An article in a recent edition of my hometown paper, The Holland (Michigan) Sentinel, “Stabenow legislation would push federal spending toward American companies,” reflects the opposition dishonesty of the state’s Democrat senator and the newspaper.
In every campaign rally of Donald Trump, and in subsequent appearances in the State of Michigan and elsewhere, he emphasized his desire to revive the pride we once held for products “Made in the USA.” And, he stressed hiring and buying America. The crowds would chant U-S-A … U-S-A … U-S-A.
Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenaw hijacks President Trump’s “Made in the USA” revival effort. (deadbook.nytimes.com)
During her reported visit to R.A. Miller Industries (RAMI), a defense contractor in Grand Haven, Michigan, Democrat Sen. Debbie Stabenaw introduced her “Make It In America Act,” which she said would close loopholes for federal agencies that spend our tax dollars on contracts with foreign companies.
But did she make reference to President Trump’s effort to revive “Made in the USA?” and offer to support his effort? No. Instead she continues to further divide and polarize Washington. As a result, her bill will go nowhere.
“Some folks are surprised that in the last five years, $70 billion of our tax dollars were used to purchase foreign products,” she said.
Well, Senator Stabenaw, why, after 21 years in the House and Senate, have you not done something to correct that?
She repeated the oft heard excuse that “some things are not made in the United States,” but instead of encouraging likely small business entrepreneurs to investigate expanding their product line, Stabenaw asked, “Why aren’t we supporting a startup to make it?”
While the senator would like to forget that President Obama provided billions of tax dollars to green technology companies that were going to provide jobs, I certainly haven’t. Solyndra received some $600 million to produce solar panels,“ and even when warned that financial disaster might lie ahead,” The Washington Post reported on Dec. 25, 2011 that the administration remained steadfast in its support for Solyndra. It went bankrupt.
Democrats like Stabenaw like to spend our tax dollars. She doesn’t seem to recognize that it isn’t the government’s job to create jobs, rather it should be creating the environment for hiring and growth. Trump is doing so by removing job-killing regulations and a promise to lower taxes.
So, in Stabenaw, Michigan has a senator who puts resist and obstruct first; a senator who isn’t embarrassed to hijack the President’s intention to revive “Made in the USA.”
And in the Sentinel, they have a newspaper that not only chooses to disregard President Trump’s effort by making no mention of it. And, writer Jordan Climie, who chose not to press Stabenaw for her inaction over her long tenure in office.
Stabenaw, who also opposes confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, will be up for reelection in 2018. I understand that former Rep. Pete Hoekstra leads a field of four possible GOP candidates.
