The LA Times seems to be checking on Hillary Clinton’s donors in a way no other major newspaper is doing.

Friday’s story tells of people in New York’s Chinatown “donating” to the Clinton campaign. Again, it seems hard to imagine how dishwashers, waiters and chefs can pony up thousands of dollars to elect Clinton.

At this point in the presidential campaign cycle, Clinton has raised more money than any candidate in history. Those dishwashers, waiters and street stall hawkers are part of the reason. And Clinton’s success in gathering money from Chinatown’s least-affluent residents stems from a two-pronged strategy: mutually beneficial alliances with powerful groups, and appeals to the hopes and dreams of people now consigned to the margins.

Clinton has enlisted the aid of Chinese neighborhood associations, especially those representing recent immigrants from Fujian province. The organizations, at least one of which is a descendant of Chinatown criminal enterprises that engaged in gambling and human trafficking, exert enormous influence over immigrants. The associations help them with everything from protection against crime to obtaining green cards.

Many of Clinton’s Chinatown donors said they had contributed because leaders in neighborhood associations told them to. In some cases, donors said they felt pressure to give.

The other piece of the strategy involves holding out hope that, if Clinton becomes president, she will move quickly to reunite families and help illegal residents move toward citizenship. As New York’s junior senator, Clinton has expressed support for immigrants and greater family reunification. She is also benefiting from Chinese donors’ naive notions of what she could do in the White House.

Of 74 residents of New York’s Chinatown, Flushing, the Bronx or Brooklyn that The Times called or visited, only 24 could be reached for comment.

Many said they gave to Clinton because they were instructed to do so by local association leaders. Some said they wanted help on immigration concerns. And several spoke of the pride they felt by being associated with a powerful figure such as Clinton.

New take, old game

Beyond what it reveals about present-day campaign fundraising, Chinatown’s newfound role in the 2008 election cycle marks another chapter in the centuries-old American saga of marginalized ethnic groups and newly arrived immigrants turning to politics to improve their lot.

In earlier times, New York politicians from William “Boss” Tweed to Fiorello LaGuardia gained power with the support of immigrants. So did politicians in Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago and other big cities.

Like many who traveled this path, most of the Chinese reported as contributing to Clinton’s campaign have never voted. Many speak little or no English. Some seem to lead such ephemeral lives that neighbors say they’ve never heard of them.

If they don’t vote, can’t speak English and are concerned about the issue of illegal immigration, are they eligible to even contribute money to anyone’s campaign?

When donating to a political campaign the donor must certify he or she is an American citizen.

Where are these people getting their money with their minimum wage jobs? Maybe they are better at saving so they can bring a family member here.

We just have such a history with both Clintons now with the Chinese. Bill Clinton sold them technology for campaign contributions. The money is suspected of coming from the Chinese government itself and then trickled down to the immigrants to give to the Clintons. Probably immigrants who are afraid for their families’ lives.

We complained about the Dubai Ports deal until it was derailed, and yet we turn a blind eye to the influence being bought by the Chinese Communist government.

I’d like to hear a valid explanation of the closeness they enjoy with the Chinese and not some cock and bull story about how they saved and gave because they believed in her. I want the truth and nothing but and I want it before the election so the American people can at least make an informed decision as to whether or not they want to be messed over the way we were before.

China says the problems with the Mattel toys is the fault of Mattel and U.S. protectionism.

BEIJING (Reuters) - Mattel has only itself to blame for a huge toy recall that has stoked global alarm about Chinese-made goods, state media said on Thursday, charging that a slew of foreign safety scares had exposed a protectionist agenda.

Mattel Inc, the world’s largest toymaker, recalled over 18 million Chinese-made toys this month because of risks from small magnets that can injure children if swallowed, just two weeks after it recalled 1.5 million toys due to fears over lead paint.

Coming in the wake of warnings over Chinese-made toothpaste, pet food, tires, eels and seafood, and lethal chemicals that had found their way into medicine, the toy recall has magnified calls in Washington for much tougher scrutiny of such imports.

The overseas edition of the People’s Daily, the ruling Communist Party’s official paper, continued Beijing’s recent counter-offensive, putting the spotlight on multinationals that have used China as a production base.

