Vote For My Cat

Minnie Bee's Rant:

     While the Republican presidential nominating process continues, looking more all the time like a circus sideshow, Republican consultant and strategy guru Karl Rove has recommended to Republicans that the 2012 presidential election should focus on Obama and his record, and not on the best candidate for the job. In other words, they want to run Obama against himself - a clever strategy, especially when you consider the Republican field. 

    However, if the election isn't going to be about the best candidate for the job, I've been thinking, why not put my cat, "Mr. L," on the ballot for President?  After all, he is handsome and poised.  He is honest, affectionate, and very loyal.  He is an independent thinker, and will never be influenced by lobbyists, special interest groups, or money.  He is great with people, never makes long speeches, and never makes promises.  He never flip-flops, except to have his belly rubbed.  He only sneaks around when food is involved.  He's conservative - isn't very open to change,  has no use for government or education, and is a poster boy for  pay-as-you-go health care.  He will do his job for room, board, and occasional treats. He will never pretend to be something or someone he's not, and best of all, he has no record at all. 

     Seriously, though, whether the election is a referendum on Obama or about the best candidate for the job - and I believe that it should be about both - in my opinion, President Obama wins on both counts.  In the less than three years that he's been president, our banks are solvent, our financial sector will soon be held accountable, the American auto industry is successful, the housing market is beginning to recover, unemployment is decreasing, American manufacturing is increasing, and bin Laden, along with several other terrorist leaders, is dead.  Furthermore, if the Republicans in Congress were cooperating with Obama to solve our nation's problems, the wealthiest Americans would be paying their fair share, the U.S. Post Office Department would not be in jeopardy, and many people would have jobs under the American Jobs Act.

     There is still much to be done, of course.  We, as patriotic Americans, can help by educating ourselves about candidates and issues, by voting in every election, by telling Congress to pass the American Jobs Act, by getting more involved in our communities, and by creating a demand for "Made in USA" products, 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, and also motivate companies who make their products elsewhere to make more products here.
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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!   

Note:  A follower of this blog recently commented that she was looking for "Made in USA" sheets and could not find any.  If anyone knows of a company manufacturing sheets in the U.S.A., please let us know!

Our "Made in USA" Shopping List:

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

Coffee Creamer

      ·         *Silk Creamer - Made in USA by White Wave Foods, Broomfield, CO

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

·         *French's Mustard - Made in USA by French's Foods, Reckitt Benckiser, Inc., Parsippany, NJ

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, 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 Bowlsand 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://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204012004577070223490916672.html

http://americaspeaksink.com/2011/12/karl-rove-weighs-in-on-presidential-election-at-walton-county-event-video/