Democrats Introduce Bill To Require Olympic Uniforms Be Made In The US
Earlier this week some political leaders, including Democrats like House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, denounced the Ralph Lauren-made duds to be given to the US Olympic team for official events.
According to Reid, the outfits should be burned because they’re not made in America. Now, no fewer than six Senate Democrats have introduced a bill to require that the outfits be made in the US.
The Senate hasn’t passed a budget since 2009, but they have time for this.
Six U.S. senators put out a statement late Friday detailing the bill, saying it will require the committee to adopt a policy that ensures ceremonial uniforms are “sewn or assembled in the United States.”
“The U.S. Olympic Committee was 100 percent wrong to outsource the manufacturing of U.S. uniforms for the opening ceremony to China,” Sen. Bob Casey. D-Pa., one of the sponsors, said. …
The lawmakers introducing the bill signaled it would be applied to future Olympics, but continued to call on the Olympic Committee to “do the right thing for this summer’s team” by soliciting new, made-in-the-USA uniforms. …
But Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who is also sponsoring the new bill, called on the committee to use an American company, suggesting Rochester-based suit maker Hickey Freeman as an ideal candidate for the job. He also said the New York state firm would be “thrilled” to partner with Ralph Lauren provided Ralph Lauren wants to make the uniforms stateside.
This sort of rank protectionism is far less patriotic than Olympic team outfits being made in China. One of the great things about America is that when we shop we can choose from products made all over the world. It’s a testament to our affluence as a society, not to mention our relatively free trade policies.
We, as a society, buy products from places like China (as opposed to products made in America) because often those products are cheaper and/or of better quality. The ability to do that is a tremendous boon to our economy.
Attacks on foreign-made products is an attack on what makes our economy strong and resilient, and is the worst sort of low-brow jingoism.
Tags: olympics, protectionism, ralph lauren
