People come to the USA even now as my ancestors did to escape persecution, poverty, disaster, and the fear of death. People come here risking their lives with the hope of being able to survive and thrive because wherever they come from they may not survive. That dream begins to come true with work. Work that provides our needs and grows a hope that is more than just a hope of survival. It becomes a hope of prosperity. The best definition I've heard for prosperity is "having enough to share". Having enough to survive is great but, having enough to share the dream with others is the ideal. One of the ways Americans share the dream is by creating jobs and the USA has certainly done that, even to the point of creating jobs for people in other countries....but have we gone to the other extreme? Have we forgotten to take care of home first?
I heard on the news last night that more than 18% of our young people (age 16-24) cannot find work. In my opinion, young people should be working. It keeps them out of trouble. The younger they begin working the better work ethic they acquire. Age 12 is a good age to begin a part-time job, even if it is just bagging groceries and pushing shopping carts. (Did you know our government doesn't want young Americans to have a job until age 14 unless they are doing agricultural work or working at home?) If they begin saving while young they will be ready to start their own households and continue contributing to society by the time they are out of college.
In the town where I grew up, I remember waking up to the work whistle at the local glass factory. In our town, there was also a shoe factory and a car battery factory. Those factories are not there now. Our countrymen and women need jobs.
So how do we keep the American dream alive? How can we help Americans have more jobs and create more jobs? It's simple. If you have a job support America first, by being grateful for your work and by buying more of the things you need from Americans who made them. Second, if you own a business, give a kid a job! (Low paying is better than no paying!) Third, if you are out of work, keep looking and look with hope, being willing to do whatever mundane task you may be asked to do and do it well with a smile. The smile will make you feel better too.
Don't depend on elected officials to change things for the better. You must be the mover and shaker. Make your own American dreams come true! Start early. Start young. Start now.
In future posts I will be mentioning companies who still create stuff right here in the USA, like the All-American Baby Shop! I hope you will support their endeavors! Please feel free to let me know about your favorite American made products!
