2002 Romney Run Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City Bought Uniforms from Burma....Where's the Story?

[louis c]

I talk to white male blue collar workers Over 50 years old every day. They are "knee jerk" in their hatred for Obama. This is Obama's toughest demographic.

They are outraged at the 2012 Olympics buying uniforms for our athletes from China.

Here's how my conversation goes. "What do you think of the Olympic uniforms being manufactured in China". Their answer is invariably "disgusting". They, unknowingly, think the government has something to do with the Olympics. I then say, "you know that the Olympic committee is privately funded through donations from American citizens and is independently and privately run. The government has nothing to do with it." They say they knew that (whether or not they did).

It's like fishing. They have the "hook". "Now that you find it awful and un-American to buy Olympic uniforms from China in the Summer of 2012, do you know where the Olympic committee bought the athletes uniforms in the Winter of 2002 when Romney was running the Olympics? Burma. Now what do you think of your guy?"

It's a winner with a demographic that would cinch the election if we can move white males over 50 years old by just 5 points. This issue can do it. With the olympics coming up in England, the attention will be heightened on the subject. Let's get it out there.

I beg the Obama team. Please use it.

Link to Burma Story in 2002:
http://www.monitor.net/monitor/0202a/copyright/olympicsweatshop.html

[2pooped2pop]

1. someone also pointed out that even though Mittens claims

he left to "save" the olympics, that he did so with huge amts of govt. money and still left them in the red. I don't know how accurate it is, but it might be worth finding the facts on to add to this story of the uniforms.

[Not Me]

2. I had a similar conversation on Friday with a co-worker

Her: Isn't it horrible that the US Olympic team uniforms are coming from China.

Me: It is a little distressing, especially since they could be made here. But that's what happens when the Olympic committee which is private gets to make that decision. (She looked a little puzzled.) You do know that they are not funded by the government?

Her: Well, yeah, but the government should at least require that the uniforms be made HERE.

Me: So you think the government should regulate a private business and tell them where they can do business.

Her: (seeing where I am headed) well, in this case, yes.

Me: Let me ask you something. Do you shop at Walmart? (I said knowingly).

Her: Yes, I do my grocery shopping there, and usually stop in for something or another during the week.

Me: Don't you find that a little hypocritical since most of their products are imported from China and other low wage countries?

Her: No, I am just trying to find the best price I can.

Me: Hmmm. Let me ask you one more thing. Have you decided how you are going to vote this fall?

Her: Mitt Romney...DEFINITELY not Obama.

Kill me now.

[denvine]

8. Isn't it amazing how these people can't connect the dots!

What is wrong with them? Oh yeah, the awful combination of hatred, ignorance and greed.

[pipoman]

3. No concern for the underlying issue, eh?

Blue collar was for decades in the corner of the Dems...until the Dems decided to follow the same corporate pied piper as the thugs. Dems have abandoned labor and scorned the poor...expected from the thugs, disenfranchising blue collar has made elections take broad swings. If Dems would stand up and deny the corporatist's their trade agreements and fight, once again, for blue collar, blue collar would overlook the Dems pandering to the other social and economic lobbies which are counter to the beliefs of the blue collar..the labor party is dead..no crying over lost votes..

[louis c]

4. Here's the choice

I agree that the Dem party has moved away from workers' rights. but when we chose DLC candidate Clinton over Labor friendly Dick Gephardt, that's the voters' fault, not the "Dems".

My choice is between a party that disappoints me or a party that's committed on destroying me.

In that case, I can live with disappointment.

[pipoman]

5. I think a lot of blue voters

vote for the other side because neither side is doing anything to help them, in favor of 'globalism' which the dems are always in agreement with the thugs. If that is true, the thugs are more in line with their religious beliefs, gun issues, gay issues, etc. Want blue collar voters? F-ing stand up for US workers, call for re-negotiation of trade agreements requiring trading partners to be firmly committed to improving working conditions and moving toward US standard of living instead of pushing US workers toward 3rd world standards...watch them flock to the voting and watch the thugs sink...but alas, the prize given dems , individually, by the global corporatist is too great to resist..

[YBR31]

6. Was this decision made AFTER Romney became involved?

[jberryhill]

9. It wouldn't have been made by Romney's organization anyway

The OP does not seem to understand that Romney was managing the organization which hosted the games - not the organization which runs the US team.

[jberryhill]

7. Uhm... Romney wasn't running the USOC

Romney was CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee - i.e. the organization responsible for putting on the games. He wasn't running the USOC - the organization responsible for the US team.

Where you want to look is at who received contracts to do what for facilities management, construction, etc. The SLOC wouldn't have had anything to do with where the US team got its uniforms.

[louis c]

11. Romney had plenty of say on where the uniforms were made.

He could have "jaw boned' the purchase of the uniforms from Burma.

It was not just out-sourcing, but doing business with a country so bad to its citizens, at the time, that they were sanctioned from doing business in many countries (read the link).

I guess this was another job Romney had where he could take credit for the good, but find others to blame for the bad.

Just like the poor little rich kid he was a child.

A bully in high school.

A chicken-hawk during Viet-Nam.

A heartless lying "Gorden Gecko" during his business years

and a double talking scam artist now.

No more excuses.

[jberryhill]

12. He had nothing to do with management of the US Olympic team

The organizing committee isn't connected with the national team, for obvious reasons.

[louis c]

13. He could have condemned the purchase of Burma uniforms

Please stop making excuses for Romney.

He could have publicly condemned the purchase of uniforms for the opening ceremonies which were manufactured with slave labor from an oppressive regime in Burma.

He was the face of the 2002 Winter olympics at the time. Purchasing these uniforms, more than outsourcing, was a despicable act under the circumstances in which the uniforms were manufactured.

It was public and it was known.

And Romney was silent.

Please, no more excuses for him.

[Angleae]

14. It wasn't the team uniforms that were from Burma.

It was the torchbearer uniforms (or something like that).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014168196

[jberryhill]

16. Ah, well that's a dancing horse of another color

But while I can understand the nationalism thing with US team uniforms, the Olympics as a whole is an international event. I hear they even invited athletes from lots of different countries to come and compete.

[louis c]

17. Bingo

That's the story and Romney was responsible for the torch-bearer uniforms.

Game, Set and Match.

[dhpgetsit]

10. 2002 was not a post 2008 year.

Employment was not so bad and Americans didn't care so much about outsourcing.

[rustydog]

15. Willard could NOT have been responsible for the Burma debacle,

He was busy running Bain at that time. Or not. or maybe he was a bit.
I think he liked it better when we ranted about Seamus on the roof.

[rocktivity]

18. You might also want to inform your demographic about this

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/01/25/broadcast-media-help-whitewash-romneys-olympics/186505


rocktivity