4th of July fireworks brought to you by China

Politico ^ | 07/05/2014 | By ERIC BRADNER

[SeekAndFind]

On Independence Day, celebrations across the United States depend on China.

The sparklers, bottle rockets and Roman candles you're using this Fourth of July almost certainly came from there.

So did the professional-grade pyrotechnics that was launched above the Washington Monument on Friday night.

It’s a quirky exception to “Buy American” sentiments that are otherwise going strong and picking up steam in Washington and corporate America, especially around patriotic events.

After all, Congress passed a law this year requiring flags flown by the U.S. military to be made in America. Ralph Lauren, meanwhile, scrambled ahead of this year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi to make sure that Team USA’s uniforms were all manufactured in the United States. And first lady Michelle Obama used U.S.-grown iris and quince blossoms at a state dinner for France in May, departing from the White House’s typical practice of using imported flowers.

But fireworks? No change there. Over the past 35 years, China has grabbed nearly the entire U.S. market — with 98 to 99 percent of what consumers will buy this year being made there, as well as 75 percent of the “display” fireworks, which are used in big, public shows.

[TurkeyLurkey]

Received these Chinese fireworks last week just in time for the 4th’s celebration—

This Hunan Province town is where fireworks were invented, and the show has never been equalled in the West.
The Chinese are not only the inventors of the fireworks they are still the masters.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/_LpMB1OZ53g?feature=player_detailpage%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20allowfullscreen%3e%3c/iframe%3e&autoplay=1";

[FrankR]

I’m 68, when I got fireworks as a kid, they always had Chinese writing all over the packages. This is a story about nothing, from captain obvious.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

I respectfully DISPUPT your claim of the superiority of Chinese made pyrotechnics. The PA born, bred, and incorporated ZAMBELLI FAMILY makes some amazing fireworks. The City of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh. Pirates (along w/a lot of other munis and sports) use them exclusively.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Here is the link...familia owned company from New Castle PA (they do PROFESSIONAL shows and it’s a DAMN SHAME if the OBOTS ADM used ChiCom pyros on the Fourth of July!)

http://www.zambellifireworks.com/

[ridesthemiles]

Thought all the fireworks manufacturers were driven OUT of the USA.

[TurkeyLurkey]

It wasn’t my claim, it was the statement that accompanied the fireworks video.

[JoeFromSidney]

The Chinese have been making fireworks since before the days of Marco Polo. They're good at it. International trade depends on "comparative advantage," and they have it. It would be silly to buy inferior fireworks, at higher prices, just to support an American fireworks industry.

Don't forget, international trade is a two-way street. The dollars the Chinese get for fireworks can only be spent in America. In a sane world, the Chinese would be buying American goods for which we have a comparative advantage (like jet aircraft). Instead, in our insane world, the Chinese are buying US government bonds, which only fuels the profligate practices of our government.

[Will88]

Nothing at all wrong with most or all of our fireworks coming from China. They invented gunpowder and fireworks. It’s one of the few authentic Chinese products, invented and developed there, that they sell to the world.

It’s all the products imported from China that were actually invented and developed in the US and other Western nations that are the problem. Forty years ago, about the only thing China had to trade were fireworks and cheap labor, and a few unique agricultural products and native crafts.

Since, they’ve traded their cheap labor for thousands of US plants and a few million US manufacturing jobs. That’s the problem. The fireworks are not a problem.