Economic Stimulus

It’s hard to escape talk of the economy these days – words like sub-prime, bailout and stimulus have become everyday vocabulary. So it was no surprise when I was forwarded an e-mail about the stimulus payment we’re all going to receive in 2009, and it got me thinking.

The e-mail explained the stimulus payment in a “Q & A” style that led you to the conclusion that the money is meant to be spent on products that will boost the American economy – that makes sense. But here is what really got me thinking – the e-mail analyzed the different ways we could spend our stimulus check, and in every case it ended up in another country’s bank account. A sampling from the e-mail:

• If you spend that money at Wal-Mart, all the money will go to China.
• If you purchase a computer it will go to Taiwan.
• If you purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala (unless you buy organic).
• If you buy a car it will go to Japan and Korea.
• If you purchase prescription drugs it will go to India.
• If you give it to a charitable cause, it will go to Nigeria.

Although meant to be sarcastic or funny, there was a strong element of truth which is really pretty sad. While this got me thinking about the undoubtedly globalized business world in which we operate, it also evoked this sense of pride from within. I’m proud, for example, that Carrot Ink has been in business for 10 years. I’m proud that we save our clients money while still providing a superior product. Most of all, I’m proud that our Carrot Brand remanufactured inkjet products have been bought, reprocessed and sold right here in the good old US of A.

This e-mail drives home the unfortunate notion that the American small business is a dying breed. It’s a shame, because it will be companies like these that will be integral in helping this country weather this economic storm.

Consider this - according to the National Small Business Association, over the past 15 years small business has created 21.9 million jobs while large business only created 1.8 million. It doesn’t say how many have been lost by large businesses in the last year alone. Small businesses comprised 99.7% of all employers and provide 50.4% of jobs in the US in 2007. I wonder what the landscape looks like today?

This e-mail serves as a call-to-action for all who read it to do their part in using their stimulus check wisely. Personally, I am going to focus on ways to keep my stimulus money stateside – buy something from a local artisan or craftsperson, vacation domestically and consume domestic products. As they say, “what goes around, comes around.”