The peripatetic Barack Obama is at it again, traveling away from the White House to sell the public on another plan he has for spending their money. This week’s stop was in an auto parts plant in Asheville, North Carolina, to sell two parts of his plan: a $6-billion manufacturing tax credit to bolster communities that have lost manufacturing jobs, and a hike in the minimum wage to $9 per hour.
Obama pontificated, “I believe in manufacturing. I believe it makes our economy stronger. Our middle class, when it’s growing, when it’s thriving … that’s the American dream. That’s what we have we have to fight for.”
How much is Obama asking for this time? $1 billion, for 15 “manufacturing innovation institutes” to help the government join with local industries and universities to develop new technologies for manufacturing.
There was no mention of how raising the minimum wage would help the middle class, as it will cripple small businesses. Obama said, “If you work full time, you shouldn’t be in poverty.” He didn’t mention how people could live on $9 an hour.
National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling had plenty to say about Obama’s plans: boasting of the manufacturing tax credit’s effect on communities, “when they’re in the process of a major loss doesn’t have to wait for the downward spiral,” arguing that it would help us in our balance of trade, “when we let our manufacturing supply base be degraded, it’s not just that it costs us jobs now, it costs us our ability to compete,” asserting that the Obama plan that is asking for $20 million to hire 100 more government employees to recruit foreign businesses would protect American businesses, “I think one of the very important things that we tried to do from the start is make clear that we are not going to sit by while we are playing by the rules and others are not playing by the rules when it comes to manufacturing.”
Oh, and there would be that extra $113 million Obama wants for planning grants local communities would use to entice businesses to come their way.