Many communities during recessionary times tend to go for protectionism, and yet in the end it doesn't help, it actually adds to the problems.
Not long ago, someone mentioned that they did not want a Super Wal-Mart built in their city because it would take away business from the other small business people, and the town had already had a rough go of it during the recession.
Indeed, we all understand what people are saying when they make such statements, if you were a small business person of 20-years in a community, you wouldn't want Wal-Mart coming in and undercutting your prices in direct competition either.
The other day some made an interesting statement along these lines about their own county; they said, "Our County is deteriorating and we have had two new Wal-Mart Super Centers built in the last 10 years.
" That is a catch-22; first, it provides 400-600 jobs for each Super Wal-Mart store that is put in, but it challenges all the local business people which re-circulates money in the town.
If you read Sam Walton's book "Made in America" you'll see he was adamant about buying from within the US.
In fact, his book title tells it all.
Of course, now Wal-Mart is global, and thus, it has to buy from everywhere, because it puts stores everywhere.
That's no different from Boeing, GE, Caterpillar, or any multi-national conglomerate.
The same individual suggested that the city start their own local currency to be traded locally only.
"local money being stamped kind of reminds me of something that was done during the great depression.
Certain counties printed their own "scrip money".
" Yes, many of the cities are creating their own "local currencies" although I've never really seen it ever work very well.
I guess it is more of a PR move, it makes people think about buying local, sometimes that's the only difference needed to get people to change their buying behaviors just a little, and every little bit does make a difference.
Communities, Cities, and Counties must be very careful with such protectionism because invariably these things fail, and only add to the problems in the long-run.
Please consider all this.
Not long ago, someone mentioned that they did not want a Super Wal-Mart built in their city because it would take away business from the other small business people, and the town had already had a rough go of it during the recession.
Indeed, we all understand what people are saying when they make such statements, if you were a small business person of 20-years in a community, you wouldn't want Wal-Mart coming in and undercutting your prices in direct competition either.
The other day some made an interesting statement along these lines about their own county; they said, "Our County is deteriorating and we have had two new Wal-Mart Super Centers built in the last 10 years.
" That is a catch-22; first, it provides 400-600 jobs for each Super Wal-Mart store that is put in, but it challenges all the local business people which re-circulates money in the town.
If you read Sam Walton's book "Made in America" you'll see he was adamant about buying from within the US.
In fact, his book title tells it all.
Of course, now Wal-Mart is global, and thus, it has to buy from everywhere, because it puts stores everywhere.
That's no different from Boeing, GE, Caterpillar, or any multi-national conglomerate.
The same individual suggested that the city start their own local currency to be traded locally only.
"local money being stamped kind of reminds me of something that was done during the great depression.
Certain counties printed their own "scrip money".
" Yes, many of the cities are creating their own "local currencies" although I've never really seen it ever work very well.
I guess it is more of a PR move, it makes people think about buying local, sometimes that's the only difference needed to get people to change their buying behaviors just a little, and every little bit does make a difference.
Communities, Cities, and Counties must be very careful with such protectionism because invariably these things fail, and only add to the problems in the long-run.
Please consider all this.
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