USA buy USA: December 2011

Saturday, December 24, 2011

In A Spin, Lovin' The Spin I'm In

Minnie Bee's Rant:

When Louis Prima and Keely Smith sang these lyrics to "That Old Black Magic," they were singing about love, not politics; but the antics of certain Republicans over the past week had me in a spin as they spun, and spun some more, and then spun out of control trying their best to conjure up some magic of their own. In the end, the payroll tax cut for the middle class was extended for two months, as well as emergency unemployment benefits, and those Republicans who were against the deal came up with, as Rev. Sharpton would call it, blueberry pie on their faces. Then, attempting to spin the whole thing into something else again, their appointed spokesman and amateur magician, John Bohner, who was for extending the tax cut before he was against it, said that House Republicans had fought the good fight to get the payroll tax cut extended for a year, but in the end, just couldn't get it done. Really. These are the same guys who have been so worried about paying down the deficit that they want to reduce middle class "entitlements" while making tax cuts for the wealthy permanent. Really. I'm thinking that some of them should probably form a third party called the Spider Party beause of all the spinning, or maybe the Dizzy Party because of all the going in circles.

As far as the payroll tax cut itself, though, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, paying 2% less into the Social Security trust fund may not be the best thing for middle class future retirees. And who's benefiting the most here? Why, those making over $110,100 per year, of course. They pay the taxes only on the first $110,100 of their annual gross income, and will be saving $2,202 annually, unlike Joe or Jane Doe, who will save $500 if he or she is making $25,000 per year, or $1,000 on an individual annual salary of $50,000.

On the other hand, the payroll tax cut does stimulate the economy. Unlike the wealthiest Americans, middle/working class folks usually spend extra money when they have it because they must. They don't have the luxury of saving or investing much of their money. They must use it to make their mortgage or rent payments, to pay their utility bills, to buy food and clothing, to pay for books and school supplies and college tuition for their kids. Occasionally, they might even go to a restaurant or take in a movie. They don't have the luxury of saving or investing extra cash because they're not left with extra cash. Putting their money back into the economy stimulates economic growth and ultimately influences the creation of jobs.

So, middle class America, let's take our payroll tax cut and our unemployment benefits and enjoy the holidays. And while we're shopping for our holiday dinners and last-minute presents, let's try to buy "Made in USA" stuff. By replacing one or two foreign-made products in our shopping carts with products "Made in USA," we create a greater demand for "Made in USA" products, thereby causing the manufacturers of those products to hire more employees. The rising popularity of American-made products will also motivate companies who make their products elsewhere to make more products here.

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(Note: Sorry, friends. My reliable weekly post that should have posted last Sunday was unreliably relegated all the way to Saturday this week due to holiday crazy and a sick cat.)

Look for my next post on Sunday, January 15, 2012. Best wishes for a wonderful, happy, and healthy holiday season, and a New Year filled with peace and prosperity.

We create and keep U.S. jobs when we demand, promote, and buy Made in USA goods and products. Check out our shopping list below and make a conscious effort to buy "Made in USA products whenever possible. As always, check labels before buying, and feel free to post your own research to this blog. Remember, "distributed by" or "manufactured by" does not mean that it was made here, regardless of the company's address. It must state that it was made in or a product of the USA!

This week's recommended products:

Beverages

· Inko's 100% Natural White Iced Tea - Made in USA by Inko's White Iced Tea, New York, NY

Candy

· Necco Wafers, Clark Bars, Mighty Malt Malted Milk Balls, Mary Janes, Canada Mints, Valentine Conversation Hearts and other candy products - Made in USA by New England Confectionery Co. (NECCO), Revere, MA

· AmeriCandy - Made in USA by AmeriCandy Co., Inc., Louisville, KY

· Bissinger's Candy - Made in USA by Bissinger's, St. Louis, MO

· Hammond's Candies - Made in USA by Hammond's Candy Factory, Denver, CO

· See's Candies - Made in USA by See's Candy Shops, Inc., Carson, CA

· Stewart Candy - Made in USA by Stewart Candy Co., Waycross, GA

· Sweet's Candy - Made in USA by Sweet Candy Co., Salt Lake City, UT

· Wolfgang Candy - Made in USA by Wolfgang Candy Co., Inc., York, PA

· Red Vines - Product of USA by American Licorice Co., Union City, CA

· Mike & Ike, Hot Tamales - Made in USA by Just Born, Inc., Bethlehem, PA

Canned Vegetables

· Margaret Holmes canned vegetables - Product of USA by McCall Farms, Effingham, SC

· Del Monte canned vegetables (check labels, not all cans bear the "packed in USA" statement!) - Packed in USA by Del Monte Foods, San Francisco, CA

