Design problems / Lead Paint……How long has Mattel been in the toy business?? Shame on them!! They should know these things as absolutes, and not cut corners to shave a few pennies off of production costs!
I’m not infallible but I believe that these toys were manufactured initially in China and then shipped to the states where they were put together in the US, packaged, and then sent to stores. Mattel is going to be blaming the lead on China which has a track record of allowing lead and other toxic items into their production lines.
Hummmm… You know… If the United States actually “manufactured” anything here – this might not have happened…
Of course, Unions that demand huge payrolls for their members – rising medical costs to employers to provide their employees with security – Corporate GREED in trying to emass ungodly profits at the cost of our american jobs to other countries for cheap labor and tax evasions dictate otherwise.
This country makes nothing anymore – thousands of people put out of work to save a buck – Why is there no moral obligation of the corporations fortunate enough to have reached the “American Dream” to keep us employed, strenghten our economy and protect our own???
They would rather line their pockets with profits and farm out production to unregulated substandard cheap labor at our expense…
Of course, I’m sure they have “product recall” insurance and fancy lawyers to get them out of this unscathed…
All while telling consumers to “THROW OUT” the toys – instead of reimbursing hard working americans for their oversight. Even suggesting consumers purchase their own “LEAD TESTING KITS” – an additional expense incurred just because they screwed up and didn’t tighten regulations or inspections to prevent this from happening.
The general defense of the outsourcing of manufacturing is that companies based in countries that have little labor laws, for example minimum wage, working conditions, etc., will come into America and destroy American Companies by offering the same goods at far lower prices.
If that defense holds, then their argument is “What’s better, an American company manufacturing abroad or an American Company going out of business b/c the foreign competitor sells its products for far less?”
What could take care of the foreign competitor is tariffs. Increasing tariffs on foreign goods would help domestic companies compete with foreign rivals. However while increased tariffs would help domestic industry and increase government revenues it also serves to diminish the purchasing power of the American consumer. And if it is true that the “consumer culture” in America is powering America’s economy forward (which I believe there is no doubt that it is holding back a recession at the current moment), that it would mean that increasing tariffs could possibly increase the likelihood that it would weaken America’s economy since American consumers would purchase less of other goods when they are spending more money on tariffed items. In other words the opportunity cost of higher tariffs might just outweigh the benefits of protecting domestic industry.
The unfortunate by-product of this philosophical tug-of-war is that American companies have decided that its in their best competitive interests if they simply by-pass the cost of manufacturing here and outsource to countries with far lower labor costs (with not coicidentally far less labor protections) in countries like China for example.
I understand that my mini-book is probably not presenting a brand new theory which most of you are probably already aware of, but it might be necessary to say since there is a strong undercurrent of protectionism within this thread and on this site.
Here’s another idea: Think about the litigation climate here in the U.S. Look at the stickers placed all over the inside of your car and on your lawn mower and any power tool you care to pick up and…well maybe you get the idea. I agree with the rampant corporate greed here, and the obscene amounts of money that CEO’s (at least those that hit the news) seem to pocket, but in other countries the U.S. is a laughinstock with regard to our civil litigation system. Remember the tragedy Bhopal where a Union Carbide subsidiary accidentally released 40 tons of methyl isocyanate into the atmosphere, killing and injuring a huge number of the local population? Following that tragedy the Trial Lawyers were flocking to India by the planeload to get in on the feeding frenzy against an American company. Of course, as in most litigation there is a dispute as to the root cause of the tragedy…plaintiffs claim that Union Carbide was lax in its safety precautions and had located the plant in a dangerous area because of cost factors…Union Carbide alleged that the plant had been sabotaged. The point I’m trying to make, however, is that the litigation climate in the U.S. does not encourage development of new or innovative products and services, which is one reason that the U.S. is no longer the technological leader of the free world.
PLEASE!
STOP!
ARE YOU GUYS EATING THAT LEAD?
UNDERSTAND THIS: THE CHINESE CARE ONLY REPEAT ONLY ABOUT THEMSELVES
THE BUMS THAT CONTROL THAT COUNTRY..WELL..YOU CAN STILL CALL IT COMMUNIST CHINA BECAUSE THE CHINESE POLITICAL MACHINE CONTROL ALL THE (HERE IT COMES..)MONEY !!
AND IT’S WITH THAT MONEY THEY MAKE THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ARM THEMSELVES AND BUY TECHNOLOGY FOR THEIR OWN STAR WARS AND THE GOD HELP ALL OF US..BECAUSE WE’LL HAVE TO TAKE THEM OUT AND I DON’T MEAN TO A CHINESE RESTAURANT !
THEY MASQUERADE AROUND LIKE THEY WANT AN ENTREPRENURIAL (yeah, spelling) COUNTRY, BUT (LIKE ISRAEL) THEY HAVE NO INTENTION AT ALL OF GIVING UP EVEN AN IOTA OF CONTROL
SO..THE QUESTION IS, OH FRIENDS OF CHINA, ARE THEIR DOMESTIC TOYS LACED WITH LEAD ?
WHO IN HELL WOULD THINK THEY ARE?
The litigious nature of the American people is part of the reason that products in the US (everything from food to manufactured goods to cat food) are as safe as they are.
Whenever Government regulation fails us or when the production process of goods produces a higher rate of defects, the regulation (litigation) of the consumer can make those companies pay.
Now you could make the argument of a cap on the amount of money that any party can sue for in civil litigation. That is a different story. But the ability and willingness for people to sue is another line of defense in keeping companies honest and responsible. (the first line of defense being corporate integrity and the second, government regulations and oversight)
Design problems / Lead Paint……How long has Mattel been in the toy business?? Shame on them!! They should know these things as absolutes, and not cut corners to shave a few pennies off of production costs!
