Tuesday

MS. PERINO: Hello.

I wanted to let you know a little bit of something about a product that we weren't able really to showcase as much as we were the other ones that you saw on the South Lawn today regarding free trade. The President this morning discussed on the South Lawn the importance of opening markets for the products made by American workers and farmers. And I thought I would highlight this here: Golf -- I've got a golf ball with me -- still remains enormously popular here in the United States, but the biggest growth market for golf is actually overseas. And approximately 35 percent of the sales of American-made golf balls go to international markets, and that is where their biggest growth is. It accounts for 75 percent of their revenue growth.

Korea is a huge market for these products, even with the significant tariffs that exist. Colombia is a smaller market, but golf products face significant tariffs there. And it would be a growth market in the long term. These golf balls are made by an American company and American workers in Massachusetts. The number one impediment to growth companies that produce golf products here in America are the taxes imposed by other countries, Korea and Colombia included. In Korea, U.S.-made golf balls face an 8 percent duty; in Colombia there's a staggering double-hit of a 20 percent tariff and a 16 percent tax on any U.S.-made golf ball.

Congress, as you heard the President say today, needs to recognize that our workers in America deserve a level playing field, just as people around the world are getting -- being allowed to send their balls into these countries without any tariffs. We just deserve a level playing field here in America, and the President will call on them --

Q In golf?

MS. PERINO: Golf and all the other issues. I'm not a big -- I'm not -- putt-putt golf? Putt-putt golf is a growth industry, possibly.

(Laughter.) Carnivals.

But another example of the many -- there's many different products, from the largest tractors to the smallest things, from fruit to things like golf balls. And the President will call on them -- yes.

Q Can we actually expect to see them together at any point publicly?

MS. PERINO: Next week?

Q Well, not necessarily next week, but in the near future?

MS. PERINO: Sure --

Q I mean, initially -- (inaudible) at least the first one --

Q So they will be together?

Q I mean, appearing together?

Q Publicly, though?

MS. PERINO: Stay tuned for the details, but I think that you'll see -- when we arrive or when we depart, I think there will be a chance.

1 comment:

Sky Jack Morgan said...

Our balls need playing fields; our balls need level playing fields.