Cereal (Hot)

· Safeway Instant Oatmeal - Made in USA by Safeway, Inc., Pleasanton, CA

· Maypo Maple Oatmeal and Wheatena hot cereal - Made in USA by Homestat Farm, Ltd., Dublin, CA

· Old Wessex Creamy Oat Bran, Irish-Style Oatmeal, and 5-Grain Cereal - Made in USA by Old Wessex, Inc., Providence, RI

· Nature's Path Hot Oatmeal - Made in USA by Nature's Path Foods, Inc., Blaine, WA

Cereal Bars

· Eating Right Oats & Peanut Butter Bars - Product of USA by Lucerne Foods, Pleasanton, CA

· Safeway Variety Pack Chewy Granola Bars, Safeway Chewy Pretzel Bars - Product of USA by Lucerne Foods, Pleasanton, CA

· Eviro Kidz Bars - Product of USA by Nature's Path Foods, Blaine, WA

· Annie's Organic Granola Bars - Product of USA by Annie's, Berkeley, CA

· Nature's Path Granola Bars - Product of USA by Nature's Path Foods, Blaine, WA

Cheese

· Sargento's cheese - Product of USA by Sargento Foods, Inc., Plymouth, WI

Coffee

· New England Coffee - Made in USA by New England Tea and Coffee Co., Inc., Malden, MA

Condiments (ketchup, mustard, mayo, relish, salsa, BBQ sauces & marinades)

· Original Juan mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, hot sauce, salsa – Made in USA by Original Juan Specialty Foods, Kansas City, KS

Cooking Oil

· California Olive Ranch Olive Oil - Product of California, USA by California Olive Ranch, Inc., Oroville, CA

Crackers

· Pepperidge Farm (all crackers and crisps) - Made in USA by Pepperidge Farms, Inc., Norwalk, CT

· Westminster Crackers - Made in USA by Westminster Cracker Co., Rutland, VT

· Ry-Krisp Crackers - Made in USA by Bremner Food Group, Princeton, KY

· Breton crackers (all except Vinta and Breton Minis) - Made in USA by Dare Foods USA, Spartanburg, SC

· Streit's matzo - Product of USA by Aron Streit, Inc., New York, NY

Dips, Hummus

· Sabra Hummus -Product of USA by Sabra Dipping Co., LLC, White Plains, NY

Dried Fruit

· Craisins - Made in the USA by Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., Lakeville-Middleboro, MA

Fruits and Vegetables

· Fruits and vegetables that are "Product of USA," including "locally grown" fruits and vegetables (as they come into season.)

Fruit and Vegetable Wash

· All Natural Veggie Wash Fruit and Vegetable Wash - Made in USA by Beaumont Products, Inc., Kennesaw, GA

Mac n' Cheese

· Annie's Macaroni and Cheese - Made in USA by Annie's, Inc., Napa CA

Meals/Frozen Dinners

· Annie's Skillet Meals - Made in USA by Annie's, Inc., Napa, CA

Paper Products

· Vanity Fair Premium Napkins - Made in USA by Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products, LP, Atlanta, GA

· up & up paper plates, bowls - Made in USA by Target Corp., Minneapolis, MN

Pizza, Frozen

· Freschetta Pizza, Red Baron Pizza - Made in USA by Schwan Food Co., Marshall, MN

Power Bars

· Eating Right Nutrition Bar - Product of USA by Lucerne Foods, Inc., Pleasanton, CA

· Kind and Kind Plus Fruit and Nut Bars - Product of Kind Healthy Snacks,

New York, NY

Salad Dressing

· *Annie's Salad Dressing - Made in USA by Annie's, Inc., Napa, CA

· *Bragg Healthy Vinaigrette - Product of USA by Bragg Live Food Products, Inc., Santa Barbara, CA

Snacks

· popchips - Made in USA by popchips, San Francisco, CA

· Pretzel Crisps - Made in USA by Snack Factory, Princeton, NJ

· Goldfish, Pepperidge Farm Baked Naturals, cracker chips - Baked in USA by Pepperidge Farm, Inc., Norwalk, CN

· Stacy's Pita Chips - Made in USA by Stacy's Pita Chips, Dallas, TX

Soups, canned and packets

· Nature's Promise "Naturals" soup - Product of USA by Foodhold USA, LLC, Landover, MD

· Campbell's Chunky, Select Harvest, and Condensed soups (canned and microwaveable) - Cooked in USA by Campbell's Soup Co., Camden, NJ

· Shore Lunch soup mix - Made in USA by Sportsman Recipes, Inc., Rome, GA

· Streit's Matzo Ball and Soup mix, and Egg Drop soup mix - Product of USA by Aron Streit, Inc., New York, NY