I’m not infallible but I believe that these toys were manufactured initially in China and then shipped to the states where they were put together in the US, packaged, and then sent to stores. Mattel is going to be blaming the lead on China which has a track record of allowing lead and other toxic items into their production lines.
Hummmm… You know… If the United States actually “manufactured” anything here – this might not have happened…
Of course, Unions that demand huge payrolls for their members – rising medical costs to employers to provide their employees with security – Corporate GREED in trying to emass ungodly profits at the cost of our american jobs to other countries for cheap labor and tax evasions dictate otherwise.
This country makes nothing anymore – thousands of people put out of work to save a buck – Why is there no moral obligation of the corporations fortunate enough to have reached the “American Dream” to keep us employed, strenghten our economy and protect our own???
They would rather line their pockets with profits and farm out production to unregulated substandard cheap labor at our expense…
Of course, I’m sure they have “product recall” insurance and fancy lawyers to get them out of this unscathed…
All while telling consumers to “THROW OUT” the toys – instead of reimbursing hard working americans for their oversight. Even suggesting consumers purchase their own “LEAD TESTING KITS” – an additional expense incurred just because they screwed up and didn’t tighten regulations or inspections to prevent this from happening.
America….what a country!
The general defense of the outsourcing of manufacturing is that companies based in countries that have little labor laws, for example minimum wage, working conditions, etc., will come into America and destroy American Companies by offering the same goods at far lower prices.
If that defense holds, then their argument is “What’s better, an American company manufacturing abroad or an American Company going out of business b/c the foreign competitor sells its products for far less?”
What could take care of the foreign competitor is tariffs. Increasing tariffs on foreign goods would help domestic companies compete with foreign rivals. However while increased tariffs would help domestic industry and increase government revenues it also serves to diminish the purchasing power of the American consumer. And if it is true that the “consumer culture” in America is powering America’s economy forward (which I believe there is no doubt that it is holding back a recession at the current moment), that it would mean that increasing tariffs could possibly increase the likelihood that it would weaken America’s economy since American consumers would purchase less of other goods when they are spending more money on tariffed items. In other words the opportunity cost of higher tariffs might just outweigh the benefits of protecting domestic industry.
The unfortunate by-product of this philosophical tug-of-war is that American companies have decided that its in their best competitive interests if they simply by-pass the cost of manufacturing here and outsource to countries with far lower labor costs (with not coicidentally far less labor protections) in countries like China for example.
I understand that my mini-book is probably not presenting a brand new theory which most of you are probably already aware of, but it might be necessary to say since there is a strong undercurrent of protectionism within this thread and on this site.
Unfortunately these Giant Corporations save a buck at our expense. When will this stop? This is unacceptable.
Here’s another idea: Think about the litigation climate here in the U.S. Look at the stickers placed all over the inside of your car and on your lawn mower and any power tool you care to pick up and…well maybe you get the idea. I agree with the rampant corporate greed here, and the obscene amounts of money that CEO’s (at least those that hit the news) seem to pocket, but in other countries the U.S. is a laughinstock with regard to our civil litigation system. Remember the tragedy Bhopal where a Union Carbide subsidiary accidentally released 40 tons of methyl isocyanate into the atmosphere, killing and injuring a huge number of the local population? Following that tragedy the Trial Lawyers were flocking to India by the planeload to get in on the feeding frenzy against an American company. Of course, as in most litigation there is a dispute as to the root cause of the tragedy…plaintiffs claim that Union Carbide was lax in its safety precautions and had located the plant in a dangerous area because of cost factors…Union Carbide alleged that the plant had been sabotaged. The point I’m trying to make, however, is that the litigation climate in the U.S. does not encourage development of new or innovative products and services, which is one reason that the U.S. is no longer the technological leader of the free world.
PLEASE!
STOP!
ARE YOU GUYS EATING THAT LEAD?
UNDERSTAND THIS: THE CHINESE CARE ONLY REPEAT ONLY ABOUT THEMSELVES
THE BUMS THAT CONTROL THAT COUNTRY..WELL..YOU CAN STILL CALL IT COMMUNIST CHINA BECAUSE THE CHINESE POLITICAL MACHINE CONTROL ALL THE (HERE IT COMES..)MONEY !!
AND IT’S WITH THAT MONEY THEY MAKE THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ARM THEMSELVES AND BUY TECHNOLOGY FOR THEIR OWN STAR WARS AND THE GOD HELP ALL OF US..BECAUSE WE’LL HAVE TO TAKE THEM OUT AND I DON’T MEAN TO A CHINESE RESTAURANT !
THEY MASQUERADE AROUND LIKE THEY WANT AN ENTREPRENURIAL (yeah, spelling) COUNTRY, BUT (LIKE ISRAEL) THEY HAVE NO INTENTION AT ALL OF GIVING UP EVEN AN IOTA OF CONTROL
SO..THE QUESTION IS, OH FRIENDS OF CHINA, ARE THEIR DOMESTIC TOYS LACED WITH LEAD ?
WHO IN HELL WOULD THINK THEY ARE?
The litigious nature of the American people is part of the reason that products in the US (everything from food to manufactured goods to cat food) are as safe as they are.
Whenever Government regulation fails us or when the production process of goods produces a higher rate of defects, the regulation (litigation) of the consumer can make those companies pay.
Now you could make the argument of a cap on the amount of money that any party can sue for in civil litigation. That is a different story. But the ability and willingness for people to sue is another line of defense in keeping companies honest and responsible. (the first line of defense being corporate integrity and the second, government regulations and oversight)