Buying American is not the answer

Look at this from the AFL-CIO, the Team Concept. How can you build unity among workers internationally and at the same time join with national capitalists by boycotting the products that workers in other countries make basically competing with them for which of us gets laid off. Let's buy Californian as I live here. Or lets buy Northern Californian as opposed to southern. It's the same as applying the Team Concept at the very local level, the point of production. By helping our immediate employer's drive their rivals from the marketplace we participate in the driving out of work other workers who we need to build unity with in order to keep our own jobs---it's a disaster.

Employers don't rate this team too much. They have no problem dumping US workers and buying foreign workers cheaper, workers who are not "willing" to work for less like the big business press likes to claim, but who are forced to by ruthless regimes supported by the US.

The solution to the crisis of overproduction which is at the root of this issue is building solidarity across race, religious and national lines. That way we can win the struggle against the employers for control of society's resources which we can put to good use. The Buy American, Buy German ideas is just another strategy of the employers to solve their problems at our expense.

Dear Working Families e-Activist Network,

Thanks for being a Working Families e-Activist during 2008.
Together, we fought for America's working families and helped
elect a new president who shares our values. It hasn't been
easy, but thanks to your hard work, we have much to look forward
to in 2009.

In recognition of your efforts, we're offering you 10% off every
item at The Union Shop Online (http://unionshop.aflcio.org)
through this Wednesday. Just enter the discount code in your
shopping cart when you're done filling it up with goodies for
your entire family, and we'll take 10% off everything you buy.

Discount Code: AFL2008

From union-made shirts and hoodies to children's books and the
ever-popular holiday cards, everything is 10% off for you. Just
enter the coupon code "AFL2008" in your shopping cart and take
10% off everything. http://unionshop.aflcio.org

Thank you for your support and activism over the years. And
America's workers thank you for buying American.

In solidarity,

Working Families e-Activist Network, AFL-CIO