Paul, Interesting. But to me preferred is not the same as mandatory.. Such a term leaves a lot to interpretation.
So what you are saying is that there is a law that presently requires package labels to have English units on them and a change in the law would make it optional, is this correct? Even if it did, don't you think producers would opt to keep English units on the labels for fear of losing customers who would not know what the metric amounts mean? Jerry ________________________________ From: Paul Trusten <[email protected]> To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, January 24, 2009 11:18:09 AM Subject: [USMA:42448] Re: President Obama at George Mason University Jerry, there is, absolutely, a law favoring the metric system in the U.S! The 1988 amendment to the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 (the MCA) declares that the metric system is the "preferred system of measurement" for U.S. trade and commerce. USMA and others have been fighting for a simple change to the federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA) which would allow U.S. manufacturers the option of dropping customary units from their labeling and packaging and using metric units only, a change that is certainly supported by the amended MCA, but has not yet made its way to discussion in the Congress. Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: Jeremiah MacGregor To: U.S. Metric Association Sent: 24 January, 2009 09:12 Subject: [USMA:42436] Re: President Obama at George Mason University Stan, What laws need to be changed? I was under the impression that there are no laws in the US favoring any system. So wouldn't it just have to be the choice of the producers of the products to use metric only? Jerry ________________________________ From: STANLEY DOORE <[email protected]> To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 9:08:32 AM Subject: [USMA:42402] Re: President Obama at George Mason University Pat et al: Changing laws in the US to allow metric only labeling and requiring the Federal Government to buy metric products and to make conversion to the SI mandatory, such as weather reporting and road signs, needs to be the first step. Until this is done, it won't happen. Stan Doore ----- Original Message ----- From: Pat Naughtin To: U.S. Metric Association Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 12:39 AM Subject: [USMA:42401] President Obama at George Mason University Dear All, I have just been reading the text of the speech that President Barack Obama presented at George Mason University on January 8. His forward thinking plans particularly struck me as plans that would all benefit enormously from being conducted using metric system measurements. Here is part of the text of President Obama's speech: That work begins with this plan – a plan I am confident will save or create at least three million jobs over the next few years. It is not just another public works program. It’s a plan that recognizes both the paradox and the promise of this moment – the fact that there are millions of Americans trying to find work, even as, all around the country, there is so much work to be done. That’s why we’ll invest in priorities like energy and education; health care and a new infrastructure that are necessary to keep us strong and competitive in the 21st century. That’s why the overwhelming majority of the jobs created will be in the private sector, while our plan will save the public sector jobs of teachers, cops, fire fighters and others who provide vital services. To finally spark the creation of a clean energy economy, we will double the production of alternative energy in the next three years. We will modernize more than 75% of federal buildings and improve the energy efficiency of two million American homes, saving consumers and taxpayers billions on our energy bills. In the process, we will put Americans to work in new jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced – jobs building solar panels and wind turbines; constructing fuel-efficient cars and buildings; and developing the new energy technologies that will lead to even more jobs, more savings, and a cleaner, safer planet in the bargain. To improve the quality of our health care while lowering its cost, we will make the immediate investments necessary to ensure that within five years, all of America’s medical records are computerized. This will cut waste, eliminate red tape, and reduce the need to repeat expensive medical tests. But it just won’t save billions of dollars and thousands of jobs – it will save lives by reducing the deadly but preventable medical errors that pervade our health care system. To give our children the chance to live out their dreams in a world that’s never been more competitive, we will equip tens of thousands of schools, community colleges, and public universities with 21st century classrooms, labs, and libraries. We’ll provide new computers, new technology, and new training for teachers so that students in Chicago and Boston can compete with kids in Beijing for the high-tech, high-wage jobs of the future. I couldn't help thinking that the metrication elephant had got into the room again without anyone noticing. See http://www.metricationmatters.com/docs/AMetricationElephant.pdf to see how metrication in the USA would help to implement President Obama's plans. Cheers, Pat Naughtin PO Box 305 Belmont 3216, Geelong, Australia Phone: 61 3 5241 2008 Metric system consultant, writer, and speaker, Pat Naughtin, has helped thousands of people and hundreds of companies upgrade to the modern metric system smoothly, quickly, and so economically that they now save thousands each year when buying, processing, or selling for their businesses. Pat provides services and resources for many different trades, crafts, and professions for commercial, industrial and government metrication leaders in Asia, Europe, and in the USA. Pat's clients include the Australian Government, Google, NASA, NIST, and the metric associations of Canada, the UK, and the USA. See http://www.metricationmatters.com for more metrication information, contact Pat at [email protected] or to get the free 'Metrication matters' newsletter go to: http://www.metricationmatters..com/newsletter to subscribe.
