Headlines on January 9, 2009 say “Unemployment reaches 7.2% as companies slash another 524,000 jobs in December.” Why is this happening?

Many blame Wall Street, corporate corruption and let’s not forget our leaders in government, but I believe there is something else we should consider.

Let’s look at a possible scenario that was sent to me recently. Your average Joe started the day early, having set his alarm clock for 6 a.m. that was MADE IN CHINA, while his coffeepot, MADE IN MEXICO was perking; he shaved with his electric razor, MADE IN HONG KONG. He put on a dress shirt MADE IN SRI LANKA, designer jeans MADE IN SINGAPORE and tennis shoes MADE IN KOREA.

After cooking his breakfast in his new electric skillet MADE IN INDIA, he sat down with his calculator, MADE IN JAPAN, to see how much he could spend today.

After setting his watch, MADE IN TAIWAN, to the radio MADE IN INDIA, he got into his car MADE IN GERMANY, filled it with gas from SAUDIA ARABIA and continued his search for a good paying AMERICAN JOB.

At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day checking his computer, MADE IN MALAYSIA, Joe decided to relax for a while. He put on his sandals, MADE IN BRAZIL, poured himself a glass of wine, MADE IN FRANCE and turned on his television, MADE IN INDONESIA, and then wondered why he can’t find a good paying job in AMERICA?

I confess I’m just as guilty as the next guy. I too really love the great prices we enjoy on products made in China and other foreign countries, but is that part of the problem?

Last year I decided to by a Honda Civic Hybrid. Great car and fantastic gas mileage, but as our economy continued to decline, I started to realize that even though many Honda’s are made here in the US, the profits are going to Japan. I addressed that concern recently and traded for a Chevy Malibu, made in Kansas City, Kansas.

Now I’m certainly not a spokes person for Honda or Chevrolet and I also realize that it’s difficult to find something that is actually made in the United States, but I believe that this is something that we all need to seriously consider.

Many will argue that we are now in a global economy and this is the future, but I think we still need to set the rules. Businesses here in the United States need to be given incentives to keep there operations here in the US and discouraged from moving outside of the US by imposing tariffs and removing incentives.

I’m sure many of you remember Ross Perot saying that if the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is passed, we will hear a giant sucking sound, and he was right. Congress has already approved protectionist measures in the recent stimulus bill and already has U.S. trade partners warning it could spark a trade war.

The legislation favors U.S. steel, iron and manufactured goods for government projects over foreign suppliers. I definitely see this as a positive step in the right direction, but we are literally standing at the foot of the mountain.

May God bless…

Ron Phillips