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April 20, 2008 at 08:32:45

Where's the Lie in What Jack Cafferty Said About the Chinese Government?

by Sandy Sand     Page 1 of 1 page(s)

http://www.opednews.com

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Before some people protest a TV curmudgeon's comments they should make sure they're not standing on quicksand to make their displeasure known.

AP reported that yesterday [April 19] 'throngs' -- estimated at between two and five thousand people -- [does that vast differentiation constitute a 'throng' or just a lot of people?] gathered in Hollywood to protest comments made by Jack Cafferty on CNN Sit Room on April 9, about the Chinese government and our relationship with it.

What took them so long?  Ten days to organize, or was it to find and pay secret agents to pretend they were outraged?

Cafferty, who describes himself as a curmudgeon, has long been know for not pulling punches and telling it the way he sees it said: "We continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export . . . jobs to places where you can pay workers a dollar a month to turn out the stuff that we're buying from Wal-Mart. So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed. I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years."

Although it's implicit the "goons" and "thugs" Cafferty referred to are Chinese officials, not the Chinese people, perhaps Cafferty could have made it a little more clear, but the protesters also should have figured that out.  I knew what he meant; they should have, too.

Calling Cafferty a 'liar", protesters want Cafferty's head stuffed into the mouth of a Chinese New Year's dragon or served up on a platter out of a Chinese restaurant to-go box and CNN to fire their fire-breathing dragon.

What did Cafferty say that wasn't true? 

We have a repulsive relationship with the Chinese government.  They own us lock, stock and chop sticks and our government allows them to sell us lead-tainted toys, dog food and medicines concocted in grungy rooms that are so filthy we wouldn't let our pets wander through them, but our government allows us to be injected with them.

We send our manufacturing over there and we have zero oversight on what kind of crap is in the crap they send back to us.

So, where's the lie?  Where's the slander?  All Cafferty did was to repeat what has been said a hundred thousand times in all the media.

If these proud Chinese-Americans want respect as they claim the do, then they, too, should be shouting down the Chinese officials who are sending us poisoned products that  they and their children use along with us, and not demanding Cafferty's head be thrown into a pit of quicksand of their own making.

 

Sandy Sand...Yes, that's her real name...as her mother did not have a sense of humor, she married the name.  She began her writing career while raising three children and doing public relations work for Women's American ORT (Organization for Rehabilitation through Training). That led to a job as a reporter for the San Fernando Valley Chronicle, a weekly publication in Canoga Park, California. In conjunction with the Chronicle, she broadcast a tri-weekly, ten minuted newscast for KGOE AM.


Follow the closure of the Chronicle's doors after serving the West Valley as a community newspaper for nearly fifty years, she moved on to be the editor of the Tolucan Times and Canyon Crier in Burbank.

She is currently frequent guest columnist whose articles appear in the Los Angeles Daily News.

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17 comments

Hater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired
John HanksHater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired

The lie is not in the negative attack on the Chinese crooks.

The lie is in pretending that we are not just as bad.  We are dealing with crooks without borders.

by John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 563 comments) on Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 9:15:41 AM
 


Live in Boston, Ma
Andrew LiLive in Boston, Ma

This is ridiculous. I heard the comment myself.

For  those of you who think chinese are too sensitive, just replace china with isreal and chinese with jews and imagine the responses he'd get.

It's always easy when the racial target are others...

by Andrew Li (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments) on Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 10:03:28 AM
 


McElroy is the publisher of TheWeekInCongress.com
Robert McElroyMcElroy is the publisher of TheWeekInCongress.com

Not so sure about this

It is a popular notion that the Chinese own us 'lock, stock' and whatever but China holds only half the US debt that Japan holds.

What also seems to be lost in this piece is putting some responsibility on the US and other companies that do manufacturing business there. It is only a short step back in the history of US companies to recall that they moved manufacturing out of the US to acquire cheaper products and those products would be cheaper because of lower labor costs and the absence of environmental and health-related oversight and other expenses they would have incurred had they kept the manufacturing in the US.

 

The process of gutting the FDA of inspectors and funds that began with President Reagan and was made into an art form under the Bush Administration. So themantle of responsibility falls on the US government along with the US companies.

The Chinese government has no responsibility to the US consumer but the companies having these products made in China do (or certainly should). They appear not to be taking that responsibility as evidenced in the import of dangerous foods and goods and that should not be a surprize. After all, they are manufacturing there to avoid that responsibility in the first place.

Cafferty made another scatter shot on this one by ineffectively targeting the Chinese government over US companies and the US government. In Chinese, the language that the Chinese government speaks, Americans are known as 'Mei Guoren' - Beautiful people.

