I've been thinking about this for quite some time now. In fact, I feel like I should have written this a long time ago. For whatever reason, I just haven't, so it may be lengthy. I apologize in advance and hope you'll hang in there to read it to the end.
I hope that I'm not the only one who has noticed how terribly reliant the USA is on other countries - for a LOT of stuff that we use every day. Not only does this make us vulnerable as a country, but it also makes us weak. And by "weak" I mean that is makes us rely on someone else's generosity, common sense, attitude, intelligence, business sense, fairness and kindness. It means that America loses jobs and loses money to other countries, when we should be taking care of our own backyard.
Do you know how many American jobs would be created if every American household replaced a foreign-made product with an American-made one? 10,000. Yes, ten THOUSAND new jobs. For spending less than $5 on something you buy anyway.
There are still plenty of Americans at work making consumer products. More than 11 million Americans get their paychecks from working in factories, and according to Moody's Economy.com, if every American spent an extra $3.33 on U.S. made goods every year, it would create nearly 10,000 new jobs. (ABC World News)
Just as an example, the average US back-to-college shopper was expected to spend more than $800 this past season -- $46 billion total. If all of that was spent on American-made products, economists say, that could result in almost a half-million new jobs. That's 500,000 NEW JOBS here in the USA!!!
With the loss of 5.5 million manufacturing jobs this decade, and the residual impact (for every one manufacturing job there are five others created - truck drivers, accountants, research & development, clerical, etc.), the US has seen a loss of over 30 million jobs. This has had a huge impact on not only our economy and national security but also on the survival of our middle class. Our economy cannot rely solely on service, health care and agriculture. Government has not provided a solution and so it is time for consumers to take action before it’s too late. (www.americansworking.com)
Yes, it takes time, effort and diligence to look for American-made products. Yes, SOME of those products are more expensive than foreign-made products. But on average, the savings outweigh the convenience. As a whole, American-made products are the same price or cheaper than foreign-made AND they last longer. I'm not just standing on a soapbox and ranting, I am truly passionate about this. Our economy is slipping into a douple-dip recession. Good, honest, hard-working people are losing or have lost their jobs after decades with the same company. College graduates are more depressed about their future than any other recent graduating class has been in the past decade. Cities are dying, homes are being lost and companies are downsizing. I, for one, feel that I am privileged and blessed beyond belief to be living in America. How could I NOT want to do my part to help keep it the greatest country?
I'm not talking about replacing everything in your house. But I am talking about taking a look at products you use every day and seeing if you can't replace it with something else the next time you run out. And yes, I do realize that not everything can be replaced with something American-made, but you can try. Shampoo, conditioner, facial moisturizer, toothpaste, toothbrushes, baby lotion (you'd be surprised!!!), soap, laundry detergents, clothing. Little things really do make a big difference. If you are able or are getting ready to replace something big like a TV or furniture, just take a look at American-made.
You never know who needs to keep the job that you will be saving - your neighbor, your friend, your sister, or your father. I've included some links to make it a little easier to search for American-made. PLEASE take a look and see how very easy it would be for you to make a difference in your very own backyard.
www.usaonly.us
www.etsy.com
www.americansworking.com
www.madehereinamerica.com
www.stillmadeinusa.com
www.buyamerican.com
www.toysmadeinamerica.com
www.sourcemap.org
(database created by MIT to find out where your everyday products come from)
“He’s got the red, white and blue flying high on the farm
Semper Fi tattooed on his left arm
Spent a little more in the store for a tag in the back that says ‘Made in the USA’
He won’t buy nothing that he can’t fix
With WD-40 and a Craftsman wrench
He ain’t prejudice
He’s just
Made in America”
Toby Keith "Made in America"
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