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Vote with your debit card - Just saying no to outsourcers can pay off

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Note: The Skinny blog is written by Rick Smith, editor and co-founder of Local Tech Wire and business editor of WRAL.com.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – So who is really to blame for the shutdown of Dell’s plant in Winston-Salem – Dell or government – or each one of us who fails to hold companies accountable for outsourcing jobs?

The Skinny’s "had enough" rant against Dell last Friday for outsourcing the WS 1 plant jobs to Mexico and elsewhere triggered some feisty feedback from readers.

Some blame government for high taxes and policies that work against job creation in the U.S.

Others blame the corporate greed fiends at Dell.

But what about us? Are we powerless in this situation?

No, we are not. Americans vote with their checkbooks – well, debit cards these days – and charge cards. If more of us just said “no” to outsourcers like Dell, IBM and others, the corporate suits would listen – or go out of business.

If we just said “no” to cheaper foreign goods and bought American, then the power of the world’s largest economy could convince companies that “Made in the USA” still makes sense.

As one reader noted, it’s darn near impossible to find a laptop made in the U.S. But we can buy desktops made here. Dell’s WS 1 workers were rolling out one on average in less than 5 seconds.

Instead, we buy the Chinese imports of toys, the Taiwan TVs – anything to save a few bucks. (TVs are a lost cause.)

American consumers can kill a company. Look at what happened to Circuit City.

When that company cut its professional staff in stores to save money, where did you go to shop? If you need professional help in making buying decisions, there were choices. Americans voted. Circuit City flamed out.

Look at nightly TV. As time goes on, viewers are saying “no” to Jay Leno. NBC tried to cut costs by putting on Leno five times a week in prime time. His show is less costly to produce. What’s the result? Ratings are not good – and getting worse. People are telling NBC that they won’t give up “prime time” for Hollywood talk and gags.

So, just say no to Dell. Maybe Michael Dell will get the message when his made-in-Mexico PCs flop in the good old US of A where he made many of his billions.

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The Skinny

WRAL Local Tech Wire Publisher and Editor Rick Smith dishes out tidbits from the local technology sector. Read more articles…