Sunday, October 30, 2011

Bye America: What Do We Tell the Scouts??


When I am not musing on DOD energy policy, programs and machinations, I try to run a business advising commercial entities on what that market looks like and what it is likely to do.

With many of the manufacturing and technology companies, I am asked about the Buy American Act. As in everything DOD, it is intricate, convoluted and understanding it will make your head hurt. I could explain it here, but somethings come with a price tag.

That being said, I couldn't resist the photo shown above, sent in by an alert Scout. Literally. The most American of groups (the Scouts) visited the most American of buildings (the Pentagon) and bought a memento of their visit. That it was a tool for conserving resources (water bottle) was secondary to having something from the Most Admired Institution (the Military).

If only it could have been made in Canton, Ohio instead of Guangdong, China.

1 comment:

Dave Buemi said...

I believe you tell the scouts that it is a global economy where many common products are produced in multiple countries. Just look at that iPhone. But on purchases where national security is involved, where supply chain integrity is paramount, sending money to China and other potential trade dispute nations makes for bad policy. With renewable energy, buying wind turbines and PV modules from overseas is repeating the same security and flow of money issues that we have currently from buying oil from the Middle East and other less than friendly countries.