Huckleberries Online

Chadderdon: Buy US Flags Only

Posted by DFO

March 17, 2009 5:22 p.m. • 33 comments

Rep. Marge Chadderdon, R-Coeur d’Alene, persuaded the House State Affairs Committee to introduce legislation today to require that whenever any Idaho state agency, college or university, or local government agency in Idaho purchases a U.S. flag or an Idaho state flag, it must be one manufactured in the United States. She estimated that any cost to the state from the bill would be “negligible.” Her bill states that if a non-U.S. made flag is purchased with state or local government funds in Idaho, that purchase would be “null, void and of no force and effect.” “They’d have to ship ‘em back,” she said merrily/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. More here.

Question: Your reaction to this bill?

33 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

hhuseland on March 17 at 7:30 p.m.
I think she is right. Somewhere along the line, we are going to have to stop the bleeding. This is a small step, but why not use patriotism as a lever?
hmoffsuite on March 17 at 7:33 p.m.
I agree, Herb. A step in the right direction.
Stickman on March 17 at 7:36 p.m.
They have to be made in the U.S. Period.
Fishwife on March 17 at 7:59 p.m.
Stupid bill. Simply eyewash for a lightweight legislator who has not introduced one significant bill in her tenure.
Escapee on March 17 at 8:15 p.m.
Is this the kind of legislation that taxpayer dollars should be spent on? I think we can all see the inherent contradiction involved in the purchase of an American Flag made in another country, for cryin’ out loud…
Duffer on March 17 at 8:25 p.m.
I’m inclined to agree with Fishwife although I’ve always maintained that when they go down there, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

We don’t need more senseless legislation just to make a Legislator try to look good.
sue on March 18 at 6:43 a.m.
fluff.
LukeB on March 18 at 7:27 a.m.
Someone needs to calculate the amount of taxpayer money wasted in preparing this bill.
Cabbage Boy on March 18 at 8:07 a.m.
Gotta agree with Fishwife here. Seems rather fluffy and feel-good. I agree with the premise, but are they actually gonna try and enforce it? What a waste.
sue on March 18 at 8:32 a.m.
This is the kind of decision the chief executive, or the governor, could make without legislation. It’s pure political theatrics that only fools a few. Why don’t they work on something that really benefits our lives?
Sisyphus on March 18 at 10:01 a.m.
Thom mentioned somewhere that the KootCo Republicans handed out little flags last July fourth that were marked “Made in China”. Maybe Gary could recall.

This is ludicrous considering we’re almost a week away from when the legislature should end, tons of work left undone and this bill gets introduced. I’m thinking it probably violates a few treaties. And I’m curious on the fiscal impact in a time when we’re slashing budgets and firing workers.
Kage_Mann on March 18 at 10:15 a.m.
I find it extremely ironic that we allow a communist country like China, to make our flag which is a symbol of freedom and everything we hold dear in this country.

I like the bill, but I’m more patriotic than the one from the Boise area.
Cabbage Boy on March 18 at 10:21 a.m.
Sis, that was two years ago. They made sure not to repeat this mistake last year.
hmoffsuite on March 18 at 10:30 a.m.
Sis. Not buying American made flags was, no doubt, a mistake that won’t be repeated. However, that is pale in comparison to the democrats using flags and throwing them in garbage cans at the convention in Denver last year.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080906170557AA0wfM2
Phaedrus on March 18 at 10:49 a.m.
But the mistake was repeated, first in 2007 and then again in 2008. And some research into the story about flags thrown out in Denver will reveal that the flags had been bagged and were awaiting proper disposal when they were taken by individuals with an agenda and promptly turned into a PR stunt. Learn the truth it will lend credibility to your opinions.
cantyoureadthesigns on March 18 at 3:00 p.m.
This is great news for the sweatshops in the Northern Marianas, a US Territory, where mostly immigrants from the Philippines make all kinds of goods, mostly textiles, labeled MADE IN USA.

I mean, c’mon why should Idaho taxpayers have to pay $16 a flag made in, say, South Carolina, when they can buy them from the Northern Marinas, for half that price?
Sisyphus on March 18 at 3:07 p.m.
True enough CYRTS. And I recall their champion in Congress was Abrahmof. He secured much money from his Chinese clients there for many politicians including our Republican federal delegation and even the Idaho Republican Party although that was either ‘04 or ‘06. You know, before the conviction. Maybe this is the payback.

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.