We’ve found some weird stuff in our new space. The old tenant was an antique collector, and we keep stumbling across things left behind in the move—an 1879 edition of Crofutt’s New Overland Tourist Guide, some vintage horse tack that probably saw use on the Oregon Trail, and the latest bit of chronological flotsam, a 1918 poster printed by the Strobridge Lithography Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, promoting the sale of US government bonds during World War I. The poster is emblazoned with a large “V” for victory, accompanied by one word: Invest.

It seemed like a fitting thing to display, since we’ve been looking for both financial benefactors (got a few) and clients (stay tuned) to invest in our fight. Plus, we know beneath whatever work we do will lie the same unspoken pitch to everyday people all over the country: Invest in America.

So the question is, why should you? What are the reasons to buy American?

There have been entire books dedicated to this subject, and it’s tempting to give a protracted answer. But in the interest of time, we’ll keep it short.

When you buy something made in America, a bunch of good stuff happens. You support existing American jobs, and potentially help create new ones. And you know the workers in those jobs have good, safe conditions. Then there’s the fact that the money you spend fuels other parts of the US economy. And the planet is better off, because whatever you buy is made in accordance with EPA regulations, not to mention you avoid the Yeti-sized carbon footprint that results when things are shipped across oceans and continents. Buying American lets you tick all those other boxes, but maybe the most important reason to buy American is because it’s the best stuff out there. Despite the stigma of the late 70s and 1980s, today’s American-made products rate consistently higher in quality than stuff from overseas, meaning you’ll be getting something super cool out of the deal, too.

OK, that’s our schpiel. Here’s hoping you Invest.