Joe Biden: Ohio Now a ‘Silicon Heartland’ Not a ‘Rust Belt’

US President Joe Biden speaks during a ceremony at the groundbreaking of the new Intel sem
Gaelen Morse/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Charlie Spiering

President Joe Biden declared Friday that the era of the midwest “rust belt” was over, thanks to a bill he signed to invest in the production and manufacturing of electronic semiconductor chips.

“It’s time to bury the label Rust Belt and call it, as Pat said, the Silicon Heartland,” Biden said, referring to earlier remarks from Pat Gelsinger the CEO of Intel.

The president traveled to New Albany, Ohio to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new Intel semiconductor manufacturing facility.

“Folks the future of the chip industry is going to be Made in America,” Biden said during his remarks.

US President Joe Biden greets workers at the groundbreaking of the new Intel semiconductor manufacturing facility near New Albany, Ohio, on September 9, 2022. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

President Joe Biden greets workers at the groundbreaking of the new Intel semiconductor manufacturing facility near New Albany, Ohio, on September 9, 2022. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

The president spoke in front of the construction site in Ohio with a bipartisan group of public officials celebrating the passage of the CHIPS Act. Republican Governor Mike DeWine was present at the ceremony as well as retiring Republican Senator Rob Portman.

Pat Gelsinger, chief executive officer of Intel Corp., from left, Mike DeWine, governor of Ohio, his wife Fran Struewing during a ceremony at the groundbreaking of the new Intel semiconductor manufacturing facility near New Albany, Ohio, US, on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. Last month President Biden signed into law a broad competition bill that includes about $52 billion to boost domestic semiconductor research and development, calling it a "once-in-a-generation investment in America itself." Photographer: Gaelen Morse/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Pat Gelsinger, chief executive officer of Intel Corp., from left, Mike DeWine, governor of Ohio, his wife Fran Struewing during a ceremony at the groundbreaking of the new Intel semiconductor manufacturing facility near New Albany, Ohio, on Friday, September 9, 2022. (Gaelen Morse/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“The industrial midwest is back!” he said triumphantly, describing the building site as a “field of dreams.”

Despite Biden’s hearty support for revitalizing the industry in the midwest, he did not apologize for his open trade policies, such as his vote for NAFTA that only encouraged businesses to outsource American jobs.

He appeared mystified about what killed jobs in the midwest.

“Over 30 years ago America had more than 30 percent global chip production, then something happened,” Biden said. “American manufacturing, the backbone of our economy got hollowed out. Companies moved jobs overseas, especially from the industrial midwest.”

Biden’s solution to restoring manufacturing in the United States is to spend more taxpayer dollars on subsidies for the chip manufacturing industry, in an effort to compete with foreign countries like China.

“China is trying to move way ahead of us in manufacturing them,” Biden said, noting that China’s government lobbied against the CHIPS Act. “The United States has to lead the world in producing these advanced chips and this law made sure that we will.”

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.