Want to Create New Jobs? Buy and Build with "Made in America"

Recently I came across an article from ABC News. It was one of those emails you get from time to time that usually find their way quickly to the trash bin. But something about it caught my attention. A quick and simple way to create new American jobs with no government intervention or cost to taxpayers. The premise is actually quite simple. Buy products that are "Made in the USA!"

The story revolves around a homebuilder from Bozeman, Montana named Anders Lewendal. Anders came up with the concept of building an "All American Home", a home completely built with American-made products and components.  

The cost of this "All American Home" is just 1% more than a comparable home built with foreign made products. When I spoke with Lewendal today he told me, "If I built this home with 97% American made products, the cost would be equal to a foreign made home."  He continued, "If home builders across the country would simply increase their usage of American made products by 5%, we would create 220,000 new American jobs RIGHT NOW!"  No stimulus funds, no politicians, no government...  Simply buying 5% more American made products in home construction.

Lewendal has made this task easier for homebuilders by creating a page on his website listing all of his sources for American made homebuilding products.  From nails to bathtubs to appliances...  All can be obtained with just a little extra effort.

The concept is much bigger than just building an All American Home. It is growing into a concept that if we, as Americans, will increase our purchases of American-made products, we can create a huge increase in American employment and manufacturing. If we would increase our own purchases of American products by simply 5%, millions of jobs can be created quickly with no intervention from the government.  

Lewendal said this concept should please everyone. "Whether you are a smaller government conservative or an environmentalist, this concept is for you," he explained.  "Products made in America are more environmentally friendly than their foreign counterparts.  And, this can completely be done without a single politician or tax dollar!"

Lewendal travels around the country talking about this concept and about construction as a career path. "I am amazed," he said, "about how few women there are as general contractors.  But when I speak to people in schools they just don't see construction as a viable career path."

This is an important issue we need to address in our country.  Construction Citizen, a blog site dedicated to increasing professional and ethical standards in construction, is promoting a concept called the Construction Career Collaborative (C3). The idea of C3 being to build a sustainable workforce in the construction industry.

Next week, I will begin looking into what is being done in Texas to further this program. I understand the Texas Association of Builders is working with a Texas homebuilder to create an All American Home in Texas. With the construction going on across Texas and in Houston particularly, we should be able to have a significant impact on this program.

The All American Home