The War On Women Is An Economic Issue

Minnie Bee's Rant:

     Because the purpose of this blog is to focus on jobs creation and the economy, I have been reluctant to discuss social issues, including the ongoing, so-called "culture war" over the reproductive rights of women.  However, upon reflection, I realize that women's reproductive rights and the war on them, are also economic issues.

      If an employer refuses to cover the cost of contraception, and contraception is also not covered directly (as President Obama wanted) by a health insurance company, it isn't a big deal for a wealthier woman, who more than likely has the ability to pay for contraception out-of-pocket without it being much of a burden.  But if a woman is poor, then chances are, she won't have the financial means to pay for contraception.

     If a woman is a victim of rape or incest, or for any other medical or personal reason wants to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, and she is a wealthier woman, no matter what the law in her state, she will have the financial means to go out of state, or even out of country (as many wealthy women did before Roe v Wade,) in order to have an abortion.  A poor woman in the same situation will not have the financial means to do this.  Likewise, if the law of a state requires that a woman submit to an unwanted and unnecessary medical test, such as the recently passed ultrasound bill in Virginia (aside from the issue of the constitutionality of such a test,) a wealthier woman will have the financial means to pay for the testing; a poorer woman may not have the means to pay for the testing.

     If the result of the war on women's reproductive rights is that women, and specifically poor women, have no right to plan their pregnancies, then who pays for housing, feeding, clothing, educating, and caring for their unplanned children?  Why, first and foremost, the mother, of course.  If a woman and her child are fortunate, than they have the help and devotion of a caring father, as well.  But all too often, this isn't the case.  If a mother is wealthier, caring for an unplanned child may be an inconvenience, but not an impossibility.  But when a mother is poor, and particularly if she is poor and uneducated, which is often the case, then she hasn't the means to care for a baby by herself.  In these cases, who pays for the unplanned children of the poor? The only recourse for mother and child is the social safety net.   If the social safety net has holes - and it does - then the poor mother and her child/children are s-o-l.

     The war over the reproductive rights of women is indeed cultural, religious, and political. The victors are the perpetrators of this war - primarily men who are on the attack for their own personal agendas - whether to fuel religious fervor, to get votes, to sell books, or to raise the ratings of their talk shows. More importantly, however, the war on the reproductive rights of women is economic.  Sadly, the victims of this war are our mothers, aunts, sisters, and daughters - unfairly and undeservedly objectified, even labeled "sluts" or worse; as usual, those who are suffering most are women who have the least - poor women and their children.

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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 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 have added some new categories - mostly non-food items.  In the coming weeks, we will continue to add categories, as well as make new recommendations for "Made in USA" products. 

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

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

·         Office Depot notebook paper - Made in USA by ???

·         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

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

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