What do trade negotiators have in mind when they argue for a "Level Playing
Field?"
Do they mean *only-SI* in the markets of all the countries participating (a WTO
goal)? or do they mean
"equal status" for *SI units* and for {units outside the SI} (used only by some
US exporters)?
What are the latest guidelines provided by the DoC to exporters?
What did Xi tell Barack (during their walk in the desert?) about meeting
Standards for International Trade?
Eugene Mechtly
________________________________
From: Henschel Mark [[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 7:47 PM
To: mechtly, eugene a
Cc: U.S. Metric Association; mechtly, eugene a
Subject: Re: [USMA:52907] Re: My reply to Mr. Gallagher.
Maybe the Chinese will bring this up in bilateral trade negotiations, and then
we will finally get someplace.
Mark
----- Original Message -----
From: "mechtly, eugene a" <[email protected]>
Date: Monday, June 10, 2013 11:15 am
Subject: [USMA:52907] Re: My reply to Mr. Gallagher.
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
Cc: "mechtly, eugene a" <[email protected]>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
The President (and hopefully others in the White House) could require that all
reports to the Central Office of the Executive Branch, that contain units of
physical measurements, be expressed in SI, if White House personnel
> were more sympathetic with the intent of Executive Order 12770. Such action
> would not force any "impositions" (?) of SI on members of the general public,
> unless they were intimately involved with Executive Branch operations.
>
>
>
>
We still don't know the attitude of President Obama with respect to SI. The
NIST response to the Metric Petition only *implies* that attitudes of at least
some personnel in the White House are not firmly in support of SI.
>
>
>
>
By allowing this question to simmer far on a back burner, the President sends a
message that SI is still opposed by enough well funded lobbies that it is too
controversial to promote vigorously at this time.
>
>
>
>
Hopefully, the facts of world trade losses (and pro-SI negotiations) will force
a more favorable consideration of SI.
>
>
>
Eugene Mechtly
>
>
>
>
>
________________________________
>
From: [email protected] [[email protected]] on behalf of John M.
Steele [[email protected]]
>
> Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 5:17 AM
>
> To: U.S. Metric Association
>
> Subject: [USMA:52906] Re: My reply to Mr. Gallagher.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
I guess I don't understand the irony, as EO 12770, ordering government agencies
to go metric, was also signed by a Republican President, and then not enforced
by subsequent Presidents of any flavor.
>
>
Waffling on metric is as bipartisan as anything could be in politics.
>
>
>
>
>
>
________________________________
> From: Henschel Mark <[email protected]>
>
> To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]>
>
> Cc: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]>
>
> Sent: Sun, June 9, 2013 10:37:07 PM
>
> Subject: [USMA:52903] Re: My reply to Mr. Gallagher.
>
>
>
> I like it, and more of us should respond.
>
>
>
> Did you notice how he talked about how the government this and the government
> that? He doesn't seem to realize he IS the government.
>
> I doubt the guy even bothered to read the results of the 1971 study by
> Maurice Stans from the Nixon administration, "A Metric America, a Decision
> Whose Time has Come".
>
>
>
> Seems Metrication was originally pushed by a Republican administration, how
> ironic is that?
>
>
>
> Mark
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> From: Edward Schlesinger <[email protected]>
>
> Date: Saturday, June 8, 2013 4:09 pm
>
> Subject: [USMA:52901] My reply to Mr. Gallagher.
>
> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>
>
>
>
> >
>
>
> Here is a copy of my response to "Supporting American Choices on Measurement".
>
>
>
> >
>
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
8/Jun/13
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
Patrick D. Gallagher
>
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
100
>
> > Bureau Drive, Stop 1000
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
Gaithersburg,
>
> > MD 20899-1000
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
Mr. Gallagher:
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
I am writing in response to the
>
> > petition I signed on We the People. These are my thoughts on “Supporting
>
> > American Choices on Measurement.”
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
Your response sidesteps an
>
> > important issue that the United States lacks in trade, education, and
> > sciences
>
> > since we as a nation have not fully converted to the International System of
>
> > Units since the 1970s.
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
If you state we are
>
> > bilingual as a country, inferring that most citizens of the United States
> > have
>
> > the same proficiency with USC and SI units, this statement is false.
> > Students
>
> > are particularly confused especially if they don’t go to college where the
>
> > metric system is an integral part of the sciences. One day, while I was at
> > the
>
> > grocery store, I saw a group of high school students whose assignment was to
>
> > bake a cake using metric units. I overheard them discussing what container
> > of
>
> > milk to buy to have 6 cups of milk but they didn’t know what that was in
>
> > metric. I pointed out to them that for liquid measures; there are 250 mL in
> > a
>
> > cup. After making that calculation, they asked me how many milliliters are
> > in a
>
> > liter. If they knew the metric system, would they have to ask that?
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
I know that since the 1890s U.S.
>
> > customary units are all defined in terms of their
>
> > metric equivalents. However, dual labeling does not help consumers or
> > industry
>
> > become familiar with using metric units. My observation has been consumers
>
> > ignore metric units and figure price per oz. I understand that most
> > consumers
>
> > do not comprehend gram weight on the nutritional value label even though
>
> > something as common as the one-cent piece is weighed in grams.
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
The many
>
> > countries that mandate the use of the metric system by law have had an
> > easier
>
> > transition than the U.S. and our voluntary system. South Africa and
> > Australia
>
> > come to mind as examples where the government put resources into education
> > and
>
> > manufacturing for a quick and smooth transition. How much money is wasted in
>
> > building cost because the trades have not transitioned to metric? Successful
>
> > use of a system of weights and measures is an all-or-nothing proposition.
> > The
>
> > so-called “choice” we have in this country, is holding us back and making us
>
> > out of step with most other nations. It simply will not work in any
> > meaningful
>
> > way if I use customary units outside my home and metric in my home.
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
Sincerely,
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
Edward B. Schlesinger
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
Edward B.
>
> > Schlesinger
>
>
> >
>
> >
>
> --
>
> > Sincerely,
>
> > Edward B.
>
> >
>
> >
>
>
>
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
