Gov. Granholm calls on Bush to aid manufacturing in radio speech

[cal04]

President Bush's policies have abandoned workers dependent on manufacturing jobs, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm said Saturday in the Democrats' weekly radio address. Granholm called for changes in trade agreements, health care policy and other reforms she said would help businesses, especially automakers crucial to her state.

She said Bush did not offer much help to them in his State of the Union address Tuesday. Then, directing her comments to him, she said: "So, on behalf of citizens in Michigan and around the country - citizens who may or may not share your views of the state of our union - I ask you, with due respect, to fight for them. Fight for fair trade. Fight for our manufacturers. Fight for our automakers. Fight for our American workers."

Granholm said U.S. businesses need the federal government to enforce international trade agreements, help curb the rising cost of health care and protect pensions. And she noted that Americans are being squeezed by the high price of gasoline and home heating fuel. Michigan has been hard hit by a sluggish economy, in part of because of the auto industry's woes. The state's December unemployment rate, 6.7 percent, was one of the highest in the nation.

Bush unveiled a $5.9 billion "American Competitiveness Initiative" in his State of the Union address.
The plan proposes to bolster basic research at government laboratories, improve math and science instruction in public schools and stimulate corporate technological innovations. The proposals seek to position America against fast-growing economies like China and India, which place high emphasis on math and science education.

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/business/13792811.htm

[1932]

1. I've been reading Greg LeRoy's Great American Job Scam, and something

that struck me is that America can't survive on retail alone. We actually have to produce things. We have to apply labor to constuct things, because work is how you create the greatest value. The retail sale of a product creates so little added value, and increasing the number of malls and the number of outlets for selling things doesn't create that much wealth. It just shifts around dollars that you have.

Retail is important, but unless America is manufacturing (or is putting a lot of work into the creation of) the things we sell too, we're going to be a poor nation.

[MichiganVote]

2. Republican answer in Mi? Same as always--cut taxes!?!

Need an economic transplant--republicans say, cut taxes

Need a raise in congressional pay--republicans say, cut taxes

Need a war--republicans say, cut taxes

Need a health care plan--republicans say, cut taxes

This is the grand plan that the republicans say they provide that the Dem's don't--cut taxes. No way to pay for it but that's a problem for someone else's rainy day.
That's it sports fans, just a simple two word idea, cut taxes, over and over and over again.

But be sure to raise the salaries and benefits of fat cats and politicians....

[brentspeak]

3. I'm wondering what took the Dems so long to make this an issue

Should have talked about this years ago.

[Upfront]

4. Correct

Not many listened to the Unions who were against NAFTA from the start. I think it was because they did not think Hi-Tec jobs would be outsourced. Wrong! Blue collar, good paying jobs were the backbone of the nation. Remember Ross Perot? He was correct then and it must end. I wish voting straight Democrat would solve it but as you saw on the Alito vote, not the case. Howard Dean building the base is the answer if there is one. Sorry for rant, a little down today.

[sarcasmo]

5. The Business space for lease here in West Michigan is Amazing.

It reminds of Flint in the movie Roger and Me. Steelcase gone, Lear gone, Big Box Mart still here. There will be a time when the two evils collide. Consumerism and Manufacturing. If you don't have the higher paying jobs eventually Consumerism should slow and a depression should set in. Michigan is already in the process of a Depression.

[PassingFair]

6. Agree.

Lots of union people voted for Bush because Clinton had already sold them down the river with NAFTA. I think they were hoping that Bush would prove to be isolationist.

They were bit in the ass.

SEIU and IUPAT and AFCSME were on board with Dean early on, but the big ones held their cards.

Michigan IS looking bleak.

:cry: