Patriotism In The White House - Important To Our Economy?

Minnie Bee's Rant

     Should our elected leader, the President of the United States, Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces, and unofficial representative of the "free world," be an American patriot?  How important is it for the President of the United States to be loyal to and 100 percent behind the interests of the country he is leading and the people he is representing?  How important is the patriotism of the President to American jobs and to the American economy?

     In my opinion, these are questions that we should be asking, and should be answered, in the existing dialogue about the present presidential election.  It isn't just about how or when paperwork was filed, or when a presidential candidate was an executive in a company that outsourced jobs, or whether the candidate keeps his money in foreign banks, although these are certainly  important facts.  It is also about electing a leader who puts the interests, economic and otherwise, of the United States over and above his or her personal interests.

     In our country, everyone - no matter what political party you identify with, or whether you consider yourself a conservative, a liberal, a moderate, or an independent - shares and aspires to the "American Dream," the idea that anyone, through persistence and hard work, can be successful.  Most Americans would agree that achieving success is a good, positive quality, and one that should be beneficial to the American economy.  Most Americans would argue that it is not good if you achieve that success by hurting your country or your fellow countrymen.

     In my last post to this blog, "Who Creates Jobs?" (July 2, 2012), I wrote about the way business in the United States used to be conducted, when CEOs earned a profit for their companies by creating innovative products and creating a demand for those products, in contrast to the way business is conducted now, when the majority of CEOs make, not earn, a profit by laying off employees, demanding that remaining employees do more with less and for less, and outsourcing jobs to cheaper foreign workers.  Therefore, these business leaders put their own economic interests over and above the economic interests of the United States.  They are unpatriotic.

     In his own business dealings, the current Republican presidential candidate (who will presumably be the Republican presidential nominee), former governor (MA) Mitt Romney, seems to agree with this latter way of doing business - the idea of making a profit regardless of the effect on one's country or countrymen.  In fact, in his latest campaign attack ad, Romney accuses President Obama of perpetuating the idea that business owners do not build their businesses alone.  Putting aside the Romney campaign's methods used for creating this ad, let's look, for a moment, at the ad's message: outrage at the very idea that someone would say that an American business owner did not build his or her business by themselves. 

     The flawed concept that a business owner or business CEO is a universe unto him or herself, that no one else helps a business owner or CEO to build a business and to achieve success in business underlies the lack of patriotism among most of today's business leaders, including Romney.  These business leaders fail to recognize that business owners and CEOs do not build their businesses by themselves.  Although they may be the people who are chiefly responsible for successfully creating and implementing a business idea, or for making a profit, they never do it alone.  The process of creating and building a business in the United States always includes some or all of the following entities and people: the United States government, which funds business development programs and finances business loans; banks and private investors who provide financing; the United States, state, and local governments, which provide  infrastructure in the form of roads, rail, and bridges for transportation of goods, and utilities and energy for the transportation and production of goods and services; employees who provide goods and services; consumers who purchase goods and services; the United States, state, and local governments which provide infrastructure in the form of transportation, public education, and public safety and security for employees and consumers, and, last, but certainly not least, the family and friends of the business owner/leader who provide support and encouragement.

     Business owners and CEOs in the United States do not build a business alone.  Even the misguided thinking of Romney is contradicted by his latest slogan, "We Did Build It."  "We," after all is a plural pronoun; it implies more than one (unless Romney is using the royal "We.")  A business does, in fact, take a village to build.  In the case of an American business, it takes our country, a state, and a locality.  It takes the sweat of many people. When a business is successful, those people, individually and as a locality, a state, and our country, those who helped achieve that success, should not be forgotten or abandoned. Above all, they should not be forgotten or abandoned by the President of the United States, who is elected to lead by Americans and who represents Americans .  The President should be our strongest supporter and our biggest patriot.

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Be a jobs creator with your shopping cart! 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 "Made in USA" 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 (produce) of the USA!

Note: We will continue to add categories, as well as make new recommendations for "Made in USA" product with new blog posts.

