‘Buy American’ and watch jobs grow

I often attend town-hall meetings and community forums and witness the cries of “we need to create jobs!” There’s no question that factors related to taxes, incentives, high levels of workman’s compensation and insurance have much do with lack of jobs in Illinois.

Now let’s turn the responsibility to us as citizens. Every citizen does have a good deal of control over what we can do to create jobs. It’s pretty simple: Buy USA-made products.

Far too often I hear the lament that “you can’t find anything in the stores made in the U.S.” Wrong! The answer is to try harder if you really care. The answer is to focus on buying only one of something vs. two of inferior quality. The answer is to do a little research to better understand online resources for American-made products.

Tell your favorite big-box stores that you are looking for American-made products — believe me, they will respond to the consumer if you are willing to pay a little extra. Would you do that to create and sustain jobs? The consumer has the power, we just need to exercise it. It’s simple. Hold your ground and work a little harder to buy American.

Jerry Bromley

Schaumburg