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Buying American Keeps Jobs at Home

It is time we as American consumers start shouldering some of the blame for the struggling manufacturing sector in this country.

We cannot afford to put blind faith in our elected leaders to protect our jobs when we no longer find it fashionable or important to spend our money on goods that help to support the jobs of our fellow Americans. Long before the Republican or Democratic parties wrapped themselves in the American flag, that flag symbolized an American-made product made by a proud American worker. There is more to being patriotic than just putting an American flag bumper sticker on your foreign car.

If we want to support our military men and women serving overseas, we should do our part to make sure they have good-paying, high-quality jobs to come home to.

No one is immune from outsourcing. We have been hemorrhaging white-collar computer, technical and communications jobs, as well as the blue-collar manufacturing jobs. Next time you buy something, take the time to read the label, spend the extra money and buy the American-made one. The job you save might be your own.

RAY M. WEISS
Columbia, South Carolina
UAW Local 1981