The True Dependency

No, we haven't abandoned the blog. Mom is trying to get over walking pneumonia, and I've been enjoying a lot of family time -- first with my kids and now with my "baby" brother and his family.

But on to the blog. In this past election, we heard a lot about the need to cut our dependence on foreign oil and, thus, the Middle East. The truth is that the majority of our foreign oil -- 70 percent by some accounts -- comes from Canada and Mexico.

Our biggest dependency is on -- drum roll -- China. We have virtually sold the heart of our country to China. Not only do we owe much of our national debt to China, we have sold this Communist country most of our manufacturing. And in relocating all of our manufacturing there, we have given this country virtually all of our intellectual property just for the counterfeiting.

Think about it. When's the last time you bought anything that wasn't made in China? Try buying a pair of children's or women's shoes not made in China. And the problem can't be blamed on Wal-Mart. Most of the stuff sold at Bloomingdale's, Nordstroms, L.L. Bean, etc., also is made in China. In fact, anything in the L.L. Bean catalog that doesn't say where it's made is a product of China.

We do not have to sit idly by and watch the rest of our industry go overseas. Here are some things you can do:

• Buy local as much as possible.
• Be aware of where the things you buy are made.
• When you're shopping, ask store personnel if they have anything not made in China.
• If you find products made elsewhere, thank the store personnel for stocking it.
• Write to your favorite stores or brands and ask for products not made in China.

Stress that this isn't about quality. Goodness knows, quality is a problem everywhere. This is about economic dependence and the future of our country.