4th of July: Made in China?

Today, Stand Up For Steel, a coalition of the United Steelworkers Union and America’s major integrated steel companies, launched a print ad campaign in Iowa in an attempt to bring attention to our nation’s lagging manufacturing base.

“On July 4, as America is celebrating its independence, we’re becoming less independent,” Terrence Straub, senior vice president of public policy and government affairs for U.S. Steel Corporation, said in a prepared release. “Our manufacturing jobs continue to disappear while this country increasingly relies on countries like China to provide products previously made in the United States.

“As we lose our independence, our national security is at stake. Specialized products such as titanium, nickel-based alloys and specialty steels are vitally important to the U.S. military platform, but our unwillingness to hold countries that cheat accountable on their unfair trading practices is eroding our ability to produce these products here at home.”

The U.S. trade deficit with China was $84 billion in 2000. It currently stands at over $225 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Such increases in the deficit are having devastating impacts on trade laws through illegal subsidies, currency manipulation and dumping, says Straub. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports American manufacturing loses 49,000 jobs each month; more than 3 million since 2000.

China issued a new steel policy in 2005 and indicated it would continue to own and subsidize steel industry production and control fundamental aspects of the industry. The United States is China’s number one target for its steel exports, according to its National Development and Reform Commission, a subject of the Committee on Ways and Means in February.

“In this campaign, we’re urging voters to talk with the candidates about the national security implications of losing our manufacturing base,” said Thomas Conway, international vice president for United Steelworkers. “Our next President must commit to strong enforcement of our trade laws to ensure a level playing field for American workers. When America loses jobs due to unfair trade practices, America loses its ability to produce the materials that it needs to defend itself.

“This country has preserved freedom around the world on the backs of the men and women who work in our factories — the same factories that are being closed because no one is forcing China to play by the rules.”

Recent poll results show the issue of trade, manufacturing and the national security implications of our eroding industrial base are important to Iowa voters. Both Republicans and Democrats in Iowa rate manufacturing job loss, the trade deficit and the China threat as serious concerns for this election.

The ads feature the above graphic and read as follows:

Today, we need to celebrate our independence, not lose it.

(Tell the Presidential candidates America deserves a real Independence Day.)

We hear a lot about national security from our Presidential candidates — but none of them will tell you that one day we may depend on foreign manufacturers for our national security.

That’s right — as America increasingly depends on foreign-built products, our manufacturing base continues to erode. The same manufacturing base that supplies the equipment our troops need to keep America safe.

This Independence Day, Americans need to ask our Presidential candidates to do more than just talk a good game and sit on their hands while China and other countries cheat on our trade laws with illegal subsidies, currency manipulation and dumping.

They’re taking America’s jobs — 49,000 a month in manufacturing alone.

Today is the day we’re supposed to celebrate our independence. But every year, we’re becoming less independent.

Tell our Presidential candidates that America needs to start enforcing the trade laws and safeguarding our national security.

After all, what better day than today to start standing up for America’s independence?