 

by Robert McElroy (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 4 comments) on Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 10:36:36 AM
 


I am a 46 years old,married and have a 16 year old daughter.My hobbies are bicyling, weight training and off road motorcycling.I have lived in a midwestern red state my entire 46 years.Now that I have reached middle age I have become interested in politics and its related fields of study.I dont often think of things being either liberal or conservative,I like to veiw political events in an objective manner and find the agenda or reason that a bill or policy is brought to bear.Simply put seeking ...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Gary DensonI am a 46 years old,married and have a 16 year old daughter.My hobbies are bicyling, weight training and off road motorcycling.I have lived in a midwestern red state my entire 46 years.Now that I have reached middle age I have become interested in politics and its related fields of study.I dont often think of things being either liberal or conservative,I like to veiw political events in an objective manner and find the agenda or reason that a bill or policy is brought to bear.Simply put seeking ...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Cafferty and the Chinese

Cafferty is right, our relationship with China is just like a married mans relationship with a two dollar whore. The two dollar whore has sweet kids who need monetary support so you can justify his actions if you like.

America has in the last few years become obsessed with cheap labor and has become willing to ignore its own laws and principles to obtain near slave labor. Big business has fell in love with the cheap labor and lack of regulations in China because they can fatten their off shore bank accounts considerably. Millions should be marching on Washington protesting any trade at all with China.

by Gary Denson (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 185 comments) on Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 10:39:03 AM
 


Aging bleeding heart liberal who continues to believe in justice and the goodness of some people. I always have hope in a better fairer tomorrow. I do not understand the greed motivation,but I know it is seductive and pervasive.
cluelessflAging bleeding heart liberal who continues to believe in justice and the goodness of some people. I always have hope in a better fairer tomorrow. I do not understand the greed motivation,but I know it is seductive and pervasive.

Saving a Buck , Losing A War

 I stumbled on an article some months ago that stated that a critical component of our cruise missile ,the crystal in the guidance system, was no longer made in the US, by a small company in Indiana. The company was put out of business by the brainiacs at the DOD, who awarded the contract to a Chinese company. A small item but  what if we need to lauch a missile at a bonafide enemy. I am sure the Chinese are assuring the accuracy of one of our first line defense weapons. Has everyone lost their minds or just me. Or is a crystal just a crystal and need no speicifications.  Some one help me and get more information on the out sourcing of our ability to defend ourselves.

by cluelessfl (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 182 comments) on Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 11:30:26 AM
 


Christian tired of republican lies and smear campaigns.
lucydavisChristian tired of republican lies and smear campaigns.

My Hero! Sir Jack Cafferty

Thank all the gods that be!  If it weren't for truth-telling Jack Cafferty and Keith Olbermann, there wouldn't be anyone we could turn to for the unbiased facts.  It is so refreshing when these gentlemen appear on their respective programs, and we can relax and actually get the truth about what is going on in our world.

Unbelievable that we now are force-fed republican garbage by the five networks that are wholly owned and controlled by said republicans.  Anyone who believes, or practices, Freedom of Speech - had better have his armor- plated underwear on. 

 

 

by lucydavis (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 78 comments) on Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 12:51:14 PM
 


Global view is more important that just having a strong opinion.
H LeeGlobal view is more important that just having a strong opinion.

Here is still another view

Give me your rejects, your waste and your left-overs

American companies who should know better having been dumping stuff onto uneducated and unsuspecting markets for years ...

Want proof?

CIGARETTE SALES TO JAPAN JOLTED

By SUSAN CHIRA, SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK TIMES
Published: June 4, 1987

LEAD: The disclosure that 16,000 cases of Winston Lights cigarettes shipped to Japan contained illegally high levels of a herbicide could threaten a major effort to sell American cigarettes in Japan.

The disclosure that 16,000 cases of Winston Lights cigarettes shipped to Japan contained illegally high evels of a herbicide could threaten a major effort to sell American cigarettes in Japan.

The cigarettes, which contained higher levels of dicamba than are permitted by United States law, were not sold to Japanese consumers, although 45,000 packs were distributed to retailers as samples. R.J.

Reynolds Tobacco International, the distributor of Winston Lights, said that dicamba presented no health hazards.

Other tobacco companies and some consumer groups, however, are concerned that the publicity could shake Japanese confidence in the quality and safety of American tobacco just as sales of imported cigarettes are on the rise.

American tobacco companies have fought for years to break into the Japanese market. Two years ago, Japan ended the monopoly of the Government-owned Japan Tobacco Inc., but high tariffs still frustrated the
exporters.

Then last October, American manufacturers won an important victory when Japan agreed to eliminate tariffs of more than 20 percent on imported cigarettes, effective in April. In the last year, imports of foreign cigarettes have increased by 54 percent, with 80 percent of them coming from the United States.

