Dear President Obama

Dear President Obama,

In 2008 my husband invented a product which we've been struggling to sell ever since.  The invention came out of ingenuity and desperation as Ryan was a Real Estate Broker at the time and the market as you know tanked. 

Since founding our company we've refused to send production overseas in hopes that some day we'll be able to grow locally and hire other American's in the future.  Our decision for what it's worth, has cost us our home, thousands of dollars of debt and to add insult to injury we were hit by the IRS with a $10,000 audit for taxes they claim we underpaid in 2007.  We will never be able to repay this or get back into the black unless our business revenue increases rapidly.

The reason I'm writing you is that this evening I came across an article quoting you as patting Master Lock's back for 'insourcing'.  I was so disheartened that all of our genuine efforts and sacrifices have been overshadowed once more by a company that uses its wealth to use you for their marketing ploy.  While they are indeed bringing some industry back to the United States, it pales in comparison to the 1,000's of American families they hurt when they decided to move their manufacturing to China and Mexico to save a buck.  It feels like they are using this revitalized movement to rebuild American industry as a way to regain market share and are using you as their mouth piece.

We may never be as large as Master Lock and if it means trampling on others to get ahead we don't want to be. We just want an opportunity to let the world know we exist.  Tax cuts don't help us because we barely make enough money to keep the lights on and borrowing money is just putting us further and further into debt.  Even though I know that we have a good product that is continuing to grow a solid customer base, we can't even begin to approach retailers like Lowes and Home Depot because without marketing dollars to let the world we exist our little $65 rock on would get laughed off their shelves.

I realize you have mountain of issues to deal with and that in the grand scheme of things our small company is merely a single spec of sugar in your coffee, but on behalf of the 100's of 1000's of US manufacturers trying to stay competitive and keep their head above water I hope that at the very least you will recognize us for a change.  I understand that companies like Master Lock have lobbied to garner the support of your administration but please remember that they are a self serving business and we little guys need a voice too.

I'm not expecting a response to this letter, but I am hopeful that at the very least my words have not fallen on deaf ears. Thank you for you time.

Sincerely,

Melanie Belshee

RocLok Hide a Key, Inc.