"COMMON SENSE BUSINESS"
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By Stan Rosenzweig
Common Sense Business # 17
By Stan Rosenzweig
How to save the American Economy
As a "Phone Guru" I am an expert on disconnects when it comes to telephone
calls. But lately, I've noticed that we seem to be suffering from a wide variety
of other types of disconnects, all of which impact our businesses, as well as
our lives.
I'm talking about disconnects from reality, such as the one that enables us
to recover from a 250 calorie, sweat-dripping gym workout with a 260 calorie
Power Bar, 200 calories of Gatorade and a drive to Mickey D for a Big Mac and
fries. Super size, anyone? Oh, it's me.
How about our disconnect between complaining about aliens from Mexico and
Canada and not wanting to do the work those guys do? The Wall Street Journal
reports that Maine will lose thousands of American jobs in paper mills because
Canadian loggers without visas can no longer cut the down trees that feed those
mills. And I don't think California has enough Americans to pick all those
strawberries for my shortcake.
How about our disconnect between championing the free market system, on one
hand, and whining when capitalist market forces make it lucrative for the Saudis
to sell us $60 oil? Nobody told us to buy an assault vehicle to pick up the dry
cleaning. Our 5 MPG habit helps Iranians fund their school budget, while it
helps us make our air denser and easier to see.
For sneering Prius owners, you're disconnected, too. Your house is large
enough for all of Larry King's families, using as much fuel for air conditioning
and heating as the Las Vegas Convention Center.
I just got two email chain letters telling me that we can bring down the cost
of oil if we boycott companies that import from the middle east and only buy
from American producers, who, as we know, can only refine and deliver 40% of
what we need. Sure. Watch the gas pumps run dry by around 6:30 tomorrow
night.
Let's reconnect, end the balance of payments deficit, pull the plug on oil
prices, clear the air on pollution and take inches off our waistline. 60 Minutes
commentator Andy Rooney says to drive a little less and save one gallon of gas
per week. That's two and a half barrels of oil saved per driver, per year, 350
million barrels of oil, $20 billion.
We'll never replace Canadian loggers, nor Mexican strawberry pickers. But
let's get out of our cars to do chores. Join me, slim our waists and save our
economy.