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Made in the USA Foundation founder Joel Joseph on the controversy over Team USA’s Olympic uniforms being made in China.
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Outrage over teen USA is Olympic uniforms being made in China.
New York senator Chuck Schumer today calling on the -- US Olympic committee to scrap the current uniforms and replace them.
With once made in the states ahead of the opening ceremonies which happened on July 27 here to -- and -- Joseph co-founder of the made in USA foundation.
Dole thanks for coming in tonight let me tell our viewers are on fire about this I want to read you wanted -- -- emails.
-- from Nashville Tennessee says this Ralph Lauren is millionaire.
He should apologize take back the garment and make a huge contribution to buy USA made clothing what -- your reaction to this announcement.
Well it was basically the same.
I was outraged but you know this is happen before.
Every Olympics it seems to be that people wake up and see that all the -- Olympic souvenirs for the US Olympic Committee are made overseas.
And wonder why that happened.
I'll come I want -- me why can't we learn from this and move on and actually make this stuff here in.
Come -- the stakes are so high here this is high profile this is the US strutting its stuff why can't we do it.
Been in garments made right here and and with -- selling -- kids that are made right here I mean come on we get a lot of people out.
-- -- We can definitely do it and I talked to -- -- who's the CEO of American Apparel.
American Apparel is the largest manufacturer in the United States with 5000 workers in in Los Angeles making clothing.
He agreed that he could make all of the Olympic.
Where right now in five days wow called ground floor he called Ralph -- today to let him know that he would do -- form.
Wow well showed can be it.
Can be done here can be done quickly.
And now that's one of the big advantages of manufacturing in the United States you can turn around products quickly.
Aren't we know we all your friend of we're trying to get him on the show because we want to talk to a it's a big question.
It can you make this apparel hear more cheaply or at least competitively -- wanna share some numbers on that.
US textile jobs to climb between.
January 1990 march 2007.
The numbers go down dramatically from 962000.
To 224000.
That is a 75%.
Drop why is that is that because US workers are just too expensive and you can't make these goods at a fair price.
Now US workers can make it at a fair price part of the problem -- Chinese currency manipulation have caused.
Garments from China to be much cheaper that is changing now.
I do think we should put.
Countervailing tariffs on Chinese products we just worked with the the US solar industry to get 31% -- put on solar panels because China.
Was illegally subsidizing solar panels.
And I think the same thing how sad -- and they in the apparel and just.
And probably the administration wanted to promote their companies their backing in the solar panel industry but that aside.
Let me show you don't actually actually the companies the companies that push for in the solar industry like solar world.
Did not receive one hour from now may well -- it be that as it may.
A -- -- -- some of the prices on that these teen USA ceremony unit for forms and then public 2000 dollars to women almost 15100.
These are huge numbers.
I could only speed and made cheaper here I mean at the end of the day you look at this kind of expenditure it just seems extravagant.
Well this extravagant and me out the shoot -- -- right now is one that President Obama wears -- made in the United States in Chicago.
By -- chapter and marks and I think I -- 600 dollar sports is certainly in a large quantity it would be cheaper than that and cheaper than the ones that are coming from China.
I want you to respond to something we got from Sheldon who evidence that not only are the USA Olympic uniforms made in China so -- USA flax.
Now that's upsetting what do you say that.
Well the best flag manufacturers are in the United States and I really don't think we should allow flag should be imported American flags to be in Florida important in this country.
You put it up for a vote before the US congress I don't think you'll have one congressmen.
Voting to say we should have imported flags.
It's as simple the United States just like the Olympic uniforms are a symbol -- the United States.
What can only do though I mean at the end of the day.
A lot of people regular Americans -- talk to a lot of people -- the street asked them what should happen on this issue.
And some of them told us we're thrown in the towel its over American manufacturing and it's just not competitive what do you say to them tonight.
Well actually that's not true American manufacturing has break then bring the economy back obviously the economy's not the strides that should be.
But just to give you one example American Apparel the -- -- mentioned.
-- sales were up 16%.
From June of this year over June of last year so they're they're growing a lot of companies are growing.
And digest just earlier this month we gave.
I made in the USA hall of fame award for the companies that brought back jobs and master lock was one that want to -- brought jobs back to this country.
We've heard their story -- -- -- -- on this network I believe Jill thanks for coming on tonight keep fighting the good fight that we really wanna see these.
These goods and services -- this apparel made in the USA thank you so much really appreciate your time.
Thanks.
