Stimulus? U.S. to buy Chinese condoms, ending Alabama jobs

[babylonsister]

U.S. move to cheaper Chinese condoms threatens American jobs
By MIKE McGRAW
The Kansas City Star
In a move expected to cost 300 American jobs, the government is switching to cheaper off-shore condoms, including some made in China.


Call it a condom conundrum.

At a time when the federal government is spending billions of stimulus dollars to stem the tide of U.S. layoffs, should that same government put even more Americans out of work by buying cheaper foreign products?

In this case, Chinese condoms.

That’s the dilemma for the folks at the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has distributed an estimated 10 billion U.S.-made AIDS-preventing condoms in poor countries around the world.

But not anymore.

In a move expected to cost 300 American jobs, the government is switching to cheaper off-shore condoms, including some made in China.

The switch comes despite implied assurances over the years that the agency would continue to buy American whenever possible.

“Of course, we considered how many U.S. jobs would be affected by this move,” said a USAID official who spoke on the condition that he would not be named. But he said the reasons for the change included lower prices (2 cents versus more than 5 cents for U.S.-made condoms) and the fact that Congress dropped “buy American language” in a recent appropriations bill.

Besides, he said, the sole U.S. supplier — an Alabama company called Alatech — had previous delivery problems under the program.

more...

http://www.kansascity.com/637/story/1100966.html

[2Design]

1. there is a product you don't want from chinese - can not chance defects n/t

[LisaL]

12. Well they are very strict on having a limited number of children

per family-they should be making good condoms.

[pampango]

17. Could be a tough call. 2 1/2 times the number of condoms to fight AIDS vs. 300 American jobs.

"(T)he sole U.S. supplier — an Alabama company called Alatech — had previous delivery problems under the program.

It’s clear that Alatech’s problems over the years, which apparently have been resolved, may have driven U.S. officials to seek much less expensive foreign-made condoms in the first place."

"The agency also said 12 countries had declined free Alatech condoms under the program. But Povlacs said the reason for that was design, which was dictated by the government, not quality. Povlacs said Alatech never was told directly that some countries wanted a thinner condom, more like those sold commercially."

"USAID officials maintain that tests have shown that Chinese condoms hold up well against those made in the U.S. and elsewhere."

I support efforts to promote condom use particularly in the Third World as one means of combating the spread of AIDS. If condoms work, and I think they do (I disagree with the Pope on this) and China and South Korea produce good one more cheaply, it comes down to how many more lives can you save with more condoms and at what cost to American jobs.

[nichomachus]

19. Will they actually get 2 1/2 times more condoms

or just get the same number cheaper so they can give more money to Wall Street?

[ShortnFiery]

2. Oh this is the last straw!

Talk about being SCREWED in more ways than one! :grr: :crazy:

[Towlie]

3. I won't buy them. They'll be too tight and might cut off my circulation.

[ShortnFiery]

6. Stereotype much!

I'm not being critical. Only surmise that you watched Carlos Mancia's Racial Stereotypic Olympics? :blush:

[Occam Bandage]

26. Having been to China, yes, the condoms are smaller.

Or at least the ones I purchased there were. Not that it matters, except as a matter of comfort. Maybe Chinese guys just like knowing the thing isn't never, ever, ever going to come off, ever.

[nichomachus]

18. Yeah -- right. I had a friend

who taught safe-sex education to teenagers. Without fail, there would be one or two guys in each session who would brag that they were sooooooo big that the condoms wouldn't fit. Without fail, my friend would open one of the regular condoms he had with him and would unroll it over his hand and arm. Then, he'd hold it up and say -- "If you're bigger than that, you aren't going to be getting any sex to begin with." That usually ended it.

[mudesi]

31. Not Bragging, Honest

But I've had several condoms be too tight for me. It depends on the brand, I guess.

[mudesi]

32. .

[rurallib]

4. is this the definition of irony?

[Kalyke]

5. They want to buy condoms from a country that has supplied products

that have killed our pets, killed their babies, poisoned our own people and, well, fallen apart in the washing machine after two uses?

What, does the U.S. Agency for International Development WANT women to get pregnant? Consider the dog food fail rate and tell me these condoms would bust on a regular basis.

[nichomachus]

21. Do not, repeat, do not

wash your condoms in the washing machine more than once -- no matter where they come from.

[nichomachus]

23. Unlike the US, where a company knowingly sent out poisoned food

sickening and killing people and still no one has gone to jail for it.

Remember the peanut recall -- the murderer who ran that company is still a free man.

At least the Chinese hold their manufacturers to accountability -- sometimes with extreme prejudice.

[NightWatcher]

7. when I think birth control, "china" doesnt pop in to my head

and I'm not getting cheap ones either. This isnt an area to go cheap.

[nichomachus]

22. Come to think of it, neither does Alabama

Number 45 in education, number one in mercury pollution -- the American dream.

[krispos42]

8. And the empirical proof that Chinese-made condoms are effective is...? n/t

[Enrique]

9. how long before someone gets their dick shredded

by the defective Chinese condom with shards of glass in it.

[panader0]

10. My girlfriend would bong me on the head if she found me with a condom.

[Mist]

11. Wow, lead poisoning of the dick, followed by pregnancy for your partner. Hmm, not a good deal. nt

[Gin]

13. melamine in the condoms...may help to keep things stiff.....just thinkin

[Belial]

14. Great.. Just frigging great..

[OhioChick]

15. If China is going to be making condoms now...

Expect preganancy and disease to go through the roof....according to their track record.

[Deja Q]

35. Worse, we're screwed.

Eh, and not in a good way. :eek:

[Stevenmarc]

16. Chinese Condoms, now with Mandarin Orange flavor

[flvegan]

20. Wait a minute...our GOVERNMENT is offshoring jobs to China?

Show of hands...who specifically is getting fired over this decision, and when will it be reversed?

[Deja Q]

36. Easier to transport if made over there, and which country has the population problem?

I'm ambivalent over this issue.

[Vinca]

24. Who in their right mind would trust a Chinese-made condom?

But that's not the point. The point is American jobs are being lost as a consequence of actions by the federal government. This stinks to high heaven and deserves the same amount of outrage as AIG bonuses.

[Laelth]

25. Some countries refused free Alatech condoms?

Because the company made them so thick the user couldn't feel anything when wearing one? I don't blame the government for looking for condoms that people will actually use.

:dem:

-Laelth

[slutticus]

27. Chinese Condoms???? Shit. I guess i'd better start picking out baby names.......

[Deja Q]

34. Made out of lead, you don't know what sort of crushing effect it'll have on one's willy

:hurts:

[AwakeAtLast]

28. "Honey, what's that burning sensation on my penis?"

Wow. :wow:

[carlyhippy]

29. hopefully those will not end up contaminated with melamine

hey doesn't melamine help stiffen plastic?! LOL who needs viagra?

[sarcasmo]

30. We don't make anything anymore, one of the great problems for this Country.

[Deja Q]

33. Abstinence and anti-cheating provisions, anyone?

:evilgrin:

[4lbs]

37. Alabama? You mean Senator Shelby's home state? The state that went overwhelmingly for McCain?

BFD.

[4lbs]

38. dupe.

n/t

[lightningandsnow]

39. Hmm....if this allows them to distribute more condoms, maybe it's a good thing?

Not everyone has easy access to condoms and other sexual health services.

I'd have to be assured of the quality, though. :shrug:

[jmm]

40. The same state that bans sex toys makes billions of condoms

:shrug: