A reader “MM” commented “One thing I would make mandatory is to clearly label the country of origin on all products. It has disappeared with the globalization. I can see it only on a small percentage of products, and then only because the producer is domestic.”

This sounds like a request for a “Truth in Labels” Act.

Reader Kevin quickly got to the key idea with this quip: “Countries of origin listed like percent daily values on a cereal box nutrition label?”

Let’s take “Truth in Labels” labeling to the logical conclusion.

Proposed Label Items

1. 60% China manufactured
2. 75% of steel China used from Australia
3. 100% genuine Chinese coal
4. 75% of oil used from Iran
5. 25% of oil from Saudi Arabia
6. 10% South Korea Steel
7. 22% Genuine Mexican parts
8. 10% US value added assumed
9. Label made in Vietnam with 100% US cotton
10. Parts from China 40%, Mexico 30%, US 20%, elsewhere 10%
11. All components shipped to Mexico for final assembly

Label Czar Needed

Not all of the above pertinent to every item. Item 9 primarily applies to garments.

To administer this vital program we would clearly need a label czar.