Reclaim American Jobs - Personal Finance | Why Follow the Money | Why Buy American

Every citizen must understand their household finances. Every citizen must understand their government's finances. Spending is a privilege, it is an honor that we must execute with great care. Spending strategically for our future is something we must learn in order for our country to survive.

We have experienced the "jobless recovery", we have seen the heartbreak of lost homes and foreclosures. And yet, the real economic disaster is looming. We must spend strategically now so that we might cut costs for the future. Buying American, taking control of government spending, limiting the ownership of our American debt is the responsibility of every American citizen.

Cutting Costs for the Future

Soldiers are fighting overseas for the freedoms that we hold dear. We as free citizens must do our part to recognize the real danger to our freedom is financial. We must know the companies we are buying from, we must know who is holding our debt, we must know who is paying US Federal taxes, we must start cutting costs for the future by spending strategically today.

Monster in the Shadows

We must recognize the monster of our national debt is looming in the shadows. Shadows have a way of "lurking" (lying in wait, a pending ambush). More often than not, we ignore shadows, we simply choose to move on with our daily lives.

Ignoring the monster's shadow will not make this monster go away.

Spending strategically needs to be the mantra of every American business, government and individual citizen. We must empower ourselves in order to be able to continue helping others.

American Choices is about taking the time to notice the shadows and prepare for combating these emerging monsters - in this case, our ever bulging national debt.

US Federal Government Debt Limit

There is a statutory limit to the amount of debt that the US government can carry. It is set at approximately 95% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or $14.3 trillion. What happens when we reach the limit? Perhaps more taxes? Is this figure reliable?

The Real Debt - $76 or $14 Trillion

This statutory figure for the ceiling of the federal debt is calculated in what Truth in Accounting calls the "Enron method of accounting". As you may recall, Enron was a firm that was found guilty of false accounting practices.

The Institute for Truth in Accounting details the real debt should include items such as Social Security. The Institutes estimate is $76 trillion not the government's estimate of $14 trillion.

Truth in Accounting reports every American is carrying $247,000 in debt for the US federal government.

Projected Cash Flow for Social Security

Estimates for social security projected in the future are just that estimates, guidelines. They give a good indication of where we are headed but are not absolute figures. The projection for Social Security meeting the current needs of the US citizens is for more outflow than income in the year 2016. In other words, Social Security is out of money, they will be pulling from other government resources - translated they will once again be tapping the funds that you and I hold - the American citizens will be holding the bill.

History always provides a map for us. If we look back through history we see the greatest civilization fall in what has become known as the "Siege of Rome". A superpower legendary for its brilliance fell on August 24, 410.

At minute 7 listen carefully and you will hear that "what we know from sources that the gate of Rome were opened by Roman citizens who wished to be spared further agony. It was a fore lone hope."

The video echos the words - "We were betrayed - we were ambushed." That was Rome.

Today - we are betraying ourselves. We are selling the jobs of our grandchildren for cheap goods today. We are selling our future freedom by mortgaging our debt to foreigners. We can see the ambush in our future, the shadow of the monster is on the wall.

We have opened the gates for excessive foreign products and now we seeing foreign products for household staples such as coffee, candy, moisturizing creams, even bubble gum. We must stop this internal ambush. We must start spending strategically in order to cut costs in the long term for our long term survival.

The first thing you and I can do as American citizens is to recognize the dire straights of our governmental bodies. We no longer have the luxury as a citizen to let governments do their job - their job is our job - it is our money.

We need to take the time to understand finance, the terms, the amounts, the magnitude of the problems we face along with the future implications.

In short, we must follow the money.

Why Follow the Money?

In investing, students are taught to follow the money. What companies are increasing sales? What companies are profitable? What marketing campaigns generate not just income but a positive cash flow which adds to the bottom line.

As a citizen who pays US taxes, we have an important role to play. Yes we have voting power. . Yes, we elect politicians. Yes, we vote in local, state and federal elections. But the largest vote is our economic vote. Our largest vote is simply "how do we spend our money".

Spending is Investing

The very wealthy have been taught that spending is investing. If you buy a new dress, a pair of shoes, a pair of boots, you expect that new item to serve you for a day or two. Every time we purchase something we are making a choice.

Recognize Our Interdependence

As American citizens, we may live in different states. We may pay different state income taxes. As we travel from city to city and from state to state, we often pay different sales taxes. What we ALL share, is our federal debt. We may pay a different percentage but each one of us is shouldering public debt.

Purchasing Intelligently is Not Protectionism

The term in economics for establishing trade barriers is called "protectionism". It is the government's interference with commerce to protect its stakeholders.

For buying American made goods, for buying from companies paying corporate taxes in the United States, we don't need government interference. For one, IF we had government interference, it would cost us government official salaries. For two, why pay for something that we can have for free. Free - yes, I said free.

As a consumer, we can learn who is paying corporate taxes to the US Government. As a consumer, I can see where a company is headquartered (important tip: look on the Internet not on the package - many companies have both an American headquarters and a corporate headquarters - we need to drill down and find the corporate headquarters).

Our soldiers are fighting overseas for our freedoms. The least we can do here on US soil is to fight for our American jobs and seek to diminish our bulging federal deficit. Take the time to learn about the companies you support with your wallet - this is the largest vote you and I can make, it is a daily vote that can make a real difference.

