Pentagon's attitude on U.S.-made baffling
The front-page story in the July 14 issue of Plastics News, ``Defense bill could mandate `Made in USA,' '' was very perplexing. I had a difficult time understanding the attitude of the Pentagon officials with regard to spending U.S. tax dollars on defense tooling ``Made in the USA.'' Suzanne Patrick's quotes are certainly classic with respect to paying premium costs for U.S.-made tooling. Where does, ``We have to be judicious with our resources'' come from? Judicious is a new government term to me. She goes on to say, ``Putting more money into tooling and other programs would mean less money for research and development, and could spell job cuts elsewhere in the defense industry.'' While these jobs may have some importance, they are not manufacturing jobs.
Manufacturing jobs and national security are paramount to the well-being of the United States' people. As your article states, more than 2 million manufacturing jobs have been lost in the past three years. In my state of Pennsylvania alone, an average of 200 manufacturing jobs are being lost each day, seven days a week as reported by the PMA Legislative Bulletin. At this rate our country's manufacturing base will disappear in the near future. Somehow, the bleeding has to stop. The Defense Department and our elected government officials must recognize the importance of the U.S. metalworking industry and its importance to our national security by supporting a plan of 100 percent ``Made in the USA'' defense tooling.
David W. Lewis Sr.
Matrix Tool Inc.
Fairview, Pa.
The `China factor'
is an opportunity
Having returned to the office subsequent to exibiting at NPE, it appears that the media is obsessed with the ``China Factor'' and what American mold makers think of it. The only strategy that appears to be presented as an action plan is for the government to make changes to policies.
Whatever happened to rugged individualism and the entrepreneurial spirit that created America? How about being innovative and becoming more efficient?
The China Factor should be considered an opportunity to the slumping mold-making industry. We have the technology that is perhaps six to eight years ahead. If you follow this ill-fated strategy to march on Washington, change policies and impose import duties on foreign goods, you might as well bury your collective heads in the sand and wait until the government makes everything right. Make sure you turn off the lights in the plant because you will have nothing left except your complaints.
Nicholas Durante
Profine Molds Inc.
Mississauga, Ontario