Following Tennessee’s lead, seven states have moved to guarantee domestic production of all U.S. flags purchased by the state government while one other state, Minnesota seeks to bar all foreign-made flags. Supporters say patriotism is the driving force behind the measures, but they cite other benefits, too. Colorado state Rep. Sara Gagliardi (D) backed the idea, in part, because it would boost local production of flags. But vendors are concerned that higher production costs for flags made here will force them to raise their prices. The vast majority of flags made outside the United States are produced in China, where labor and materials are significantly less expensive. Read More
Russell Heimlich is a former web developer at Pew Research Center.
