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Bloomberg News: TSA bought 70,000 "TSA Remembers" 9/11 Bracelets, all made in China!

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Bloomberg News: TSA bought 70,000 "TSA Remembers" 9/11 Bracelets, all made in China!

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Old Jan 17, 2012, 6:52 pm
  #1  
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Bloomberg News: TSA bought 70,000 "TSA Remembers" 9/11 Bracelets, all made in China!

A quick search leads me to believe that we missed this interesting January 10 article from Bloomberg News:

Bloomberg News:
Sept. 11 Bracelets Come From China Amid ‘Buy-America’ Loopholes

By Kathleen Miller - Jan 10, 2012 12:01 AM ET


The opening paragraph of the article is:
For last year’s 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, U.S. Transportation Security Administration officials wanted their workers to remember the thousands who died. So the agency bought 70,000 commemorative bracelets -- made in China.
the article also says:
The TSA bracelet purchase has drawn particular scrutiny, not so much for its economics as for its symbolism. The wristbands were manufactured in China and purchased from TJM Promotions Inc. of Ocala, Florida, according to government data available online.

[Scott Paul, executive director of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, a Washington-based trade group] said it’s very easy to find such silicone wristbands made in mass quantities in the U.S.

“That is absurd,” Paul said. “And it certainly cheapens the remembrance to have it made in China.”
TSA paid $17,500 for 70,000 bracelets.
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Old Jan 17, 2012, 7:03 pm
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Why does the TSA need to spend $17K on bracelets to commemorate what is, for them, essentially their high holy day??

For crying out loud, TSA uses the events of that day as their excuse for every stupid, boneheaded, idiotic they do, & have done since their inception, which by itself is sickening.

Yet another to the TSA leadership on this one.

Last edited by txrus; Jan 18, 2012 at 6:36 am
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Old Jan 17, 2012, 7:55 pm
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Yes, the outrage should be that DHS spent over $17,000 for these --

http://www.bloomberg.com/image/iGV8l42eDu.U.jpg

I don't care what country they come from. What an outrageous waste of money.

I wonder if the idea for these bracelets came from either Napolitano or Pistole.

Disgusting.
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Old Jan 17, 2012, 8:59 pm
  #4  
 
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It strikes me as supremely offensive that WE should be forcibly paying (via taxation with or w/o representation) PR costs for an agency that has more than earned it's bad reputation whilst disallowing public commentary regarding draconian policies and the exorbitant ever-increasing so called "budget" it demands from us all. These are FRIVOLOUS EXPENDITURES having NOTHING to do with "transportation security"! Hold a G.D. bake sale if you want to purchase toxic propaganda crap like this. Better yet (TSA), just go away and let us remember 9/11 in and with dignity for ourselves, without shame for what happened in the aftermath.
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Old Jan 17, 2012, 9:18 pm
  #5  
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I am baffled at the American's fascination with that day. This headline mixes it even further with the 'made in China' phobia created by corporate greed. Truely hillarious, and indicative of typical headline chasing (un)newsworthy media editors.

What does 9/11 have to do with TSA anyway?

They were unable to secure airports before that day... and they've proven that they are still unable to secure them now.
.
.
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Old Jan 18, 2012, 3:55 am
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Security theatre requires props.
Religions require relics

No difference.
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Old Jan 19, 2012, 8:51 pm
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Originally Posted by Darkumbra
Security theatre requires props.
Religions require relics

No difference.
And fancy uniforms, bling and authority.
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Old Jan 19, 2012, 10:05 pm
  #8  
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Originally Posted by loops
It strikes me as supremely offensive that WE should be forcibly paying (via taxation with or w/o representation) PR costs for an agency that has more than earned it's bad reputation whilst disallowing public commentary regarding draconian policies and the exorbitant ever-increasing so called "budget" it demands from us all. These are FRIVOLOUS EXPENDITURES having NOTHING to do with "transportation security"! Hold a G.D. bake sale if you want to purchase toxic propaganda crap like this. Better yet (TSA), just go away and let us remember 9/11 in and with dignity for ourselves, without shame for what happened in the aftermath.
I agree completely ^ (tho if a bake sale, there had better not be cupcakes or cake like items with frosting )
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Old Jan 20, 2012, 6:32 am
  #9  
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Originally Posted by lovexylitol
And fancy uniforms, bling and authority.
I've been waiting for the TSA to change their uniforms again, so they more closely resemble Muammar Gadhafi's blinged-out weirdness.

That, and they could look to the Catholic Church for blingy hat designs.
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Old Jan 20, 2012, 6:36 am
  #10  
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If TSO's need to wear a bracelet to remember 9/11, it is no wonder they can't remember things like what ID's are acceptable...
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Old Jan 20, 2012, 8:39 am
  #11  
 
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Originally Posted by Tom M.
If TSO's need to wear a bracelet to remember 9/11, it is no wonder they can't remember things like what ID's are acceptable...
^ It's a theatrical showtime reminder, at taxpayer's expenses (stimulating overseas "economic" recovery using sancationed US policy loopholes) that terrorists got thru because of security, law enforcement, intelligence and anti-terroism collaborative efforts on a multi-agency level before, now and ...

Being made to wear it for the blue shirts with a tin badge is symbolic pride that they owe their paychecks to 9/11 - has nothing whatsoever to do with they really think or believe in, and we know the truth to that ...

Last edited by Letitride3c; Jan 20, 2012 at 8:54 am
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Old Jan 20, 2012, 3:39 pm
  #12  
 
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Originally Posted by goalie
I agree completely ^ (tho if a bake sale, there had better not be cupcakes or cake like items with frosting )
Aaah, but think how much extra $$ TSA could raise by selling such items over and over again! Sell heavily frosted cakes and cupcakes to unwitting travelers, force them to surrender the same items at the check point and then sell them all over again to the next batch of unwitting travelers. Voila! A self funding bureaucracy!

There... I've solved the federal budget crisis.
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Old Jan 20, 2012, 5:04 pm
  #13  
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Originally Posted by Darkumbra
Security theatre requires props.
Religions require relics

No difference.
As Van Morrison wrote, "Politics and religion, superstition go hand in hand."
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Old Jan 21, 2012, 12:59 am
  #14  
 
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Ya know, I'm feeling generous.

Give 'em all TWO bracelets. Good quality steel, none of this cheesy plastic. And a nice blingy chain connecting them together.
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Old Jan 31, 2012, 5:14 pm
  #15  
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Thumbs up NBC-Connecticut: US Rep. Murphy Blasts TSA for 9/11 Bracelets from China

It appears that TSA ignored another US law.... here is the link to the news:

NBC Connecticut:
Murphy Blasts TSA for 9/11 Bracelets from China
U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy wants clarification from TSA and changes in the future.

Tuesday, Jan 31, 2012 Updated 1:53 PM EST


Two short quotes from the article:

U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, founder and co-chairman of the congressional Buy American Caucus, sent a letter on Tuesday to John Pistole, administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, criticizing the decision.

and
“The Buy American Act requires that your agency purchase manufactured goods that are made in America except in certain extenuating circumstances, in which case a waiver to the Act may be granted. It does not appear that any of those conditions were met in this case. Please clarify the statutory authority by which you made this purchase, and whether a waiver was issued,” Murphy said.
We can add the Buy American Act to the list of laws that TSA ignores.

Last edited by RatherBeOnATrain; Jan 31, 2012 at 5:15 pm Reason: typo
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