Keeping it in the USA

April 30, 2008
Fort Collins, CO

Which foreign country will you support with your tax stimulus money?

Friend Nancy passed on a good idea -- Keep that money in the USA. Spend it at a Yard Sale!

OR here's a thought folks - simply try looking for American Made Product. It is out there. Stimulating the American economy is all about making informed decisions. More importantly, where and how and with whom you choose to do business can make an impact on our economy. One of the main reasons Americans buy non-American product is because the peddlers of foreign wares make it so easy. We can't do much about the price of foreign oil or vehicles or athletic shoes or most electronics but we can use less foreign product. If all of us just make one consciously American purchase per week or at the very least refrain from making a non-American purchase - we can make a difference. Believe it. You don't have to change how you do things overnight. Just pick one product at a time you need or want. Do your homework. And choose American-Made!

I am only one, but still I am one.

I cannot do everything, but still I can do something;

and because I cannot do everything,

I will not refuse to do something that I can do.

-- Helen Keller --

Here are a few web sites pointing in the right direction.

Made in the USA - Made in USA Product Search Engine and Database. Products sold on the Internet Made in America. Your starting point for shopping the web for American made products. Find out why. Add your site for free. Learn about buying American made products.

http://www.madeinusa.org/

Still Made in the USA - an on-line shopping resource for American-made products for the home and family
http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/

Buy American
http://www.buyamerican.com/

U.S. Stuff - say YES to USA!
http://www.usstuff.com/

Made in the USA Forever
http://www.madeinusaforever.com/

Made in the USA - Understand the Power of Patriotic Spending
http://www.madeinusa.com/

Toys Made in America
http://www.toysmadeinamerica.com/

Alliance for American Manufacturing
http://www.americanmanufacturing.org/

How to Buy American
http://www.howtobuyamerican.com/index.php

All American Clothing Company
http://www.allamericanclothing.com/

Made in the USA Magazine
http://www.madeinusamag.com/

John Ratzenberger's (aka Cliff from Cheers) Made in America on the Travel Channel
http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Made_in_America

Here's a long list of All-American Goods listed by the Travel Channel, although a couple of them would bear closer inspection:
http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Made_in_America/goods.html?idLink=16265688d5657110VgnVCM100000698b3a0a

• Here's a sample listing:
  
  Harley Davidson Motorcycles: William Harley and Arthur Davidson build a new motorcycle in 1903, the same year the Wrights successfully test their flying machine. The demand for Harleys and their many custom designs grows over the years to become one of the world's most recognizable brands.
• Recipe for Success:Set up assembly lines where 100 people build motorcycles one kickstand, spoke, tire and custom chrome piece at time.
• Ratz's Facts:Avg. time to build a Harley = 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The York, Penn. Harley plant is big enough to turn out a fleet of 747s. More than 3,000 men and women work round the clock to meet demand.

Here's a list of a few items that will make it easy to get started buying made in the USA:

3M Scotch Tape, Ball Mason Jars, Burt's Bees products, Campbell's Soup, Coca-Cola, Craftsman Tools, Dr Pepper, Frito-Lay, General Mills, Harley Davidson, Jack Daniels, John Deere, Kellogg's, Knotts Berry Farm, Kohler, Merle Normon cosmetics, National Cash Register, Oscar Meyer Weiners, Pendleton Woolen Mills, Pepsi, Rubbermaid, Serta, Shawnee Mills, Slinky Toys, Spam, Starbucks, Tillamook Cheese, Whitman's Chocolates, Yankee Candles, Zippo Lighters... Like I said -- easier than you think.

Oh, and here's another thought - if you are producing a product in the USA, be proud of it and advertise that product as such. People like me are looking for people like you.