As a lifelong resident of the Fourth Congressional District, I have seen our way of life change dramatically over the years.  Consumers can now shop from companies all over the world with the click of a mouse.  Our supermarket shelves and retails stores are now lined with products from almost every continent.  We are more connected today with businesses all over the world than ever before.

These developments in technology and trade over the years now present American consumers with a variety of products and brands to choose from, making freedom of choice one of the best conveniences of our modern society.  This has all been dictated by you, the American consumer who truly is the economic engine that has helped drive the laws of supply and demand.

As we move forward in this struggling economy, I urge you to look more closely at the items you buy this holiday season.  When you consider price, quality and brand, I also encourage you to consider where the product is made.  Buying local or American-made goods is a choice you can make to help small businesses in your community and manufacturers and companies throughout the country.  Additionally, by buying products made in the United States by American workers, we can help reinvigorate American commerce and give all those companies that sustain many of our communities with jobs a much-needed boost.  

Buying American isn’t always easy.  Sometimes it requires us to spend a little more time shopping and searching to find American products and sometimes it may mean paying a little more.  However, when we make the extra effort to put cash back into the American economy, we are investing in a national financial situation that will benefit all of us here at home.

As your representative in our nation’s capital, I am committed to ensuring that Arkansas’s small businesses have the resources they need to compete in a 21st century global marketplace.  As a former small business owner in Prescott, I understand the difficulties and responsibilities of owning and operating a business.  The Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2007, the Small Business Lending Improvements Act, and the Small Business Fairness in Contracting Act, are all bills I was proud to help pass in the House of Representatives this session with a focus on easing the burdens on our small businesses by providing them with tax relief to help them compete for contracts in a global marketplace.

As we work together and support one another during these tough economic times, I urge you to spend that extra amount of time and try your best to buy local and buy American this holiday season.  By working together, we can help restore an economy where American businesses have the ability to thrive and where working families have the resources they need to send their kids to college and enjoy a secure retirement.

Sincerely,

 
Mike Ross

Mike tours the Arkansas World Trade Center in Rogers on Dec. 4 and meets with its President/CEO Dan Hendrix and his team to discuss ways to support their efforts in strengthening Arkansas’s economy.