[kellynla]

American made toys:
http://www.toysamerican.com/
http://www.turnertoys.com/made-in-USA/american-made-toys.htm

[mysterio]

Can’t wait for the shills to show up and defend this.

[xtinct]

Purchase * Made in America * toys and pet items O.N.L.Y.

Why would you put someone/something you love in jeopardy?

[cripplecreek]

Michael Reagan speaking about his father

Sure, he was a free trader who wanted too open up trade, but he always sought first to protect the sovereignty of the United States and its manufacturing base. He did not confuse free trade with giving the store away.

[MediaMole]

The Consumer Product Safety Commission warned the candles should not be used because of the fire hazard they pose.

Flammable candles -- there's a first.

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

a new report shows the average Chinese worker making toys is paid a meager 36 cents an hour – just 2.5 percent of what U.S. toy manufacturers pay domestically.

If the cost of living in the US and China were equivalent, this comparison would be relevant. A far more relevant question is whether or not the Chinese factory workers are earning enough to provide for their families. In general, they're not -- and that's a far more morally-compelling statistic.

[M203M4]

I don't care if they are paid 1 cent a year and work 23 hours a day uphill in both directions without shoes - so long as they are working there of their own free will.

However, I do stay away from cheap Chinese goods which have been shown or appear to be toxic, dangerous, or otherwise unacceptably substandard. "Made in China" to me means "buyer beware" even moreso than usual.

As for the 'American jobs' argument, don't blame China or the consumer. 100% of the blame belongs to the government for imposing tax and regulatory systems which are domestically ruinous, especially under the conditions of international trade (where a tax arbitrage opportunity is presented). Labor costs are a small fraction of the picture, basically negligible compared to taxes. Replacing income (including corporate) taxes with a flat consumption tax would mean an equal levying of taxes upon domestic and foreign goods and labor. Outsourcing and offshoring would reverse themselves overnight.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

“the average Chinese worker making toys is paid a meager 36 cents an hour –”

And that would be 36 cents more than these workers would make if they wern’t working anywhere.

[mnehring]

This isn’t a comment on China and trade, just on the title of the article. There have been a lot of articles over the past that promote this misleading idea. Chinese paid .34c per hour. What they don’t say is what does that translate into purchasing power in China. The left loves to use titles like this to play on sympathies, yet they have no perspective.

I recall in the 80s a big fuss over Nike in Vietnam paying workers something like 10c per hour. What the article didn’t state is that in the Vietnamese economy at the time, the average worker made 2c per hour, so working for Nike greatly increased their lifestyle and caused there to be high demand for Nike jobs in Vietnam.

[GSWarrior]

What is the average hourly wage in China? What types of jobs would these workers have if the weren't employed in toy shops?

Before I start wringing my hands, a little more context is needed.

[BurbankKarl]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6733564947664645042

[DustyMoment]

China's Toy Sweatshop Pays 36 Cents An Hour

Gee, I wonder what they pay at a REAL sweatshop!!??

[Hi Heels]

Yes, and their rent is the equivalent of $8 a month. The point is???

[Lexinom]

I can say with a clean conscience that I have purchased only non-Chinese-made goods as Christmas gifts this year. Not all American made, but I did avoid China - and that is buying gifts for people ranging in age from 2 to 72.

[seoul62]

Simple, cheap toy: small or medium empty cardboard box and a pack of crayola washable crayons. I gave this to my toddler and she loves it, beats those made in china - Baby Einstein Toys, which I spent a pretty penny on. My late Father was right: sometimes a simple cardboard box does the trick./Just Asking - seoul62.......

[traviskicks]

the average Chinese worker making toys is paid a meager 36 cents an hour

So? Good for US consumers! (and apparently good for the chinese worker, as they choose to work there)

[JACKRUSSELL]

(Please FReepmail me if you would like to be on or off of the list.)

[azhenfud]

A novelty! A Christmas tree candle that mimicks the real thing! it burns!