[wlmccown]

If the U.S. isn't testing pet food, human food, tooth paste or other imported products, how do we know that ANSI standards are being applied to imported electronics?

[spike]

[quote name='wlmccown']If the U.S. isn't testing pet food, human food, tooth paste or other imported products, how do we know that ANSI standards are being applied to imported electronics?Different government agency

[wlmccown]

OK, A different agency is responsible for testing imported electronic products, but so are tires and some imported tires are noted for losing chunks of tread. Does the agency responsible for testing imported electronic products even sample test every make of computer monitor or TV imported into the U.S.? Are they about to? The track record for product safety of some exporting nations is either far better than others or they just haven't been identified as being unsafe. The reason I brought this up is that I would like to see an investigative article on this subject in PC World Magazine. On the other hand, a lot of advertisers might stop advertising in PC World if they did. The flip side is that consumers might feel much more comfortable about buying imported electornic products.Many imported electronic products are relatively inexpensive to buy and generally high in quality but that is not the whole story. Because many of these nations have labor that get no fringe benefits are paid subsistance wages and there is no Social Security or Medicare taxes paid by the manufacturers or the underpaid workers. The real cost that should be imputed to the practice of outsourcing manufacturing or importing goods with an unfair price advantage built in is readily seen in our huge trade deficits. Spread that cost over every consumer purchase and we are losing our shirts and our kids shirts.