Beat ‘em at their own game
To the editor:
I am a huge proponent of Donald Trump’s effort to return jobs to the U.S. I can’t disagree more with his approach, though. I think his strategy of taxation will result in a trade war.
I believe, we the people can unite and beat big business, by hitting their bottom line!
Nike Inc., American Sportswear Company, headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, was founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports by Bill Bowerman, a track-and-field coach at the University of Oregon, and his former student Phil Knight. “Nike, Inc. is the world’s largest supplier and manufacturer of athletic shoes, apparel and other sports equipment. The company employed about 62,600 people worldwide,” in 2015, per Statistica. They have zero manufacturing jobs in the U.S. Referencing their SEC filing, in 2015, Nike’s U.S. sales were $13.5 billion, resulting in a $3.6 billion, after-tax profit. They paid 22.2 percent tax or $800 million (the Federal corporate tax rate is 35 percent). Over the last 5 years, Nike has been successful in reducing their tax rate by 13 percent. This trend is expected to continue).
We have made a point to always buy American-made vehicles. We have only purchased G.M. and Ford. I no longer shudder, when I notice the tag of another country on any product I purchase. Years ago, I discovered buying products there would be sacrilege. Then, about 3 years ago I went in and purchased some walking shoes with the Chinese Dollar Store, on Del Prado, in Cape Coral. I could never bring myself to actually enter the shop. The brand mark askew on the side of the shoes, the name “Air” on the box, with the “Made in China” stamped inside the shoe. They were $14.99. I had just priced Nike’s version on Amazon, from $45-$212. I know years ago, I purchased shoes made in China and the quality stunk. I purchased the $14.99 shoes to see, if the quality improved. I used my new shoes, consistently, for walking, over a period of 2 years. They held up incredibly well. Also, my arthritis in my knees, from marathon running years ago, didn’t act up, as it always had with the name brand shoes.
Here is my proposition Hit ’em where it hurts, their bottom line. Why don’t all Pine Islanders buy their walking shoes, from this Chinese Dollar Store or the Fort Myers Flea Market? If we can accomplish this task and rally the rest of the U.S. to follow, similarly, I assure you, the name brand companies will take notice of their diminished profits. We’ll have to continuously publicly harp on it in social media, of course. Remember the “99 percenters,” that squatted on and around Wall Street a few years back. They eventually were unsuccessful with this same cause, since they didn’t have a strategy other than being a nuisance. I admired their efforts, but I, like them, couldn’t come up with an effective angle. I believe our idea of hitting ’em in their bottom line, even anecdotally, will force them to figure a way to bring those jobs home, if not lights out. Every time one of us discovers products of the like, post it to a soon-to-be-developed Facebook page. Right now, I am testing the 2 for $20 cargo pants for durability and longevity.
Factoids for bumping your rage level, Did you know: you can exchange (barter) “like” commercial property and not have to pay capital gains tax, but if we barter, anything, we have to pay income taxes; you can write-off depreciation of commercial buildings as a tax deduction, even though the property is increasing in value; our country wants us to “swallow” the bitter pill called “Global Free Trade,” but won’t let us benefit from it remember we used to be able to purchase our prescribed drugs from Canada, for half the price, until Washington drug lobbyists killed it for us; I would like to continue listing my grievances, but I have to “throw up now.”
Diane Cherella
Bokeelia