This story in the Washington Post quantifies something I try to mention every now and then (cf here and here and here): The quickest and easiest way out of the recession — probably the only way out of the recession — is for us as individuals to redirect our existing spending away from national and international corporations, and into independent, locally owned businesses. Particularly to local businesses that buy from local businesses.
Products and services from the local economy might seem to cost more upfront, but in the end they make the community so much wealthier that it’s far less expensive. Meanwhile, warehouse discounters and national food businesses with overseas suppliers are effectively strip-mining our community of its dollars.