bill, which is to buy American. You erroneously pointed out that baseballs and hotdogs are made overseas. While the inside portion of the baseball is made in Costa Rica, the leather cover is hand sewn by U.S. workers in Tennessee. While Mr. Stienbrenner may import the hot dogs sold in Yankee Stadium, the Minnesota Twins sell nothing but the best - Hormel hot dogs made right here in the Midwest.

If I had my way, American workers in American factories would manufacture many more of the products we use every day. I was taught by my parents to support the American worker. My father, a great union man, insisted on buying everything made in the USA; and while that's getting harder to do, I continue to try. In fact, just this week I bought a Filson jacket made in Seattle, a winter green polar fleece pullover made in Ely, Minnesota, and I just love my Red Wing hiking boots made in Red Wing, Minnesota.

In an era when only the bottom line matters to corporate executives and shareholders, businesses throughout our country have taken advantage of the substandard wages and working conditions in many third world countries. They have ignored the plight of millions of American workers who have lost their jobs, and feel no remorse for the squalid living conditions of the exploited foreign workers who have no choice but to work in the sweatshops. Their profits and quarterly earning reports are all that matter.

Let me get this straight. You think I'm an embarrassment for wanting our flags to be made in the USA. I tell you what, you buy your flag made in Pakistan by some eight year old whose parents may be hiding Osoma Bin Laden; I'll buy my flag made in the USA by a productive American worker.

I know you have a job to do protecting those fat cats on Wall Street. I've got a job to do too, and that is to keep fighting to maintain as many jobs in the USA as possible.

[Minnesota Raindog]

16. More of Rukavina's moronic thinking

Let me get this straight. You think I'm an embarrassment for wanting our flags to be made in the USA. I tell you what, you buy your flag made in Pakistan by some eight year old whose parents may be hiding Osoma Bin Laden; I'll buy my flag made in the USA by a productive American worker.



No one EVER said they had a problem with Buying American, Rukavina. What they said was they have a problem with the government prohibiting the sale of flags not Made in America. Big difference--obviously too big for the little guy to comprehend.

Buying American is great. I buy American whenever I have a choice to buy something made in America as opposed to some sweatshop-produced goods. But I resent the government telling me that I can't buy something not made here.

As for Rukavina's statement about Pakistani-made flags, what can I say? He's an idiot. If he's that worried about helping to harbor bin Laden, why hasn't the pint-sized pol moved to ban ALL sales of Pakistani goods in Minnesota?

By the way, exactly how many American jobs has Rukavina saved with this nonsense?

[kickysnana]

14. Lessons from people I admired..

My grandparents lived near the St Paul state Capitol until shortly after my grandfather died. My grandfather was pulled out of school after the 6th grade to work on his maternal uncle's farm in Tennessee after his parents divorced in 1915 so he never was able to get a "good" steady job. There were lots of good people he was friends with and I learned a lot from them despite the fact that I was growing up in the white bread suburb of Roseville.

Russ owned a bait store behind my grandparents house and we would go over their to "look at the fish" and talk to Russ and his workers. It was at the time that cheap foreign goods from Japan were coming in. I remember Russ told Mrs Neff that she should try to buy American, union made products because they could afford it and it was better for the country and the community in the long run. My grandma also tried to do the same but they had a lot less money to spend. So I agree with the sentiment but it is probably not a law that will stand, and is a band aid answer to a complex problem like banning flag burning to try to get people to be more patriotic.

The sentiment is not laughable but making such a law was not the best use of our legislature's time and talents because with a lot more time and money it will be overturned.

The fact is that our state and country are int he grips of corporate management where now is all that counts. You put the company (state or nation) in bankruptcy to look better on paper today We are back to corporate personhood. How do we have a strong economy, compete globally and keep corporations from ruining the country as they have done and are doing?