Investing in U.S. global leadership good for our economy

When Ghana, the small African nation, wanted to buy 104 fire trucks, they turned to an unlikely place: Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Increasing the entire country’s firefighting capacity by 50 percent, they had many options about where to spend their money. Their decision? To “Buy American.” They placed a $31 million order with Oshkosh Corporation.

Oshkosh companies show that you don’t need to be big to be global. As President and CEO of the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, I’ve seen first-hand the benefits of investing and competing in markets that provide the best return for America.

It may be surprising to some, but many of the fastest-growing markets around the world aren’t our traditional trading partners. Developing countries already account for more than half of America’s exports, and that number will only increase. As 95 percent of the world’s population lives outside of the United States, it’s clear that our access to international markets is absolutely crucial for a strong domestic economy.

Continue reading at http://www.thenorthwestern.com/story/opinion/columnists/2015/03/28/investing-us-global-leadership-good-economy/70592526/