Who Creates Jobs?

Minnie Bee's Rant

(Ed. Note:  We have been off the grid for the past two months due to family issues, most notably a death in our family.  We are happy to be back!)

     Since the present recession began, a topic that should be studied and discussed much more than it has been is job creation and just who creates jobs.  Republicans maintain that it is not government's place to create jobs; they say that job creation is the place of the private sector within the structure of the free market.  Most Republicans believe that state governments should cut personnel to save money, and that the federal government should help the private sector to create jobs by lowering corporate taxes, decreasing regulation, and reducing tax rates for well-to-do Americans, who, they say, are the job-creators.   

     But is one of the goals of  the private sector to create jobs?   Obviously not.  Former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-AR) recently stated on a network television talk show that it's not the purpose of business to create jobs; the purpose of business, Huckabee said, is to "make a profit."  This is the real agenda of corporations and the wealthy people who run them.  Making a profit is how the wealthy people who didn't inherit their wealth became wealthy.  Corporations, and all business, are about making a profit, and making a profit does not necessarily equal job creation.  In fact, realistically, the single-minded pursuit of making money in today's business environment is at odds with job creation. This is the flaw in leaving job creation to the private sector - at least as business exists today. 

     Republicans, however, aren't entirely wrong about job creation; they're just ignoring, or out of touch, with the values of most American businesses today.  At one time, the way that American businesses made a profit was to come up with a new product or service,  create a demand for that new product or service, and then, supply that demand by hiring American workers to make the new product or provide the new service.  This was a win-win situation for everyone.  New jobs were created, and with money in their pockets, American workers consumed the products and services offered by American businesses, and the American economy thrived.

     Unfortunately, this is not the way most American businesses are making profits today.  Today, most American CEOs, following the methods used by Mitt Romney and his colleagues at Bain Capital, have found more immediate shortcuts for making a profit.  These methods include laying off workers, demanding that those employees who are not laid off do more with less, and outsourcing jobs to countries with cheap labor and minimum to zero regulation.  These shortcuts work to increase profits, but work against the American economy by decreasing American jobs.

     Most Democrats maintain that it is primarily through the creation of American jobs, particularly jobs that pay a decent living wage, that the American economy will be revived.  They believe that state governments should hire more teachers to educate our children, and more firefighters and police to maintain and support our infrastructure and keep us safe. They also believe that the federal government can help to create jobs not only through hiring government employees, but through government-funded projects and programs that replace, rebuild, and refurbish infrastructure, such as highways, bridges, dams, and public buildings. This was the over-arching concept behind President Obama's American Jobs Act that Republican lawmakers, opposing the involvement of the federal government in jobs creation, blocked in Congress.

     Should the government be a jobs creator?  I seriously doubt that Americans who have been unemployed for three, six, or 12 plus months care whether they are hired by the private or the public sector.  These people need jobs, making enough to support themselves and their families, having health care benefits for themselves and their families, and restoring faith in themselves and their country.  During the Great Depression of the twentieth century, President Franklin Roosevelt and Congress worked together for the benefit of our country to make the federal government a temporary jobs creator.  Known as the "New Deal," these government-funded projects and programs worked to put the American economy and the American people back on their feet, while benefitting the U.S. infrastructure in ways that we are still using and enjoying today.  We can do this again, if Republican lawmakers in Congress step up to the plate, and put country before politics.

     And what of the private sector as a jobs creator?   Contrary to popular belief, much of the private sector, as President Obama recently said, is "doing fine."  In fact, financial,  automotive, energy, and retail markets are all making record profits.  They're just not creating many American jobs.  The private sector needs to step up to the plate and start putting our country before pure profit.  They need to start earning a profit, not just making a profit. They need to start earning a profit through American invention, innovation, and ingenuity, as they did before.  They need to bring outsourced jobs back to the USA, and fill those jobs with American workers.  They need to come up with new products and services, create a demand for those products and services, and create U.S. jobs by hiring American workers to make those products and provide those services.  With politicians putting country before politics, and American business putting country before profit, Americans will be back to work, the American economy will be robust, and we will all do well.

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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

· 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

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

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 - Made in USA by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., Castroville, CA

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 caplets; Citracal calcium gummies with D3 - Made in USA by Bayer, Morristown, NJ

Blog Sources:

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/06/president-obama-says-the-private-sector-is-doing-fine/

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2011/index.html