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Tuesday, December 2, 2008 12:00 AM

Uncle Sam needs to go shopping. Not us

You want that discounted flat-screen TV. You want to help boost the economy. But I've got news for you.

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  • Tuesday, December 2, 2008 03:29 PM

    Let's go shopping for local things

    How about this? Give everyone who owns a car four years old or older a credit. Let them go to websites that feature American Car Companies or Car Companies that have factories in the U.S. like Toyota.

    Let each person get the car of their choice with the features of their choice (like you can order now from some car manufacturer sites).

    The people who sign up will be considered to be making a bid for that car with the amount of credit they have. I haven't decided if people can put in their own money to get extra features.

    This way the money will go to car manufacturers who employ U.S. workers. The website could have on it the percentage of the car that is actually made in the U.S., where the parts are made, where the car was assembled, what the CEO's salary is, and so on.

    This way we could vote with the money for who we want to make our cars. The car manufacturers who can supply the types of cars we want made by the people we want will benefit; the others will retool or revamp or disappear.

    This will give the economy a boost here, help clean the air, get people into more fuel-efficient vehicles, and let the "consumers" have the choices of what cars and car companies they like.

    Forget buying a TV screen made in another country in a store based in a different state--your money is leaving your community when you shop like this. Begin buying more locally and encouraging your elected officials to support small businesses and locally owned stores, factories, and restaurants.

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