While everyone is thinking about Michael Jackson, government health care, and Kim Jong Il, I'd like to bring up an article a friend sent to me. It's a few months old but certainly not stale.
It seems, Pennsylvania-based Cannondale Bicycle is moving production to Asia. Here's the link. This sparked some thought for me as I can proudly say I'm a hard-working, middle-class American. I'm not a huge fan of Pennsylvania (being an independent Confederate state and all), but I need to make a point, here. A few years back, I purchased my second Cannondale bicycle. The selling point for me was that the product was handcrafted in the USA. It wasn't built by a series of robotic arms in some factory overseas. It was made right here, in the good old USA by people like me and you.
Now, parent company Dorel (a Canadian outfit) has announced it will be sending its work to Asia. Dorel just happens to be the parent to such brands as Schwinn, GT, Dyno, and Mongoose. I grew up with these names and remember them standing for American quality. In fact, my first real bike was a Mongoose 20" BMX. I never had a Huffy or a Murray or any other throw-away toy bike after that. On September 11, 2001 (ironically), Schwinn and GT were sold to Pacific, a Dorel brand. Since then, I've seen bikes bearing the names of Mongoose, Schwinn, GT and Dyno in places like Target, Dick's, and Sears. I understand Wal-Mart carries these as well. Is Cannondale the next one to go?
The loss of Cannondale to overseas production signifies the "last of the Americans". Sure, people still build bikes here. Most of them are hand-made in small shops by people who understand craftsmanship and hard work. However, as far as big names go, I'm pretty sure it was the last one.
Now, I'm not opposed to foreign-made goods, altogether. I doubt you could live life in our Nation without owning something made in another country. I'm typing this on a computer built with Japanese and Chinese parts. Do Apple, Dell, or IBM actually mass produce anything here?
Many Ford and GM cars are built in Canada and Mexico. Toyota? They're built in places like Huntsville, Alabama; Georgetown, Kentucky; and San Antonio, Texas. Does it get more American than that? I'm more inclined to buy a product built by American men and women from a Japanese company than I am to buy a product built by Canadian men and women from a U.S. owned company.
It wasn't the middle-class Americans that created this financial mess. It was the selfish, arrogant, white-collared upper class. They're the ones that designed products with a high failure rate (guaranteed supply/demand) and lent money to folks that couldn't afford it.
Sorry to be such a curmudgeon. I'll work on a lighter hearted topic next time.
