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Parting Shots

By Wm. R. Lowry
Editor & Publisher, MiBiz
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note-able quotes

“In order to have a strong middle class in America, we must continue to make things and grow things. America needs to lead in all aspects of advanced manufacturing — from automobiles and wind turbines to computer chips and nanotechnology. We’re in a race for the future, and I want America to win that race. We must have a strong manufacturing strategy to get there.”

— Sen. Debbie Stabenow, (D-MI)

whaddaya talk

It remains a mystery to me why the United States Senate, in existence since the 1780s, still to this day holds hearings in an attempt to understand the value of manufacturing to our nation’s economy.

Before you join me in blurting out a resounding, “Well, DUH?” it might help to remember that these are the very same folks who have yet to learn how to balance the people’s checkbook.

So it came to pass that Michigan’s own Debbie Stabenow, chairwoman of the bipartisan Senate Manufacturing Caucus, addressed the Joint Economic Committee the other day to give testimony during its hearing entitled: “Manufacturing in the USA: Why We Need a National Manufacturing Strategy.”

Stabenow noted that since countries like China have long-term, comprehensive manufacturing strategies supported by friendly policy and taxation schemes, that the industrial giant of the world — that is still us — needs to follow suit.

I, for one, agree. But not like you might think. Yes, I fervently believe it to be essential, critical, vital and imperative to our national economic and security interests to not just maintain — but to strengthen our industrial capacity. However, I remain highly skeptical that such an effort can be led by politicians who talk, but have never walked real, honest-to-goodness manufacturing.

I’m not so much cynical as perceptive ... having perhaps come from River City where I heard over and over and over again:

“You can talk, talk, talk, talk,
Bicker, bicker, bicker
You can talk all you want
But it’s different then it was
No it ain’t, no it ain’t ...
But you gotta know the territory.”

What I would support is Congressional adoption of policies which support the principles put forward by the National Association of Manufacturers and the Michigan Manufacturers Association.

They know the territory. They also balance their own checkbooks.

note-able quote

“Contrary to certain public statements made in recent weeks, there is nothing remarkable or unprecedented about the complaint issued against the Boeing Company...”

— Lafe Solomon, Acting General Counsel, National Labor Relations Board

remark

Perhaps the only thing more remarkable than the Administration of the U.S. government interfering in a private company’s normal business operations (outside of TARP and auto bailouts) by forbidding it from commencing operations in another state is the contention by that Administration that its own actions are unremarkable.

note-able quote

“We have a dysfunctional relationship with hard work.”

— Mike Rowe, Host of TV’s“Dirty Jobs”

dirty lil secret

Go ahead and admit it — your channel surfing comes to a screeching halt whenever you happen to spot Mike Rowe, America’s favorite “Dirty Jobs” guy. So I was Web surfing the other day and came across a short video of Mike that really captured my attention. You should watch — and listen — to the serious side of a guy with a pretty unique vantage point on hard work in America. Catch it at: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-609023?hpt=Sbin