Only those among us who endured the 1930s have ever experienced anything like the financial mess we are in today. Millions of lost jobs, major corporations teetering on the brink of bankruptcy that threatens more lost jobs, an initial government bailout that has yet to prove beneficial, and bi-partisan politics handcuffing our new President. We are officially in a world of hurt.
Watching the evening news does nothing to improve our hopes that change is on the way. It seems even the good news has a cloud hanging over it. Gas prices bottomed out helping the consumer but that, in turn, slowed drilling which forced drilling companies to stack rigs which, in turn, cost many jobs, several of these local. That is just one example. Unfortunately, there are many more out there.
Few businesses seem to be exempt. Things are tough for your business and things are tough in mine. Just last week I was forced to close the Barber County Index after 128 years of service to Medicine Lodge and Barber County. We are tightening our belts at the Tribune just as you are all doing in your own businesses or your own homes.
Things are tight. Money is tight. Main Street Pratt is feeling the pinch. Every Street Pratt is feeling the pinch. There isn’t an easy solution. If so, it would have been put in place by now. Until there is let me offer a solution that would help us all and, actually, its simplicity is frightening. Statistics show we are all spending less money. Let’s try this. The money that we do spend, spend it locally. Now is the time to stay home and shop Pratt and Pratt County. The local merchants need you. I need the local merchants. If just half the money we spent out of town stayed in Pratt we would generate a lot of revenue. Those revenues would turn over several more times and it would all stay here locally.
I don’t have a name for my plan and I don’t consider it a bailout for businesses. What I do consider it to be is the future of our city and county as we know it today. We’ve all heard and read the slogans “Shop Pratt” or “Shop Local.” No slogan could carry more weight at this time. Please consider spending your money locally. Pratt needs it now more than ever.
Maybe the results of this plan will be the piece of good news we have all been waiting for on the evening news.
