A BIGGER PICTURE

Wow, the truth will set you free. Open up your eyes a bit and you’ll notice a few ugly things going on right now. You can be upset about made in Mexico or made in Canada, but you’re missing the sad local truth. If you get a chance to fly out of our airport here in Minneapolis/St. Paul, take a look who is driving the cabs. When you check your bags at the curb who is handling them, when you go through the security check point who is standing there? Chances are they are not U.S. born. The sad truth is that they are making under $10.00 per hour and not many of us are willing to put up with that type of stress for that kind of money.

When you get up in the morning and open up your milk to pour in your coffee or cereal you can almost be guaranteed that if you have Land O’ Lakes on the label that it was packaged by a Latino. If your coffee wasn’t grown in Latin America or Central America it was probably grown in Africa. Now we have a Kona coffee that is grown in Hawaii for those really concerned, I find it really bitter so I go for the Columbian stuff. Tyler likes the Malt O’ Meal cereals, but once again blended and packaged by a Latino. Made in America now days has no borders, this would be part of that NAFTA stuff and the sad truth is that if you shut down the border to shipping, you flood our borders with illegal’s. We could pay the employees at these company’s more money and hire only U.S.A. born employees, but because of education and a need for computer literacy it is really hard to find people who are willing to work for less. The higher paid employee means a higher cost; the U.S. auto maker’s are dealing with this right now as I type. If it cost’s more money for a lesser product who is going to buy it, not Larry he has a Toyota and he’ll tell you how it is the greatest car ever manufactured in the world, (he use to own a metal fabrication shop here in the U.S. and buy’s foreign car), why, his Camry is better and our U.S. auto makers will admit it. Now to make that same car here in the U.S. you would have to increase the price by $8,000 to $10,000, that would be either Pontiac or Lincoln that even comes close.

So, the problem is more than just buy made in America, you can’t. What can we do to fix this? This is the next big challenge, if we close our borders to goods, we will be slammed with immigrants who will work for less. My good friends we are soon going to see a world dollar similar to the Euro, and just maybe the end of the U.S.A. as the greatest nation.

President Clinton Signs NAFTA
Congress approved NAFTA in November 1993 and the agreement went into effect on January 1, 1994, again please note, he was not my president. This I fear was a HUGE mistake made before Bush Jr.

J-Me

Comparing Products & Prices

In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy or do affects someone else - even their job. After reading this email, I think this woman is on the right track. I know I will accept her challenge! See if you don't feel the same way!

I am a big one for price & product comparing and it's true...USA made stuff is less expensive and have the same ingredients etc. Store brand foods are cheaper too; many are packaged and distributed by 'brand name' companies right here in the U.S.

Deb

*My grandson likes Hershey's candy. I noticed, though, that it is marked made in Mexico now. I do not buy it any more.

*My favorite toothpaste Colgate is made in Mexico now. I have switched to Crest.

*You have to read the labels on everything.

*This past weekend I was at Kroger. I needed 60 W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets. I was in the light bulb aisle, and right next to the GE brand I normally buy was an off brand labeled, "Everyday Value." I picked up both types of bulbs and compared the stats - they were the same except for the price. The GE bulbs were more money than the Everyday Value brand but the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that GE was made in MEXICO and the Everyday Value brand was made in - get ready for this - the USA by a company in Cleveland, Ohio.

*So throw out the myth that you cannot find products you use every day that are made right here.

*So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets... Yep, you guessed it, Bounce cost more money and is made in Canada. The Everyday Value brand was less money and MADE IN THE USA ! I did laundry yesterday and the dryer sheets performed just like the Bounce I have been using for years and at almost half the price!

*So my challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA - the job you save may be your own or your neighbors! If you accept the challenge, pass this on to others so we can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time!

Stop buying from overseas companies!

(We should have awakened a decade ago...)

Let's get with the program.... help our fellow Americans keep their jobs and create more jobs here in the U.S.A!

Just some thoughts....

#1 I've noticed things have slowed down here on the blog. Did I offend whoever left that really loooooooong entry by saying I fell asleep while reading it? I wasn't serious when I said, "Keep this crap off the blog".

#2 What rights did we lose as gun owners?? My neighbor owns many guns.....I asked him...and he said....none....that he could think of..

#3 In the past several months....my mortgage is down, my homeowners and car insurance is down (State Farm), my union dues are down, my property taxes are down (not for long...Pawlenty's in control of the budget), my anxiety level about world affairs is down, my paycheck is up and so are the investments, and we received the biggest federal tax return we've ever received...........so, for all of this........who do I thank??

#4 Class size is up.....Pawlenty again....35 or 36 fourth graders next year....

#5 Adam is quite the pitcher......threw 60 pitches in tonight's game....wish you could all watch him....all the skill and athleticism I never had....and he's the best bunt-er in the league....

Rich

Tom and Huck (Dad and Sam)

So I'm doing laundry on Saturday and start emptying Sam's jean's pockets...What I found:

• 2 rocks
• piece of yarn about 3 inches long
• nickel
• dime
• silver thimble
• matchbox tractor
• fortune cookie fortune that says: "You have enough energy and enthusiasm for 2 people"

Made me laugh outloud - was that Sam's pocket or Jim's pocket I cleaned out??? : )

Have a great day! Sandy

*I found Jeanie's DORK TAG!

Here's one for ya

"The will does not choose between good and evil; it is its choice, rather, that makes it good or evil."

I said a lot of things Rich.

Look familiar?

John said

And in the end, the love you take is equal to love you make.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICH

Happy Birthday.......I'd call you now to remind you that you are getting old but I realize its early and you need all the sleep you can get!
Love ya!
Deb

Soldier Boy

Tyler recieved a Unit coin today from his First Sergeant for showing the qualities of a highly motivated soldier, he was 1 of four, then got smoked and had to do 150 push-ups, sit-ups, and all the other fun stuff, he puked. Proud of my boy.

Nice picture Jamie

I have been laughing so hard about this all morning. Doesn't Jamie look cute