“If it comes down to blame, then it all lies with the U.S. side,” the paper said of the Mattel magnet recall, noting that the problem was a design defect. “The Chinese manufacturer only produced according to those specifications.”

A China-based company that let lead in the toy paint would be punished, but even here Mattel must share blame, the paper said, noting that the U.S. firm had worked with it for over a decade.

The paper said foreign media reports about unsafe Chinese food and products were exaggerated and ignored the good record of nearly all the country’s exporters.

“People have reason to fear that some government officials and media in the United States hope to use doubts about the overall quality of Chinese goods to press for narrow trade protection.”

In a way they’re right about it being the fault of the companies because if they had made sure of quality control or used a company in our country the money they saved on labor wouldn’t have been lost in recalls, so I have no pity for Mattel.

I have said before and I’ll say it again, I will not buy anything that has a label that indicates any part of it was made in China.

I may have to pay four times as much for an American made item or may have to go without the product, but at least they won’t get a chance to poison me or my loved ones again.

Many recalls later, Mattel has decided they need to get down to business and become serious about quality control. Given the magnitude of these defective products, manufactured mainly for children, I would say the time should have been many yesterday’s ago.

Now Mattel, which appears to have stumbled in part because it had become overconfident about its ability to operate in China without major problems, is in crisis mode. Toys for the coming holiday shopping season are already shipping across the Pacific, and Mattel wants to catch any other problems that may have slipped through — before those toys land on store shelves and cause even greater damage to its reputation.

A big problem was that some of Mattel’s trusted vendors had turned to cheaper paint suppliers outside the company’s approved list. Mattel is now racing to increase its supply and product testing, no longer giving local contractors several months at a time to do the tests themselves.

This appears to be a case of some of the sloppiest, laziest management one could imagine. Where were all the executives from Mattel all this time? Why were they not insisting that products sold under their brand were safe for our children and grandchildren?

Mattel makes its best-known toys, like Barbie dolls, in its own 12 factories. But even as it has increased the share of toys it makes itself to about half, it still relies on roughly 30 to 40 vendors to make the other half. Mattel now realizes it was not watching those companies closely enough, executives here said.

Mattel vetted the contractors, but it did not fully understand the extent to which some had in turn subcontracted to other companies — which in turn had subcontracted to even more. Mattel required its vendors to list subcontractors, so Mattel could visit them, but Mattel is investigating whether that procedure has been followed. A number of companies whose factories Mattel had never visited may have had a hand in making the toys that were shipped around the world.

“Mattel now realizes it was not watching those companies closely enough,” now that is an understatement. Maybe those on the Board of this company should be scrutinizing their executives closely. Perhaps a complete overhaul of management would be a first step towards rebuilding their credibility.

The complete story at the NYT is laden with more details than I have read before on this issue.

While I can appreciate that contractors in China may have played a role in manufacturing these unsafe toys, it will remain my opinion that Mattel should be held responsible for their lack of oversight. This is an absolute disgrace.

I think that they have declared war on the people of this country along time ago.

China has launched a four-month “war” on tainted food, drugs and exports, state media reported on Friday, as beleaguered officials embraced time-tested campaign tactics to clean up the country’s battered image.

Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi told officials that the campaign, to run to the end of the year, would focus on problem products that have corroded domestic and foreign consumers’ confidence in the “made in China” label.

“This is a special battle to protect the health and personal interests of the public and to protect the reputation of Chinese goods and the national image,” Wu said, according to the government Web site (www.gov.cn).

She called the campaign a “stern political task” — a reminder that officials’ careers may be on the line.

The world’s largest toymaker, Mattel, recalled more than 18 million Chinese-made toys in mid-August because of hazards from small magnets that can cause injury if swallowed, just two weeks after it recalled 1.5 million toys due to fears over lead paint.

Wal-Mart said it was asking suppliers to resubmit testing documentation for the toys it sells after Mattel’s move.

Other Chinese export scares have hit toothpaste, animal food ingredients, tires, eels and seafood, and deadly chemicals that found their way into cough medicine, killing patients in Panama

Story

If Wal-Mart stops selling products from the it will go out of business. My family no longer shops at Wal-Mart because everything they sell is made in China.

