Is the solution supporting local merchants?
I honestly search for stuff made in the USA. Honestly, I rarely find much. When I do was it assembled in the US? Was it made with mostly parts or pieces made in foreign countries? this is a whacky world.
I think tariffs that level the playing field and make companies think twice before leaving the US are a large part of the answer. Doing away with NAFTA is also a start. Tariffs would hurt the economy in the short run or for a couple years. But eventually it would pay off in the form of more US jobs with higher pay for many. IMO.
As a society, our search for dollar store bargains/bobbles is robbing us of our (or our children's ) future.
Between debt/credit spending and living beyond one's financial resources our economy is walking more of a tightrope than people often let on.
I think Wal Mart is a consumer creation, a need that needed met. we have a consumer/consumption based economy that feeds our national resevoir of funds. We have come to the point where if Americans don't buy , rather than save like we should, then our economy could theroretically collapse in short order.
Wal Mart is the end product like some of that article pointed out. the true culprit is more in line with multi-national corps, banks, and other institutions. there is no loyalty anymore ..nationally or personally on an employment level. there is only the bottom line and profit. That is the problem.
I think the recent US Steel worker debacle proves this nicely.