But there is concern that Japanese consumers, famous for their attention to quality and their wariness of imported products, might now shy away from American cigarettes.

How about this one ....

Kodak, leading producing of film products had been involved in doing business in Japan since 1889. Yet it did not translate their box labels into Japanese until 1989.

Or this ...

GM didn't offer right hand drive vehicles in the Japanese market until 1997!! Not a significant technology but took them that long to get around to it!

And more recently (from New York Times)...

Japan Again Suspends Shipments of Beef From U.S.

By VIKAS BAJAJ
Published: January 21, 2006

Barely a month after it eased a two-year ban on United States beef imports, the Japanese government suspended the shipments yesterday after finding backbone, which is prohibited under a trade agreement, in veal sent by a Brooklyn meatpacker.

Don't just point the finger at China .. it seems to be the practice of greedy US companies too... and ...

If you have ever lived in a country outside the US, you find American products with contests and sweepstakes (only American residents can enter clearly marked on the box) with an expiry of less than six months on store shelves. It's actually a form of dumping - the contest is over in the States so we better sell it in a country that can't read the box!!

The point is one gets the feeling tha what can't be sold in the US gets sold or dumped elsewhere. So who's not playing fair???

 

by H Lee (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments) on Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 12:57:33 PM
 


Stanimal is a concerned citizen of planet Earth, wanting to promote fairness and harmony with fellow inhabitants.
StanimalStanimal is a concerned citizen of planet Earth, wanting to promote fairness and harmony with fellow inhabitants.

Let's all blame China, for our self created problems

It wasn't the Chinese people who brought the low paying jobs to their country, it was the multinationals that were looking for cheaper labor and to circumvents U.S. environmental laws. China happened to begin its transition at a convenient time for this offshoring to commence.

The examples that the media, this article included only focus on is .02% of the total imports the U.S. receives from China. The Chinese can point a finger at U.S. beef imports, as one example of casting stones in glass houses.

The U.S. consumer demands lower prices; which suppresses the living standard in China, and having Chinese companies resort to using supplies that are inferior. Companies have to make a profit whether they be Chinese or American. Who makes more on the transaction? I'll tell you that U.S. markups of 500% before retail are common.

Blame China all you want for currency manipulation, which is simply not true when the average Chinese family live on less than $800.00 per year. Most foreigners who visit China only see the largest cities and popular tourist sites, that represent a small fraction of the 1.6 billion population.

Mr. Cafferty should be reminded that the U.S. government of Bu$h & Co. are doing everything to its own citizens that he and you accuse the Chinese government of doing to theirs.

The whole "Free Tibet" issue is absurd when you consider the history of China-Tibetan relations go back over 1000 years. The entire U.S. history is one of illegal occupation based on lies, mass-murder of innocents, and subjugation of a native lands inhabitant's.

Why can't we all just get along?

by Stanimal (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 209 comments) on Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 7:41:31 PM
 


I'm just a small town cowboy who likes to fish and swim, but not for a living. I work a corporate job by day and I'm a poker player by night.
Tracy McGradyI'm just a small town cowboy who likes to fish and swim, but not for a living. I work a corporate job by day and I'm a poker player by night.

Re:

This whole Tibet thing has really brought out the racism in people hasn't it?

It's not the Chinese people who are doing anything wrong, they're no different than anyone else. They're not the ones putting anti-freeze in toothpaste, they're not the one filling toys with lead products. It's all capitalism greed and a handful of sleazy Chinese CEOs who are responsible for all of that, yet the internet is so quick to slander 1/7th of the entire world's population.

I thought the internet was suppose to be non-bias and free from propaganda crap, I guess that's a non-issue. People in China are upset because you're slandering their country and ruining a great moment in their history. Wouldn't anyone be? Not to mention that the boycott of the Olympics is completely stupid. It won't affect the Chinese government, they don't give a ****. So what if countries decide to boycott the Olympics, they're not gonna lose out. But the people, your average joe on the street's gonna lose out big. And they're mighty upset and they have every right to be.

And please, don't talk about "Oh, we can produce better quality crap here in America or Canada, we don't need your cheap stuff" because that, is just utter nonsense. Of course we can produce better crap, but our better crap costs a lot of money. Have you seen stuff in tourists shops? Like Made in America sweaters, or coffee mugs? I've seen those sweaters sell for $60-$70 in shops, yet just a generic one made in China would cost half of that. So before you all go yelling about how you'd prefer homemade goods, think about it. Do you really want to pay that much, and not only that, but who's gonna work in the factories? You? Do you think any one here would rather have a factory job, standing in front of a machinery pressing buttons and making sweaters? Or would they rather have a nice desk job at an IT company? There's a reason why factory jobs are being shipped off to outside countries, it's because there's a dwindling trades force in first world countries. Very few people are taking trades in university and college, everyone's going for Business and Computer Science degrees.

