The American economy lost 467,000 jobs in June, putting the official unemployment rate at 9.5%, a 25 year high. However, the news gets worse as the broader unemployment rate, which includes those that have given up looking for work, has surged to 16.5%. That is nearly one in six people out of work!
Other disturbing economic news has come out recently –This year only 20%, one in five, of new college graduates had a job upon graduation! That is down from 50% just a couple years ago.
The reason this recession, soon to be depression, has hit us sharper, harder, and faster than any in living memory is the loss of good industrial jobs and the rise of the so called “service economy”. I know firsthand from my days as a financial executive at a major computer component maker that factories are hard to close, but service jobs can be eliminated in days. Meaning that as factories have been moved to Asia, and local economies made more dependent on easy to eliminate service jobs, it allows for more intense downward economic trends. A factory is worth millions, even tens of millions of dollars or more, so a corporation does not want to see it idle. However, there is nothing like that holding back the termination of service employees. In short, the decline of American-made products has put the US in a situation where we are no longer of in control of our economic future.
To hide this distinct, negative change to our economy, the government has encouraged bubbles in tech stocks and housing prices to artificially stimulate the economy and consumption. The hangover from these booms will show the truth about America’s economic decline – even a modern economy needs industrial jobs.
The good news is that we can each truly make a difference by checking labels and purchasing products made in America. Every item bought that is made in the US keeps folks off the unemployment line that much longer.
Todd Lipscomb
Founder of MadeinUSAForever.com, your source for products made in the USA.
Great efforts from our good friend Joe Allen on JC Penney using the “American-Made” t-shirt! BusinessWeek picked the issue and quotes Joe as well as some lame comments from JC Penney. It is in both this week’s magazine or you can see the link on their website here:
Also, here is some info from Joe on how to contact JC Penney:
If you want to make a comment about
the J. C. Penney “T-shirt Malarkey” story
that was in BTW section of Businessweek
magazine ( in the printed and online edition )
contact :
Kelly Sanchez (Corporate Customer Relations Manager)
J C Penney Company, Inc.
P.O. Box 10001 Dallas, TX 75301-7309
Email: ksanch18@jcpenney.com
Phone 972-431-3961
Fax 972-531-3961
If you want to talk with someone
from Headquarters if this person
does not give you satisfaction
call 972-431-8200 or
call 972-431-1000
and ask for Myron Ullman ( C.E.O of J.C.Penney )
Fax 972-431-1362
A reader in Texas sent us information on JC Penney’s last Memorial Day sale ad, which clearly shows a young man wearing an “American Made” t-shirt. This person immediately went to try to buy what he believed were t-shirts made in the USA, only to find they were actually made in Mexico!
JC Penney was trying to profit from our patriotism on the day we honor those who served in our military. The implication from the writing on the shirt and in their advertisement is crystal clear – “American Made”. As they know, any reasonable person would read it this way.
Unfortunately, rather than employ American’s JC Penney chose the low road and had their “American Made” t-shirts made outside the USA. This may somehow be legal, but it far from ethical. It’s tragic this American company feels the need to treat their customers this way, but they also dishonor those that have served our great nation by doing this on Memorial Day.
I called the phone number on their website, and the women who answered privately called it “false advertising”, but said I really need to call the headquarters. That number is 972-431-8200. No word back from them yet, but invite readers to join me in complaining.
Several readers in past have mentioned that while I often focus on Wal-Mart, most chain stores are a part of the problem. This certainly shows JC Penney stands with Wal-Mart in their lack of commitment to the USA. Both definitely want us to buy products at their stores, even while they ship our jobs abroad.
They will not get future business from me, unless they seriously change their ways.
It is a sad day with our automobile industry fading. Some look to Washington for help, but what if they not only don’t care, but were actually charging the taxpayers for their foreign made automobiles? It is an unfortunate fact. According to last Saturday’s Wall Street Journal, these two representatives both charged over $20,000 in 2008 for the lease of their foreign made cars:
Rep. Alcee Hastings from Florida’s 23rd district Democrat, charged the taxpayers $24,730 in 2008 for the lease on his Lexus GS450H (made in Japan by Toyota). According to Answers.com, Rep. Hastings also has a interesting past, having been impeached as a U.S. Federal Judge in 1988 and convicted of perjury surrounding a scam intending to give mobsters lighter sentences in exchange for cash. His Fort Lauderdale office number is 954-733-2800 and Washington office is 202-225-1313.
Rep. Rodney Alexander of Louisiana’s 5th district, switched to the Republican party in 2004. He charged the government $20,000 last year for his lease of a Toyota Highlander. How can a Highlander possibly cost $20,000 for a lease for one year? It should be more like $6000 to $7000, but of course this is a congressman. His Monroe office number is 318-322-3500, and Washington office is 202-225-8490.
Let’s give them a call and let them know how we feel about their supporting Toyota imports rather than American-made cars AND having the audacity to charge it to the American taxpayer! This is a disgusting example of congress run amuck.
Their opponents in next Fall’s election are going to get some special help from me…
