Thursday, August 18, 2011

Buy Local in the Global Economy

Buying Local In the Global Economy

We have all chosen to buy lots of ‘cheap’ and ‘convenient’ stuff as we have lived the good lifestyle on plentiful natural resources while accumulating thoughtless and irresponsible debt.  Cheap stuff comes at a very high price. 

We are all responsible for our current economic crisis and the shortage of jobs.  Take a close look at what you have bought the last few years….   We can also change things – starting right now – to develop the best economic position possible for our future.

Many people apparently think ‘buy local’ means shopping for imported stuff on sale at the neighborhood big box store.  Lusting over imported manufactured stuff has exported our money and our jobs.   American industry and jobs have crumbled away.   We export our natural resources, ship materials half way around the world, minimize labor and production costs, ship the products back half way around the world – then complain we have recession and unemployment!!

Every purchase you make is a real vote that immediately counts to affect the future of our planet.  Every purchase you make builds up the company and country where the thing is from.   Every purchase you make has a political effect too, as the big companies exert real and immediate influence on our politicians.

We have created this monster we face today with our selfish and short-sighted purchases.  We can choose to change this now – just stop feeding the monster and it will go away.

How to “Create Jobs”
Today, most of the stuff we buy is made in a big factory with big machines and robots and likely in another country.  Government Regulations and Legal Lawsuits make labor very expensive in America.  Americans everyday are more lazy and fat - and in love with welfare, and the lottery.   Then we say, “we must create more jobs….”

All the politicians talk about creating jobs, yet fail to address the real problems.  Government does a thousand times more to discourage American jobs than the feeble efforts of talk and “stimulus”. 

As a business owner – one thing would get me to hire more employees – SALES!!  Government on the State and Federal Level has been a huge hindrance to my business for decades.  They should just get out of the way – today more than ever!

Globalization has CHANGED the planet
The internet – instant global communications – is the most amazing creation ever.  The airplane is second.  Earth – our economics – has truly changed and there is no going back.

Everyone needs to travel and watch the rest of the world to have a realistic picture of where you fit into the big picture and your effect on others.  Most people choose to be ignorant and don’t want to believe their lifestyle is very wasteful and damaging to the planet.

Homo Sapiens are being Homogenized.  Worker wages are being pressured to a more common-ground level.  High paid American workers will get less in the future and workers in the Far East will demand more.  There is no stopping this trend – a wise person will work within it to arrive at the best position possible for themselves.

We are mixing it up today around the world – nothing is hidden and there is no excuse for ignorance.  Seeing how much we are all about the same is our best hope for survival now.  We are all in this together and better learn to get along.

The Most Powerful Force On Earth
The best chance we have is to rebuild our local economies and communities that have been destroyed by the big corporations.  We created them ourselves with our lusts for cheap and convenience, and we can change the world by making smarter spending decisions - from now on.  The American Woman – the Shopper – is the most powerful force on earth today.  The Shopper has the free choice to support whatever company and country with the power of their purchase.  The Shopper is the one who can create jobs with their votes.  Every single vote counts.

Simple Steps to Change the Economy:
  1. Buy As Local As Possible
  2. Buy from a company As Small As Possible
  3. Drive as little as Possible
  4. Do the Opposite (of what got us here)

Big is Bad – most of the time….
Generalizations are not all true, but the long term trends now show the route we are going - being dominated by bigger and bigger corporations that dominate the Government also – are not good or sustainable for most humans. 

Do the opposite of what the big corporations and their puppet politicians want you to do.
Be discerning when listening to their talk. 
If you feed the monster – don’t complain when you get bitten!

People all over are very angry, fearful, and without much hope. 

There is HOPE
The American Dream of one person making a difference is now a Global Possibility for any human being.   The information and tools are becoming more freely available everywhere today.   Grab Globalization and take advantage of the good alternatives.

Most people may not care, but for those who choose – great opportunities are present today. 

http://www.aslocalaspossible.org/  has detailed articles

Friday, July 29, 2011

Stop Feeding the Freaking Monsters!

Here is How We Can Fix Our Government… 
Stop Feeding the Monsters

The Ongoing Embarrassment in Washington DC brings everything into clear view – but don’t blame Obama or Boehner…    We are All Responsible for the mess we are in.

We can also immediately change things.
We need to see the problem and make an effort to do the opposite.

Most people feel that the government is out of control and there is nothing they can do about it.  Many people vote in an election, but not even that seems to make any difference.  Special Interest Groups and Lobbyists and unseen Players now have the power.

Big Money has taken control of the government.  Politicians must play the game to get and stay elected.   A few behind the scenes individuals yield the real power.

We have all helped the big corporations take control of our government and our lives.  Every single purchase we make is an effective vote for the future that truly counts and makes a difference.  Buying cheap stuff from a big company immediately builds up that company.  Buying cheap imported stuff directly exports our money and our jobs.

Our Choosing Cheap and Convenient has contributed to the bad effects of globalization.  Globalization has happened, but we don’t have to be controlled by distant huge corporations any more.  Buying the Best Value is our Best Hope for our Future.

