Maid in America?

Buying products made in the United States is important to me. I want things that are made by the fellow down the road, in my area, in Illinois, oh hell just anywhere here in the USA. The title today is my way of poking a little fun at those folks who say we are turning into a service economy. We can't make our economy work by cleaning each other's houses or selling each other the crap they try to pass off as a hamburger at McDonalds. We need to build things. We need to take iron ore out of the ground and make it into steel. The steel that goes into our cars, trains, bridges, boats, tanks, and hundreds of other items. We need to forge aluminum for our airplanes and boats and cars and what the hell, our beer cans. We need to build computers and telephones and make computer chips. The American worker is still the best and most productive worker on the planet. The American worker is not the cheapest. Quality costs money. Manufacturers should be willing to pay for the quality American workers produce. I watch the show Shark Tank. I have listened too many times while they tell someone looking for a partner they need to move production overseas to reduce the cost of manfacturing. They have no intent on reducing the price of the finished product just attempting to maximize their profit. My contention is that if you don't pay workers here to produce the item they won't have the money to buy it when you put it on the market.

The price of made in China is more than just the price of the item. When something is manufactured here it creates a ripple effect. The folks at the factory making the item have money to spend at the local store or bar or restaurant. They buy cars and furniture and homes. The more of those things that are made here the more of that money is cycled through our economy.

So some time this week, look at the tag or the box and see where it was made. If you can find a product made in America buy it instead of the one made somewhere else. Go to the Farmer's Market and buy produce from the local guy. Visit a small business instead of the big box store. Build your local community. It will be better for everyone.