Buy American?
Here’s a conundrum; should we buy American even if we can get similar quality products less expensively from overseas manufacturers? It’s complicated. Keep Americans employed producing higher-priced products or support the free trade agreements. Can it be balanced? Take one product: vehicle tires. The price of the raw materials is roughly the same to quantity buyers. But the manu process overseas uses lower-waged workers, and may even receive state subsidies for their manufacturing, resulting in lower prices … even with the cost of transportation. Are the American people ready to pay higher prices for similar products just to keep Americans working? I fear not.
Earmarks, schmearmarks; pork by any other name is still pork. It appears that the disclosure rule, which was to restrict non-disclosed earmarks, is not going to apply to those who missed the deadline set by the House Appropriations Committee. Earmarks were to be disclosed on the congressperson’s official web site no later than April 4. Suuuuweeee!
You’ve read about the recent difficulties that the Pope has had with some of his Cardinals, right? Well, as a group/organization they are being diluted from within. According to the Archbishop of Freiburg, Chairman of the Catholic bishop’s conference of Germany, Robert Zollitsch, Christ “did not die for the sins of the people as if God had provided a sacrificial offering, like a scapegoat.” As I recall, Jesus death and resurrection are central tenets to the Catholic (and Christian) faith. Denying this foundational truth obviates all the Bible and its teachings. Pray for the Pope; he has his hands full.
On a positive note: Standing for her faith, Miss California, a contender for Miss USA, answered the question regarding the legalization of same-sex marriage in all states. To which she answered, “I think it’s great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land that you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage and, you know what, in my country and my family I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anyone out there, but that’s how I was raised and that’s how I think it should be between a man and a woman.” Standing for her faith cost Ms. Prejean the title, according to Pageant judge Perez Hilton. Ms. Prejean … thank you for being true to your faith.
Blessings.