The current unemployment rate in the US is 6.7%.1
That means that there are close to 20 million people unemployed. To help you put that number in perspective, that’s the same as the entire population of Australia – from where I’m writing this post.
The Solution?
Americans need to buy local.
Get this. If starting on Monday every American spends one more dollar a day on locally manufactured goods and services – as opposed to buying Chinese goods and Indian services – close to $2.1 billion dollars would be injected into the economy by Sunday. And that’s just a start.
What if every American would spend the average US$431 that they’re planning to spend in 08 for holiday gifts on locally manufactured goods and services?
(drum roll please..)
US$129 billion would remain in US industry this holiday season!
While buying local will not create 20 million jobs over night – there are no quick fixes for the current situation – it‘s part of what needs to happen. Outsourcing has been part of the problem. Part of the solution is reversing that trend.
While the government also has an important role to play in the solution, the fact is that every individual citizen is responsible. And each dollar counts.
Keep the above numbers on your mind as you do your holiday shopping or next time you buy a foreign-made car or outsource a PA to India.
And may the universe provide you with all the good, health, wealth, success, prosperity and abundance that it has in store for you in 2009.
*Post inspired while trying to save the world over brunch on Saturday morning with my husband.
Like the photo? http://www.flickr.com/photos/idletype/320089605/