Ben Goodman, a senior political science major at the University of Maine, recently published an excellent column in his University’s newspaper The Maine Campus, urging his classmates to “infuse a healthy dose of red, white and blue into Black Friday.”

Goodman points out that the economic benefits of buying American-made are far greater than most of his peers would expect:

“According to a report conducted by ABC World News Tonight, economists suggest that if college students exclusively bought American-made back-to-school supplies, the result would be half a million new jobs in the United States.”

Goodman also notes that the holiday season provides an excellent opportunity to buy—and give—American:

“Though the number of American manufacturers are in decline, that doesn’t mean Americans have to follow the lead of the Maccabees and do more with less this holiday season. A variety of top-of-the line products are available at competitive prices.

In a very real sense, the gifts you choose to buy for your family and friends this year have a real bearing on another family’s ability to provide for their own. Certainly, America’s ability to manufacture products for purchase by other Americans has always been of importance, but this year, it’s essential.”

Click here to read Goodman’s full column.