Home Depot accused of violating the "Buy American Act".

[James48]

Source: Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The photograph on Home Depot's website shows a line of smiling soldiers unloading a truck stacked with power tools and other company wares.

The company says this shows "federal dollars go farther at The Home Depot." San Francisco Attorney Paul Scott says the photo also shows the company providing Chinese-made products in violation of the Buy American Act, and the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating.

A federal judge in April refused Home Depot Inc.'s bid to toss a whistle blower lawsuit Scott and other attorneys filed against the Atlanta-based company. Now the country's largest home improvement retailer is the latest company accused of running afoul of the Buy American Act, a 1933 law aimed at protecting U.S. jobs. The law requires that all materials used in construction of public projects originate in the United States or "designated countries."

Read more: http://beta.news.yahoo.com/home-depot-accused-violating-buy-american-act-153134139.html

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We couldn't fight a war today if we needed to without tons of supplies from China. It's a sad, sad state of our country.

[MineralMan]

1. It's getting tougher to find power tools not made in China, these

days. I doubt you'll find many at Home Depot, anyhow.

[hootinholler]

5. They used to carry Milwalkee

I'm not sure they are still made there.

-Hoot

[MineralMan]

10. Most, if not all, Milwaukee tools are now made in China.

Search Google for Milwaukee tools China.

[pasto76]

6. have you heard what the right wing reply to that is?

"the quality of chinese products is improving all the time!" Which may be true as you consider that most of what people have been comsuming the last 20 years is chinese made...however, that isnt protecting american manufacturing.

[MineralMan]

11. I don't give a crap what the right wingers say.

I'm saying that most tools in Home Depot are made in China. That's just the fact. Ryobi? China. Milwaukee? China. Makita? China. Not many tool manufacturers here any more. More's the pity.

[msongs]

2. Home Depot would be empty if it took out all the made in china stuff lol nt

[Populist_Prole]

3. One wonders just what "designated countries" means

My guess is any in the WTO. Even if not, I'm sure the definition can be expanded at will to include any cheap labor nation state.

[formercia]

4. Speaking of Public Funds:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4897095

[Gman]

7. I talked to a right wing road construction company owner about the stimulus

and he admitted that at the time, stimulus money was the only thing keeping his company afloat. He said he didn't like it at all. He complained profusely about, among other things, having to show that he complied with the Buy American Act. I just said, "Well you know, the stimulus is intended to keep people working and create jobs. It sounds like that's exactly what's happening." I said I realized it was probably a pain in the rear to do the paperwork for the Buy American Act, but I said it sounds like that's helping keep his suppliers in business too. He just said, "I know, but I still don't like it."

[Populist_Prole]

9. "I know, but I still don't like it" = Cognitive dissonance is giving him an ulcer

What you get when an ideologue can't handle reality.

Wow, what a douchebag he is.

[primavera]

8. We couldn't wipe our asses today...

... without supplies from some third world sweatshops or another. Unfortunately, having given all of our money to the nation's billionaires, none of us can afford to buy anything made by anyone other than a third world sweatshop slave.

[Rosa Menti]

12. We couldn't fight a war today if we needed to without tons of supplies from China.

Which should make war with China very interesting...hope I don't live to see it happen.

[robcon]

13. Stupid law. It should be repealed.

n/t