Chocolate, Whiskey and More at the Union Store
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Last week, the UAW published a list of 2010 union-made cars, trucks, vans and other vehicles. It’s also Union Label Week, which we hold annually to highlight how union-made goods are high in quality and help support middle-class communities. These two events reminded me: Making a case for Buy American means we in the union movement need to do our job and show U.S. consumers how and where to buy American, and buy union.
Or at least we can try. I’ve seen an awful lot of brand-new BMWs, Mercedes and Lexus brands of all types driving around here in Washington, D.C., recently. Something tells me my money helped purchase those vehicles—no doubt some of the drivers are beneficiaries of taxpayer-bailed out financial institutions.
Still, not everyone is laughing all the way to making high-end purchases of foreign-made goods with U.S. taxpayer dollars. And for those who still have a conscious that can be appealed to, this list is for you.
Tell Bill O’Reilly to Buy USA-Made T-Shirts for His Patriot Store
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We heard Bill O’Reilly is having trouble finding American-made T-shirts to sell in his Patriot Store. We know he’s heartbroken because, after all, what good is a Patriot Store if its products are made in El Salvador or Haiti? (Especially if you’re selling red, white and blue “American Patriot” T-shirts, like the one on the left.)
We heard he can’t find made-in-the-USA T-shirts because O’Reilly said so himself (h/t to D-Day). In his “Mailbag” segment on May 22, O’Reilly took the following question from Stewart Hollins in Rio Rancho, N.M.:
Mr. O, great looking mugs. Terrific bold and fresh shirts. Where are the items made?
And O’ Reilly responded:
Mugs are made in the USA, Stewart. The shirts in Central America. We cannot get the volume of shirts we need made in America, sadly.
Actually, Bill, you can. And not only American-made, but union made. And there’s nothing more patriotic than buying the products made by the heart of America’s working middle class.
Our Picks for Holiday Gift-Giving
Now more than ever, this holiday season is the time to support our flailing economy with holiday gifts that are union made and made in America. The AFL-CIO Union Shop OnlineTM offers CDs, DVDs, books, buttons and more. Our blog and Web team has assembled our favorites here. Items ordered no later than Dec. 17 are guaranteed for delivery in time to be wrapped and ready.
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Mike Hall’s pick: If you’re like most of us this holiday season, thrifty will trump extravagant during your shopping adventures. But for under $25, I came up with a fun-and somewhat practical-six-piece, activist, pro-union gift set. Or, if you’re into quantity, you can wrap each one individually.
For just a buck each, you get the now classic “Kickin’ Ass for the Working Class” button along with a “Fight Ignorance, Not Immigrants” button and the Mother Jones “Sit down and read. Educate yourself for the coming conflict” bookmark.