Sandy: that computer screen you are staring at was made in China, and the clothes on your back were made in China. Unless you decide to get rid of them and everything else in your home that has "Made in China" stamped on it, I really don't see how you can criticize an entire country without being a hypocrite.

by Tracy McGrady (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments) on Monday, April 21, 2008 at 2:31:57 AM
 


Lynn Hirshman is a writer who is also the Executive Director of the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association. Her passion for social justice is matched only by her passion for the renewable energy that may yet save our planet.
Lynn HirshmanLynn Hirshman is a writer who is also the Executive Director of the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association. Her passion for social justice is matched only by her passion for the renewable energy that may yet save our planet.

Factory work

No one is learning trades in this country because all the manufacturing jobs have gone overseas. The numbers of students in computer science classes at American universities have also dropped precipitously, because IT jobs have also gone overseas.

I have heard interviews with families who have had generations work in various manufacturing plants in the US, only to have their jobs go abroad and their communities struggle. They would be delighted to have high-paying factory jobs once again.

by Lynn Hirshman (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 22 comments) on Monday, April 21, 2008 at 11:41:27 AM
 


Making sense. Living happily.
Jerome HunterMaking sense. Living happily.

Jack Cafferty's trick

Sandy: I’m sorry but I have to say that your article is too shallow to convince anyone who can think; furthermore, you seem convinced by Jack Cafferty without any forward thinking.  Let’s ask, who in fact design, “quality control” the junks we’re importing?  Who profit from this indeed?  The cheap labors in China?  Is everything we import from China junks? (think your beloved Coach bag made in China.) Why “our government allows us to be injected with them”? Jack Caffery didn’t tell you anything about these but diverting the anger towards the Chinese with his classic crowd-pleasing trick: calling them names, making fun of them, to make the majority viewers feel good.  Does it make you feel better if you throw an egg to your rival who just defeated you? Sure, it does. There are a lot of angry people out there in the US.

 

Jack Cafferty is neither an activist, nor an economist. He is rather a tacky TV celebrity who likes to flaunt and ridicule with a bad mouth, and a lot of times, illogical thinking.  He is often conceited with prejudice and acts as a bad Donald Duck. Sadly, we learn the world by overly watching the television and movies. The information received is often distorted or dramatized. 

 

Sandy, you don’t want to be a political comedian like Jack. You want to become a fine columnist. Make sure to validate your assumptions by asking some questions.

 

by Jerome Hunter (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments) on Monday, April 21, 2008 at 2:34:04 PM
 


Stanimal is a concerned citizen of planet Earth, wanting to promote fairness and harmony with fellow inhabitants.
StanimalStanimal is a concerned citizen of planet Earth, wanting to promote fairness and harmony with fellow inhabitants.

Ms. Hirshman, there is no such thing

as high-paying factory jobs, that's why these jobs were off-shored in the first place. All I ever hear people complain about is how China "Stole" these jobs, which is simply not true.

Put the blame where where it belongs, with the multinationals, which think a CEO's pay & perks are the only thing that produces a profit for a company. There are few ethical standards for business where the CEO can make only 10x more than the lowest paid worker. What ever happened to profit sharing, medical insurance and a pension that's not raided by management?

These are days past, in the USA, and 13,000,000 manufacturing jobs left China last year for Indonesia, Thailand and India, where people like "Freidman" think they welcome these same jobs that most of America came to despise. I can assure you that the same feeling applies to these Indonesian's, Thais, and Indian's who do these jobs today while their environment is trashed from lack of environmental standards.

Since Americans demand lower prices, and the only way to achieve it is by finding the worker who's willing to be paid the lowest and live in toxic squaller while western CEO's lavish themselves with the immoral gains.

White collar workers of IT, Accounting & Financial Services and Architecture & Engineering, are also jobs now being out-sourced and off-shored as the developing world taps its raw newly educated labor pool. Which is only going to put more pressure on a already badly hemorrhaging US economy.

You can thank the US administrations since the 1970's who have slowly dismantled the New Deal of the 1930's which the greedy privileged few despised.

Get ready for a living standard equivalent of Mexico, as the SPP accords are signed and the consolidation of the North American Union continues. the $ will further depreciate with the illegal occupation of Iraq as Bu$h & Co. prepare to do the same with Iran.

I think Jack Cafferty's remarks apply to American official's more when you see how mis-guided US foreign policy has bankrupt the country and "Terrorized" the world.

 

by Stanimal (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 209 comments) on Monday, April 21, 2008 at 3:08:19 PM
 

 

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