China Product Recalls Continue - Christmas Toy Nightmare

Almost every day there is another recall of a product that is made in China. If United States consumers ever needed evidence that there is a downside to globalization, now they can see, first hand, how cheap is not always better. While I have not heard reports in the mainstream media yet about how these Chinese recalls will effect U.S. toy retailers like 'ToysRUs', in reality their business will suffer greatly this Christmas shopping season as terrified parents and grandparents find other gifts for their loved ones. A friend told me yesterday that almost every toy he saw in our local 'ToysRUs' retail location had a 'Made in China' label attached to it. For decades U.S. business has been moving manufacturing overseas because of cheap labor. Now as the old saying goes, 'the day of reckoning has arrived' and large and reputable companies like 'Mattel' are going to suffer long term damage because of their desire to avoid U.S. labor and regulation and have their products made in China.

For a long time, millions of Americans have fought, unsuccessfully, against good paying American jobs being eliminated and shipped overseas. Now it is turning out that not only were they right about what this trend was doing to middle class families, but also globalizion could very well be killing our next generation of Americans because of the need for greater corporate profits. Over 30 years ago most Americans learned the dangers of lead in paint and shortly thereafter the government order the removal of lead from paint that is used in a home environment. Apparently, laws in China have not caught up with this fact, so paint manufacture there still contains lead and to make matters worse, that lead based paint has been used to add color to toys that most kids eventually put into their mouths. I am amazed that more U.S. politicians have not sounded the alarm and demanded the federal government do more to stop these dangerous products from entering the U.S. via China.

In less than two (2) months it will be Christmas morning and millions of young children will be waking up to see what 'Santa Claus' brought them this year. Unfortunately, there will be few toys left behind by dear old saint nick this year and at least part of the reason will be globalization and the need for even greater profits by some U.S. corporations. In this modern day and age I never thought that a problem which should be been eliminated 30 years ago would once again be effecting the health of American children, but that is exactly what has happened. When will U.S. leaders start to lead and demand changes in toy production in China before any more toys can be imported from there? Where are congressional leaders on this issue? Right now, I am not hearing anywhere near the outrage over this lead paint in toys issue as the steady flood of 'get out of Iraq' resolutions which continue to go nowhere in Congress.

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