Minnie Bee's "Made in USA" Shopping List:

* = new recommendation

**= new category

Beverages  (not including coffee)

· 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

· Enviro 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

Clothing

· Beyond Clothing - Made in USA by Beyond Clothing, Seattle, WA

· Eagle Sportswear - Made in USA by Eagle USA, Wendell, NC

· Red Ants Pants - Made in USA by Red Ants Pants, White Sulphur Springs, MT

· Wearable Integrity - Made in USA by Barbara Lesser, Los Angeles, CA

· Bayside Apparel- Made in USA by Bayside USA (union), Anaheim, CA

· *icantoo Resort Classics - Made in USA by Pacico, Inc., Industry, CA

Coffee

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

·         Green Mountain Coffee, Caribou Coffee, Gloria Jean's Coffee (K-cups; check labels) - Made in USA by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., Castroville, CA

·         *Millstone Coffee (K-cups) - Made in USA by Millstone Coffee, Inc., Orrville, OH

Coffee Creamer

· Silk Creamer - Made in USA by WhiteWave Foods, Broomfield, CO

Computer Printer Paper

· Printworks Multipurpose Paper - Made in USA by Paris Business Products, Westhampton, NJ

· up & up Multipurpose Printer Paper - Made in USA by Target Brands,
Inc., Minneapolis, MN

· Hemmi Papilio Decal Paper- Made in USA by Hemmi Papilio Supplies LLC, Decatur, TX

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

· Heinz Tomato Ketchup ((check labels, not all bottles bear the "Mfd. in USA" statement!) - Manufactured in USA by H.J. Heinz Co., L.P., Pittsburgh, PA

Cooking Oil

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

Cookies

· Safeway Chocolate Teddy Bear Cookies, Grin & Bear It! - Product of USA by Safeway, Inc., Pleasanton, CA

· Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Baked Graham Snacks (all flavors) - Baked in USA by Pepperidge Farms, Inc., Norwalk, CT

Crackers

· Pepperidge Farm (all crackers, Goldfish crackers, and crisps) - Baked 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 /Produce of USA," including "locally grown" fruits and vegetables (as they come into season.)

· Clem'n Tina's Mandarin Oranges - Produce of USA by SunWest, Parlier, CA

· Classic Dover Strawberries - Product of USA by Mike Lott Farm, Seffner, FL (also other FL strawberry farms-check labels)

· Cuties Mandarin Oranges - Produce of USA by Cuties Cooperatives, Bakersfield, CA

· Apples/Pommes - Produce of USA by Rainier Fruit Company, Selah, WA

Fruit and Vegetable Wash

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

Hair Care Products

· California North Hair Care Products- Made in USA by California North, Sausalito, CA

· J Beverly Hills Hair Care Products- Made in USA by Juan Juan, Beverly Hills, CA

· Pureology Serious Color Care - Made in USA by Purelogy Research LLC, Irvine, CA

· Alterna Professional Haircare - Made in USA by Alterna Professional Haircare, Beverly Hills, CA

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

Milk and Milk Products

· Silk Soymilk - Made in USA by WhiteWave Foods, Broomfield, CO

Notebook Paper

· Roselle notebook paper - Made in USA by Roselle Paper Co., Roselle, NJ

· Top Flight 81/2 x 11 spiral notebooks (only) - Made in USA by Top Flight, Chattanooga, TN

· Smart Living notebook paper (only)- Made in USA by American Sales Co., Lancaster, NY

Notebooks, Spiral

· up&up spiral notebooks - Made in USA by Target Brands, Inc., Minneapolis, MN

· Basic spiral notebooks; Norcom composition books; Basic notebook paper, Norcom notebook paper - Made in USA by Norcom, Inc., Griffin, GA

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

Pencils and Pens

· Pilot Easy Touch retractable pens (only) - Made in USA by Pilot Corp. of America, Jacksonville, FL

· USA Gold "The Write Dudes" wood case pencils (only) - Made in USA by USA Gold (Mega Brands), Lewisburg, TN

· General's wood case pencils- Made in USA by General Pencil Co., Jersey City, NJ

Pizza, Frozen

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

Plates, Tableware

·         Fiesta Dinnerware - Made in USA by The Homer Laughlin China Co., Newell WV

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

Skin Care Products

· St. Ives 100% Moisturizer - Made in USA by St. Ives Laboratories, Inc.,
Los Angeles, CA

·         Mario Badescu Skincare (all products) - Made in USA by Mario Badescu, New York, NY

·         Neutrogena Body Oil - Made in USA Neutrogena Corp., Los Angeles, CA

Snacks

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

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

· Pepperidge Farm 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 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

Vitamins

      · vita fusion calcium gummy vites - Made in USA by northwest natural products,

         Vancouver, WA

      · up&up adults' gummy calcium dietary supplement with vitamin D; up&up calcium + vitamin D chews - Made in USA by Target Corp., Minneapolis, MN

      · Citracal with vitamin D plus magnesium tablets; Citrical calcium + D3 caplet;  Citracal calcium gummies with D3 - Made in USA by Bayer, Morristown, NJ

Blog Sources:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/20/mitt-romney-tv-ad_n_1688744.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/19/romney-obama-build-that-live    

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/24/us-usa-campaign-poll-idUSBRE86N05B20120724