Updated: 9:00 a.m. ET Aug 22, 2007
LITTLE ROCK, ARK. - Tests of two Chinese brands of dog treats sold at Wal-Mart stores found traces of melamine, a chemical agent that led to another massive pet food recall in March, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. quietly stopped selling Chicken Jerky Strips from Import-Pingyang Pet Product Co. and Chicken Jerky from Shanghai Bestro Trading in July, after customers said the products sickened their pets.

No recall was announced at that time, but Wal-Mart said in a statement Tuesday that customers who bought one of the products should return it to the nearest store for a refund.

Company spokeswoman Deisha Galberth said 17 sets of tests done on the products found melamine, a contaminant that’s a byproduct of several pesticides.

“There were very small amounts of melamine found,” Galberth told The Associated Press. “The amounts were so small the laboratory recommended more testing.”

Galberth had said late Monday that Wal-Mart pulled the products off store shelves based on the customer feedback but wanted to complete the testing before announcing anything publicly.

More than 150 brands of pet food were recalled earlier this year after U.S. inspectors said wheat gluten from China that was used to make the food was tainted with melamine. An unknown number of dogs and cats died.

Story

Our pets have been killed or sickened by ingredients in their food made in China, our kids are at risk from bibs and toys filled with lead made in China, the head of the Chinese pharmaceutical oversight department was hanged for defective drugs that killed people.

Now a Chinese plane exploded on landing in Japan. It’s a Boeing 737, but I’m sure the maintenance is done in China.

From now on, every single tag on every single item will be checked an re-checked to see if a clothing item is made in China. Every toy we buy for our grandchildren will be checked and re-checked to see if it’s even partially made in China. Every bit of food we buy will be checked to see if any ingredients came from China.

This household is boycotting anything made in China. If it costs us triple or more we will still consider it a bargain because you can’t put a figure on a life.

I wonder who borrowed all of that? Didn’t we have a surplus not to long ago?

The Chinese government has begun a concerted campaign of economic threats against the United States, hinting that it may liquidate its vast holding of US treasuries if Washington imposes trade sanctions to force a yuan revaluation.

Two officials at leading Communist Party bodies have given interviews in recent days warning - for the first time - that Beijing may use its $1.33 trillion (£658bn) of foreign reserves as a political weapon to counter pressure from the US Congress.

Shifts in Chinese policy are often announced through key think tanks and academies.

Described as China’s “nuclear option” in the state media, such action could trigger a dollar crash at a time when the US currency is already breaking down through historic support levels.

It would also cause a spike in US bond yields, hammering the US housing market and perhaps tipping the economy into recession. It is estimated that China holds over $900bn in a mix of US bonds.

Story

From Wednesday’s Omega Letter comes something to think about.

Special Report: Inscrutable China

The world’s attention — particularly the Western world’s attention — is laser-focused on the threat posed by Islamic extremism and the war on terror.

The bulk of US intelligence gathering, the bulk of its forward deployed assets, the majority of its money and resources are devoted to the Middle East and Iran.

Somewhere, off in the periphery, there is a nagging awareness of big trouble brewing from China, but China is so far away (and so big!) and, after all, the Chinese aren’t shooting at us. Muslim extremists are.

The Islamic problem is enormous. If only ten percent of world-wide Islam is sympathetic to the aims of al-Qaeda, that equates to some 120 million Islamic enemies — a ratio of one Islamic fighter per to every three Americans, including women and children and grandparents.

And at the heart of it all is the Israeli-Arab conflict, which threatens to spill over into open warfare again before the year is out. That could bring about an all out conflict in the heart of the Middle East, and, in a worst-case scenario, one involving nuclear weapons. The danger is so acute that it occupies the full attention of the “Quartet” consisting of the UN, EU, and Russia with the US as the lead negotiator.

China is taking an arm’s length approach to the Middle East, leaving it to occupy the West and Russia’s attention. And, since it is not actively involved in the global war on terror, China manages to stay ‘off the radar.’ But still, there is that nagging sense that China is up to no good — but that will have to wait for now.

China is like the elephant in the living room that everybody is trying unsuccessfully to ignore. No matter where you turn, there it is.

China’s trade imbalance threatens the stability of the dollar. Chinese products are dangerously defective. (more…)