The lightbulb suddenly alights! 2

[rhodie]

Bush Vows to Help Restore Lost Manufacturing Jobs


By Steve Holland

RICHFIELD, Ohio (Reuters) - Feeling political heat over lost manufacturing jobs, President Bush (news - web sites) marked Labor Day on Monday with the promise he will work to ensure nations attracting U.S. factories overseas have fair trade policies.

About 2.5 million of the 3 million U.S. jobs lost since Bush took office in January 2001 have been in the manufacturing sector, and Democrats hoping to unseat him in the 2004 election are using that to say Bush has been a failed steward of the U.S. economy.

Acknowledging that "there's a problem with the manufacturing sector," Bush said he had directed Commerce Secretary Don Evans to appoint an assistant secretary of commerce to focus exclusively on the needs of manufacturers.

"One way to make sure the manufacturing sector does well is to send the message overseas ... We expect there to be a fair playing field when it comes to trade. See, we in America believe we can compete with anybody just so long as the rules are fair, and we intend to keep the rules fair," he said.

Bush donned a union cap as he spoke to the International Union of Operating Engineers at a heavy equipment training site on a gray, rain-soaked day.

He did not single out any countries for increased scrutiny, but U.S. manufacturers are pressuring the Bush administration to protect American jobs against what many see as unfair Japanese and Chinese currency policies.

U.S. companies complain Japan keeps its yen currency artificially low by intervening in currency markets to prevent its appreciation, while China's fixed currency peg has the same effect of giving its products an unfair trade advantage.

Major U.S. business and labor groups said on Friday they might ask the White House for an investigation of alleged currency manipulation by China, a move that could trigger trade sanctions if a negotiated settlement cannot be reached.

The trade complaint by the National Association of Manufacturers (news - web sites) and some 80 other groups would be the first of its kind based on currency intervention, experts said.

The so-called Section 301 complaint, if filed, could markedly escalate the bilateral dispute, which U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow plans to raise with Chinese officials in meetings in Beijing this week.

Determined to avoid the fate of his father, who won the 1991 Gulf War (news - web sites) only to lose re-election in 1992 in a presidential campaign that hinged on the economy, Bush touted his economic agenda in Ohio, a key Midwestern state he won narrowly in the 2000 election. He was to repeat the message in Missouri and Indiana this week.

Democrats said Bush's upbeat message did not match the nation's mood.

Ohio Democratic Rep. Sherrod Brown (news, bio, voting record) said his state had been particularly hard-hit by job losses, with nearly 200,000 private sector jobs gone since January 2001.

"And what is President Bush's response to this unprecedented job loss? More tax cuts for the most privileged people in our society," Brown said.

Bush said the economy was showing solid signs of a rebound, pointing to recent reports that economic output is rising and consumer confidence is up. Job creation has lagged despite these positive factors, however.

"I believe there are better days ahead for people who are working and are looking for work," Bush said.

-END-

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&ncid=578&e=2&u=/nm/20030901/ts_nm/bush_dc

 

[arunmrao]

The President of India is a professional engineer,who has been involved in defence related developments, aerospace and satellite developments,[lacing India on the world map. Ofcourse as a President the constitution gives him very little powers to exercise. So if in a third world country like India an engineer can become President what stops in a developed society like USA to have an engineer as a President. There will certainly come a day when professionals shall be policy makers and form the government and politicians will be displaced(UTOPIAN??)

 

[Binary]

We had an engineer as president... Jimmy Carter, Nuclear Engineer.

 

[zqew05]

Yup, that's right ! Carter was in the Navy in a nuclear-powered seagoing vessel (submarine). No guarantees, Carter was in my opinion one of the worst presidents we ever had.

 

[profengmen]

I find the only thing engineers are good at is engineering.

OH, and thinking they know evewrything, but at least we are good at something.

 

[TheTick]

Yeah, if Carter had lost the election but appointed Secretary of State he would be a giant in history.

There were more a few U.S. presidents that were engineers, including George Washington. Jefferson was a "man of science" and an architect, but I don't know if he ever was a practicing CE. Time was that any army officer needed to be a competent CE just to keep the wheels turning.

So, really, the US already had its "Utopian" revolution guided by very practical and educated professionals in 1776.

All this machinery making modern music can still be open-hearted.

 

[zqew05]

TheTick,

I agree with you on Carter. Bad President but would have been a great Secretary of State. For all his leasdership faults, he has strong moral convictions and he stands by his beliefs. But I still don't like his track record as President.

 

[electricpete]

Herbert Hoover, 'The Engineer President'

http://www.engology.com/articleherberthoover.htm

'I find the only thing engineers are good at is engineering'
I disagree. And I feel sorry for any engineer that feels that way.

 

[PSE]

Perhaps engineers should form their own political party. We could be called technocrats .

Regards,

 

[amorrison]

To PSE

This political party philosophy already exists.

http://www.technocracyinc.org/MainIndex.htm

Formed in 1917 - had some popularity decades ago but is now almost extinct.

 

[PSE]

amorrison,

I didn't think that it existed anymore. Thanks for catching my allusion to the past (or should I say forgotten present).

Regards

 

[funnelguy]

Referring back to the original post for a moment. This thread was started by Rhodie 5 months ago when Dubbya seemed to acknowledge a problem with the continued loss of manufacturing jobs in the USA.

Last month an additional 26,000 jobs were lost. The US has lost manufacturing jobs in every month since Bush took office. Unemployment dropped .2%, however the drop has been attributed to loss of unemployment benefits and job seekers who have simply given up. Prophesies of a "jobless recovery" appear right on target.

The apparent solution to the problem is now to grant immunity to 6-12 million illegal immigrants and build a permanent space station on the moon.

It would almost be funny if it wasn't so sad. Comments?

 

[buzzp]

Yes it seems as though he would like to increase the unemployment rate by allowing immigrants to come in and fill positions that "US citizens do not want". Hogwash.
I kind of liked the guy until he decided to start pushing for this. The only reasoning I can come up with is minimum wage is to low for someone to make a living so they look or take different jobs or simply stay on welfare. The "immigrants" think this is a lot of money but they don't realize they can not live on minimum wage without some assistance. So, as a result of businesses not increasing wages, they can not find help. So bring on the immigrants, they don't know any better. $5.15/hr (or there abouts) is a lot of money to them (used to their own country where this would put them on the countries richest people list).
Since businesses can not get help, the President decides to help them maintain profits by allowing immigrants in to work for the wages they are willing to pay. I wonder if these people will be eligible for welfare? Also, if their not citizens did you realize they have to pay ZERO taxes? Thats why the smart foreigners never apply for citizenship. In fact, some Americans are changing their citizenship so they don't have to pay taxes.
I think this will affect his approval rating in a huge way.