Three areas where we can make an immediate impact on our local economy are to buy local food, local wood, and local renewable energy.  Buy Everything As Local As Possible from a Company As Small As Possible - and everything will change quickly. 

We don’t have to feed the monster any more – we can choose to change things very quickly with our daily purchases.  Support small local business, feed the local economy, and starve the Big Corporations.  Their power will soon be depleted.

Communities focusing on local food, wood, and renewable energy can be largely self sufficient.  Communities organized to meet local needs can be stable in a crisis.

We need to focus on what government services are essential.  Government should do just what government is best at – but get government out of the business sector – that clearly hasn’t worked.   Everyone should play an active role in government and put personal pressure on elected officials to listen to the local people that elected them.

If we make smart purchasing decisions, we can create the best future possible for our communities and country and world in the new global economy.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

fixing it - today

We are all responsible for the economic recession and the shortage of jobs.
The majority, the middle class, the masses.

Humans have built huge factories, huge machines, legions of robots that replace human workers.  We allow our natural resources to be exported as cheap commodities to foreign countries – subsidizing big global corporations.   By choosing ‘cheap’ stuff in the big stores and ‘convenience’, we have exported our money and our jobs.

A universal solution:  Create community based businesses that help meet the needs of local fresh food, wood products, and renewable energy.  We should use our local resources to support good jobs in the local economy.   We can keep our money in the local economy.   We can choose to not subsidize the huge global corporations, buying as local as possible from small businesses.

Government can’t and won’t fix the economy or create the jobs claimed.   Government is controlled by the big corporations too.

We can change all this – starting today – by making wise purchases that immediately build up our local economy and support local jobs.  Every single purchase we make has an immediate effect on our future – a vote that truly counts and makes a difference each time.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

If Only Trump Were KING!!

If Only Trump Were King!
April 27, 2011 Trump claimed he could beat Obama to be President.
First day he would take on China and impose a 25% tax of all imports.
Then he would tame OPEC and take control of the oil market.
If only Trump Could Be King
But this is the U.S.A. 
Can’t happen. 
Even if he is elected President in 2012, he would not have the power to change much.

Our government is needed for Law and Order, but government trying to manage the economy is the biggest disaster of all.   

A new choice we can all make today….
Stop exporting our money and jobs buying cheap imports in the big box stores.
Choose to use local resources to support the local economy, jobs and lifestyles.
Promote local fresh food, wood products, biofuels and waste energy recovery.
Birky

Monday, March 28, 2011

The Hope for April 2011

The Big Corps are running the government and avoiding paying their fair share of supporting needed government services - to keep all the money for themselves.
The government isn’t going to do anything – really.  Can’t really blame any of them – that is how things work today.

We can fix this ourselves by making wise purchases – we actually do have the power and the votes with what we choose to buy every day.  Our dollars are our power.

We must take full responsibility for the results of our purchases – choose cheap stuff at the big Corporate stores and you have created the whole mess yourself.

We can’t fight ourselves and have any hope – we must see the real picture and be smarter – starting right now.

Buy from small local companies as much as possible.  Avoid buying imports and cheap stuff – as much as possible.

We have the numbers and we can instantly communicate – there is no reason to let the big Corporations continue to dominate us.

Friday, February 25, 2011

We have chosen Cheap and Reaped Recession

We have done all this to ourselves.   Create big machines and robots that replace workers and you get unemployment.   We have chosen cheap and reaped the rewards.  You get what you pay for you know!

Where is the wisdom?  The common sense?

The only hope is to now choose local and small.  Use what we have to meet the need - get value that will last.  Do just the opposite Big Government and Big Business want us to do.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Tripoli and Madison and Cairo???

OK, You spoiled rich kids can protest and “fight for your rights” = you can do that here.  Do you have to be so NOISY?   Can you be more informed?

But anyone who thinks what the people in Madison are doing is IN ANY WAY COMPARABLE to the demonstrations in the Middle East – you should be totally ashamed of your ignorance.

When you travel to developing countries and see how most of the people in this world live day to day, There is no Comparison.
They have no money, no benefits, no rights to speak of – and they are truly risking their lives and livelihoods right now.

We are so rich and spoiled and grossly wasteful and unappreciative and arrogant - here in Wisconsin and the U.S.A. 

It is too bad that all the energy in Madison is not doing anything positive.   Globalization keeps happening here in Wisconsin and unless that is understood and incorporated into the solution – everyone has totally missed the point. 

If this effort and energy was focused on rebuilding our economy instead of tearing everyone down – miracles could happen right now.

All people are doing in Madison is trying to hold onto the riches we had before we exported our jobs and money overseas.   Too Late!

We need to look at what resources we have right here and use them to meet our local and regional needs.
We need to stop buying cheap imported stuff at the big box store – for our “convenience” and exporting our money and jobs.

No Politician or Media will voice this – they are controlled by the big Corporations.