Dear Brigade, "...."People are looking for answers," said Mr. Simmermaker, author of the 1996 book, How Americans Can Buy American, which is to be updated and re-released in the spring. "You heard the calls for patriotic investing when the stock market reopened, but without an extensive stock portfolio to invest, a lot of Americans have to find another way to show their patriotism," he said. "They can make their vote every day at the stores. They can vote with their pocketbook..." Brigade, read the article below about Roger Simmermaker and the "Buy American" issue. Then check out his website - "How Americans Can Buy American". Let me know what you think, because.... I designed the site and will be WebMastering it, and... it's definitely a Brigade Cause! http://www.howtobuyamerican.com FTC-Linda PS - The website is still incomplete, but this issue is so timely that I didn't want to hold off any longer to tell you about it! -------- 'Made in USA' More Important, Survey Reports by Mary-Beth McLaughlin November 6, 2001 The Toledo Blade - http://www.toledoblade.com In the two years prior to Sept. 11, Roger Simmermaker had 5,000 total hits on his web site touting how to buy products made in the United States. In the month after the terrorist attacks, he had more than 6,000 hits from Americans searching for a way - any way - to show their patriotism. "People are looking for answers," said Mr. Simmermaker, author of the 1996 book, How Americans Can Buy American, which is to be updated and re-released in the spring. "You heard the calls for patriotic investing when the stock market reopened, but without an extensive stock portfolio to invest, a lot of Americans have to find another way to show their patriotism," he said. "They can make their vote every day at the stores. They can vote with their pocketbook." The number of people who’ll go out of their way to buy United States- made products has jumped sharply since the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, according to America’s Research Group of Charleston, S.C. C. Britt Beemer, the company’s chairman, said the proportion of shoppers who report seeking out such products traditionally has been about 24 percent. But in a survey of 1,000 consumers conducted the first weekend after the attacks, that number jumped to 30 percent. In early October it jumped again, to 36 percent. The company defines someone who wants to buy United States-made goods as anyone who’ll go to at least two stores in search of a given product. When America’s Research Group asked last week how many of those surveyed planned to look for American-made products for Christmas gifts, nearly 60 percent said they planned to, with 41 percent saying they’ll be seeking patriotic-themed gifts. "I am surprised at how high the numbers are because we really haven’t gotten into a major military conflict," Mr. Beemer said. "If we do, we could go into the high 60s." Local labor leader Al Segur has spent his entire adult life seeking out American-made products. The executive secretary of the Northwestern Ohio Building & Construction Trades Council said he carefully reads labels, goes to many stores, and searches the Internet. He most recently purchased a Toshiba product made in New York. "My family has learned, including my mom and others who buy for me, that if it’s not made in America, I won’t wear it and it goes back to the store." Mr. Segur said he buys products made in the United States to show his support for American workers and the wages they earn here. "Just because some lunatic attacked this country, doesn’t have anything to do with the way I buy," he said. "And I hope that isn’t what changes people’s buying habits. I hope they change because they realize the clothing and shoes they’re wearing may very well have been made by children as young as 8." Mr. Simmermaker, the Orlando-based author, said it is his hope that the new edition of his book stresses that patronizing American companies that make products here supports not only the workers but the also U.S. government, because it is the companies that are paying the majority of taxes. But how many consumers are thinking along those lines is unclear. Wendy Ziegler, manager of the Kohl’s department store on Monroe Street, said customers "are looking for red, white, and blue so they can be patriotic for the holidays, but I don’t hear any made-in- America questions." -------- end ------- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ T H E I N T E R N E T B R I G A D E Linda Muller - WebMaster 47671 Whirlpool Square, Potomac Falls, Virginia 20165 Email: linda@buchanan.org Web: http://www.buchanan.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ T H E B R I G A D E E M A I L L I S T To Subscribe/Unsubscribe send an email with: SUBSCRIBE BRIGADE - or - UNSUBSCRIBE BRIGADE in your message to: MAJORDOMO@BUCHANAN.ORG ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~