Experiment

There are two things that have been bugging me for a while. (This post isn't so much of a chance to complain as it may at first appear.) Number one on my list is the economy. Number two is China. Like the country, not the dishes. (I love the dishes.)

I'll start with number 2.

What is their problem?
China, stop killing people, ok?
Stop putting lead in toys and crap in baby formula.
Leave us in the United States alone.
Stop hating us.
Stop being jerks.
OK?
Glad I got that off my chest.

Now number 1.

I know this won't fix the problem because it's a big problem, but I really think this would help a little--if it was done en masse.

Buy things only made in the U.S.A.
and encourage businesses to have their goods manufactured in the U.S.A.

More and more jobs are being outsourced, leaving Americans unemployed. More and more goods are being brought into the U.S. from other countries, providing other countries with an income and leaving us without one.

Today I went to Borders to buy a couple journals, one for our family and one for me. Nearly every journal I saw was made in China (grrr) or Germany. I have nothing against Germany, but I refused to buy one that wasn't made in the United States.
Most of the journals that were made in the U.S. were made of fine leather and out of my price range. All the journals I loved were not made in the U.S.A.
I eventually found two that were on clearance that were acceptable. They were plain, but inexpensive. They were not trendy or cute, but they will work and they were not made in China.

I'm going to experiment. Most of the stores I love aren't Made in the USA kinda stores. Old Navy, for example. A store that makes me think of patriotism just from the name. Yet nothing in the store is made in America. Stores like Target and Wal-Mart (don't get me wrong, I hate Wal-Mart, I'm just including it here) and brands like Levi jeans, most of their stuff is not made in the U.S.

For my experiment I'm going to see how long I can go buying items only made in the United States. I know that some of that will be extremely difficult. It means I can't shop at Old Navy at all. It means my shopping will take longer because I'll have to look at item after item in order to find something not made in China.

Food may be an exception. Some foods are exotic. Some foods aren't around the U.S. in winter time. I don't have a problem with buying fruit from somewhere other than the U.S. if another country in another hemisphere is experiencing summer and has a surplus of fruit while we are in the throes of winter and have no fruit of our own.

I'm going to do this and I encourage others to join in. I know my little stand won't make a difference by itself, but it will make me feel better.

Plus, I'll feel like I have more of a right to complain about the terrible economy, after all, I didn't vote for him and I don't think he'll make it any better.