Does It Matter?

The United States has the largest GDP in the world - in the entire world. This probably comes as no surprise to you. What is surprising within months, this economic power is forecasted to change. We can lay out the game plan and name the players but you and I know we ALL purchased cheap goods from China. China is not just an up and coming power, they will hold in our lifetime, most likely within the next 24-48 months more economic power than the United States. Can we change that? Probably not. Can we have an effect upon that? Most certainly. It is time to start asking where something is made. It is time to ask the question. You see, the retailers will only respond IF the consumer asks.

The consumer is king - always has been - always will be.

Why It Matters - The Power of the American Consumer

Every consumer has the power to choose to spend a little more for an American good. American goods exist - we just need to look for them, ask for them, buy them. Every woman, every man who carries a wallet has the ability to make a change. Do you have to spend more? Not necessarily. Many US gasoline stations are competitive with oil companies whose corporate headquarters is in Europe or Venezuela.

If you don't believe we have a choice, check out the comparisons I have detailed for you from moisturizing creams, to bubble gum to coffee to dark chocolate. The point is not the source of the material, the point is the headquarters of the company and what country they are paying taxes in. The cost cutting long range point is this - taxes not paid will fall on you and I. Doing our part today, can save not just our jobs for our grandchildren but also forestall the bulging debt we are placing upon our grandchildren.

Some items are personal preference. Chocolate is a small indulgence of mine and my favorite chocolate is from overseas. Asking Paul Neuman's company to create a dark chocolate made with sea salt is an item that I as a citizen can do. Paying a little more for the high quality of Paul Neuman's chocolate, an American company whose headquarters is in the US and while they import the cocoa as others do; the marketing, the administration is on American soil. Buying American chocolate may be more expensive than my favorite but paying more now is a "tiny indulgence" when buying a cup of Starbucks is close to $5, an indulgence that may lessen the debt my grandchildren must bear.

Consumer spending is a matter of priorities - priorities with our time, priorities with our wallet.

Spending strategically may be a new idea for the consumer. We must spend with the future in mind in order to cut costs in the long term.

The accountants all agree, we are as a country are headed for an economic disaster. This is a call for change. The monster's shadow is on the wall and it will attack our grandchildren. Listen to the video and see for yourself the shadow of the monster lurking in our shadows.

A Call for Re-Engineering Expenditures

If we had started 10 years ago, we would be ahead of the game but we can start today. Changing the way we think about expenditures and understanding we can as citizens change the way we spend our money.

Buying American is NOT more expensive in the long run.

Buying foreign IS more expensive.

We need to spend wisely. We must spend strategically and plan for the future.

Having foreigners holding our debt is even more scary. We as Americans are not even earning income on our own debt. Think about the siphoning of these finite funds away from the beautiful shores that we call home. Debt is one thing when it is being redistributed throughout our country - debt that is bleeding our country of valuable income will cause us as Americans to literally bleed to death. The "jobless recovery" is a concern, the looming disaster - the real monster is the loss of the income from our own national debt.

Limiting our debt may not be possible, limiting our debt held by foreigners is a strategic move that will cut our costs in the future thus saving valuable resources for our grandchildren.

We as consumers, can spend strategically, spend with a clear vision of the future we want for our children.

Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later

When putting together multi million dollar budgets, one of department managers wisely quoted "pay me now or pay me later". While the saying sounds trite, it is very true. Investing in the future, may take more time to learn who and what is behind the companies that manufacture the goods that we buy but the time and effort we spend today, the extra dollars we pay for an American made boot or piece of candy may mean a job in the future for our children, for our grandchildren.

The governmental debt is an invoice that must be paid someday. Chipping away at paying it, starting even today is a day sooner than tomorrow. Paying a little today is the same as investing in our children's future - remember the government debt is our grand children's invoice.

Let's work together and change this course of events. Let's turn the events around, actively seek American goods and seek to not just lessen the debt but leave our grandchildren a vibrant economy where unemployment is low and the government debt is not burdensome.

America Is Holding The Cards

America is still the global leader. America currently has the largest GDP in the world. We as the American consumer can vote with our wallet. Learn who and what is behind the bubble gum you buy, ask the local retailer what items are American made, look beyond the stylist European luggage and find American made luggage, change your travel path and buy gasoline from a company whose headquarters is on American soil. The tiny change may change the world - it is in our hands - we are the caretakers - let's take the time to follow the money and spend wisely, invest in the future and change not just the destiny of the world but our own destiny. Let's make our grandchildren proud. Let's start today and leave the future generations with jobs and less government debt.

America Is Holding The Cards

America is still the global leader. America currently has the largest GDP in the world. We as the American consumer can vote with our wallet. Learn who and what is behind the bubble gum you buy, ask the local retailer what items are American made, look beyond the stylist European luggage and find American made luggage, change your travel path and buy gasoline from a company whose headquarters is on American soil. This tiny change may change the world - it is in our hands - we are the caretakers - let's take the time to follow the money and spend wisely, invest in the future and change not just the destiny of the world but our own destiny.

Let's make our grandchildren proud. Let's start today and leave the future generations with jobs and less government debt. Let's spend strategically and seek out goods made in America, firms headquartered in America, firms paying taxes in America.