Made in China

Yesterday, a flap was raised on Capitol Hill over the U.S. Olympic Committee's selection of Ralph Lauren as the official outfitter for American athletes' parade dress uniforms, which it turns out are made in China.  Congressional leaders of both political parties criticized the USOC's choice, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) going so far as to say that the uniforms should be "put in a big pile and burned."  Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said of the USOC, "You'd think they'd know better."  The USOC retorted that Ralph Lauren is an iconic American designer and brand, and that as one of the only National Olympic Committees throughout the world that does not receive government funding, it necessarily relies on -- and is grateful for -- the beneficence of its corporate sponsors.  Fortunately for the USOC, yesterday also saw the release of the Freeh Report on Penn State's culpability in the Jerry Sandusky affair, and so this PR firestorm did not get the media play that it might have otherwise.  Still, with the American textile industry long in decline, perhaps the focus should be on U.S. tax and trade policies that incentivize off-shore manufacturing.  It would also be interesting to inspect these same Congressional leaders' personal wardrobes to see what percentage carries a "Made in USA" label.