While it’s not a secret that yours truly isn’t a big fan of the iPad, that’s as far as he is willing to go. However, representative Jesse Jackson Jr. recently said that the iPad is at fault for loss of many US jobs, which really makes us look meek in criticism.

Speaking in the Congress, Jackson said that the practical aspect of the iPad made Borders close stores and renders Barnes & Noble obsolete. Apparently, Jackson thinks that downloading newspapers, magazines and books to your iPad is ultimately detrimental for the economy.

Jackson argued that the freshman class of Chicago State University in his district is not even using textbooks. Instead, they’re all given iPads.  Jackson inquired as to the fate of publishing companies, bookstores, librarians and the paper industry in general. He suggested that these jobs will soon no longer exist but judging by Mister Jackson’s perception of the culprit, we’re somehow confident he’s more worried for the rolling paper industry.

“Steve Jobs is doing pretty well”, Jackson said and continued “He’s created the iPad. Certainly, it has made life more efficient for Americans, but the iPad is produced in China. It is not produced here in the United States. So, the Chinese get to take advantage of our First Amendment value — that is to provide freedom of speech through the iPad to the American people. But there is no protection for jobs here in America to ensure that the American people are being put to work.”

After seeing the iPad becoming a big “success”, I can confidently say that many people didn’t read Emperor’s New Clothes when they were kids. The device is extremely overpriced for what it offers and most of the cash pays for vanity and immeasurable quantities such as lifestyle. Naturally, most don’t care.

The best part of Jackson's rant is that we can finally say that we’re only directing mild criticism towards the iPad. If you don’t think what we've just said qualifies for ‘mild criticism’, then hop over here and read Jackson’s transcript.