I'm only one person. How can I make a difference? Answer: 1) Buy some BUY AMERICAN! bumper stickers from this website (AT COST FROM THE PRINTER) and get them on the bumpers of all your friends and family. VFW Post and American Legion Post are also a very receptive patriots for the bumper stickers.
2) Encourage your local store managers at Walmart, Target, Lowes, and others to STOCK MORE MADE IN USA PRODUCTS
3) Shop at MENARDS if you have one in your area. This major retailer regularly advertises MADE IN USA products. Check out their ad at http://www.howtobuyamerican.com/menards.pdf
What difference does it make? Answer: Manufacturing is the life blood of our economy. Your own job might not be directly related to manufacturing, but money earned by manufacturing jobs provide income for the rest of our economy.
It's a world economy, why not just let free trade determine where goods are produced? Answer: That would be OK if other countries felt the same way. However, in most other countries it is bred into their culture to buy their own domestic products. AND, it's not a level playing field when other countries with a "competitive advantage" don't have things such as MINIMUM WAGES, OSHA, EPA, WORKMANS COMPENSATION, UNIONS, HEALTH CARE BENEFITS, RETIREMENT BENEFITS, etc., etc., etc.
Isn't it cheaper to have durable goods manufactured in China and other countries? Answer: It may be more profitable for multi-national companies to manufacture goods overseas, but stock market gains do nothing for the American working man. And, with automated manufacturing technology, most goods can be produced competitively in the United States.
Doesn't the automated machinery used in manufacturing reduce most manufacturing labor? Answer: Yes, automated robots have decreased the number of required manufacturing workers. However, these modern manufacturing plants still require massive numbers of skilled machinist, engineers, maintenance people, shippers, packagers, bookkeepers, and management staff.
But our unemployment rate is very low. Why do we need more manufacturing jobs in the United States? Answer: The unemployment rate only reflects the number of Americans drawing unemployment benefits. It does NOT count those who have stopped looking for work, and those working part-time because a full-time is not available. Moreover, manufacturing jobs generally pay better than retail and service based jobs.
What's wrong with a service based economy? Answer: If an economy is not adding value to raw materials it is not creating wealth. To export a product you must either FARM IT, MINE IT, OR MAKE IT.
Don't most small towns in America rely on agriculture to fuel their local economies? Answer: Since the advent of mechanical farm machinery, the agricultural job pool has almost dried up completely. Most small towns in America have at least one major manufacturing plant adding a significant boost to the local economy.