· Manischewitz Ball Soup, and Matzo Balls in Broth (canned in glass jars), and Matzo Ball and Soup mix - Product of USA by The Manischewitz Co., Secaucus, NJ

· Safeway soup mix - Product of USA by Safeway, Inc., Pleasanton, CA

Soup Bowls and Cups

· Maruchan Ramen, Instant Lunch, and Yakisoba soups - Made in USA by Maruchan, Inc., Irvine, CA

· Annie Chun's soup bowls - Product of USA by Annie Chun, Inc., San Rafael, CA

· Eating Right soup cups - Product of USA by Lucerne Foods, Inc., Pleasanton, CA

· Dr. McDougall's soup cups - Product of USA by Dr. McDougall's Right Foods, San Francisco, CA

Soup Stocks

· Kitchen Basics Vegetable, Chicken, Seafood, and Beef cooking stock - Product of USA by Kitchen Basics, Brecksville, OH

Storage Bags and Wraps

· Glad Press'n Seal - Made in USA by The Glad Products Co., Oakland, CA

· up & up storage bags - Made in USA by Target Corp., Minneapolis, MN

· *up & up aluminum foil - Made in USA by Target Corp., Minneapolis, MN

Syrup

· locally-made syrups - Made in USA by farms in VT, NY and PA

· Archer Farms Pure Maple Syrup - Product of USA and Canada by Target Brands, Inc., Minneapolis, MN

· Wegman's Organic Maple Syrup - Product of USA and Canada by Wegman's Food Markets, Inc., Rochester, NY

Toaster Pastries

· Nature's Path Toaster Pastries - Product of USA by Nature's Path Foods, Inc., Blaine, WA

· Pantry Essentials Toaster Pastries - Product of USA by Lucerne Foods, Inc., Pleasanton, CA

Vinegar

· *Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar - Product of USA by Bragg Live Food Products, Inc., Santa Barbara, CA

* = new recommendation

Blog Sources:

http://money.cnn.com/2011/12/22/news/economy/payroll_tax_cut_deal/index.htm

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-what-the-payroll-tax-deal-will-do-20111223,0,4174627.story

http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-memphis/the-payroll-tax-deal

Sunday, December 11, 2011

The Truth About Taxes And Jobs Creation/Creating Jobs With Your Shopping Cart, Pt. 3

Minnie Bee's Rant:

"The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly - it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over.” - Joseph Goebbels

The argument that Republican leaders keep repeating - raising personal income taxes on the wealthy, the "job creators," would stifle jobs creation - is false. In addition, the argument that a lower corporate tax rate would boost jobs creation is also bogus. According to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Tax Policy, there is apparently no relationship between a low personal income tax rate for the wealthy and the creation of jobs. In fact, at times, it appears just the opposite is true because when personal income tax rates are high, wealthy entrepreneurs will start and invest in new businesses in order to shift part of their wealth to a lower corporate tax rate. Furthermore, data also shows that decreasing the corporate tax rate does not increase domestic jobs creation. Although the U.S. has a relatively high corporate tax rate among nations worldwide, it enjoys one of the lowest corporate tax rates among western nations relative to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In addition, most U.S. corporations manipulate tax loopholes so that many of the top earners pay no taxes to the United States whatsoever.

So where are the jobs? They are not created by lower taxes on the wealthy or lower corporate taxes. They are not created by paying down the deficit. They are not created by flooding the market with products - especially with foreign-made products. They are created by demand, and in the United States, this means demand for "Made in USA" products.

You and I, as caring, patriotic Americans, can do our part to create demand for "Made in USA" products. How? By replacing foreign-made products that we usually put in our shopping carts with products "Made in USA." Replacing one, two, or three products in our carts each week will create a greater demand for "Made in USA" products, thereby causing the manufacturers of those products to hire more employees. The rising popularity of American-made products will also motivate companies who make their products elsewhere to make more products here.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, manufacturing in the United States increased in the third quarter of 2011. Also, more companies are advertising that their products are "Made in USA." Our efforts to use and promote "Made in USA" products are a major cause of this change. As agents of change, with what we choose to put in our shopping carts, we are becoming job creators.

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We create and keep U.S. jobs when we demand, promote, and buy Made in USA goods and products.

Check out our shopping list below and replace one, two, or three of the foreign-made products you usually buy with one, two, or three of these products. As always, check labels before buying, and feel free to post your own research to this blog. Remember, "distributed by" or "manufactured by" does not mean that it was made here, regardless of the company address. It must state that it was made in or a product of the USA!

This week's shopping list: