I am a t-shirt printer. Recently, I signed up for a trial membership in the Advertising Specialties Institute, which would allow me to get wholesale pricing on a lot of imprinted things that I can't produce in my own shop, so that when a t-shirt customer also needs, say, some custom pens for their shop, I can also provide that. Good for my business, right?
But the main thing I've discovered since joining is that the vast majority of people who make "advertising specialties" are fairly right-wing. A recent issue of their magazine told me how I should be emulating Snooki's ability to "market herself" and they are proudly touting Bill O'Reilly as a speaker at an upcoming event.
Anyway, the big news in this industry the last couple days has been that Obama has signed an executive order for all government agencies to try to cut 20% out of spending on several areas, one of which is "excess promotional items". Follow me after the cut to see where this leads...
From the ASI web site:
Saying his goal is to eliminate government "waste, large and small, in a systematic way," President Barack Obama has signed an executive order instructing federal agencies to reduce spending in specific areas by a total of 20%. The decision, announced yesterday, directs federal offices to make combined 20% cuts to the following areas: travel, employee technology devices, printing, executive fleets, and "extraneous promotional items." Regarding the use of promotional products, the executive order states the following: "Agencies should limit the purchase of promotional items (e.g., plaques, clothing, and commemorative items), in particular where they are not cost-effective."
That doesn't seem unreasonable, does it? "In particular, where they are not cost-effective." This would seem to be some of that "cutting wasteful government spending" that conservatives keep crying for!
Apparently, though...
"For the president to say that buying promotional products is a waste is extremely troubling and shows how little he knows about the industry," says Matt Bertram, president of Fields Manufacturing (asi/54100). "This is again another example of our administration making quick decisions that will hurt small business."
First, I guess we note that Matt Bertram apparently didn't actually read the order, he just sort of vaguely heard about it and flew off the handle. Since, "the president" does not say that it's all a waste, but rather specifically directs agencies to cut spending that is not cost-effective. Second and more glaring, though, is just the bald hypocrisy of someone who no doubt has been calling for cuts in government spending, but suddenly when they want to cut his gravy train, it means the president "knows [little] about the industry. I have to wonder if Matt Bertram has a tri-cornered hat in his closet somewhere