“The more money we make, the hours we get, we’re putting money back into the community.”
We’re less than a week from the big ol’ Super Tuesday primary. The field of candidates is winnowing, and economic policy is becoming a bigger deal on the campaign trail.
Voters are angry, the headlines read. They’re tired of political platitudes; they want results from lawmakers in Washington. Which candidates, they want to know, will back proposals proven to spur economic growth?
We’ve spent plenty of time laying out where each presidential hopeful stands on manufacturing policy. But if your favorite candidate’s position is a little threadbare, don’t worry: the good people of Anniston and Birmingham, Alabama will tell you exactly what works.
More than 5.1 million U.S. manufacturing jobs have vanished since 2000, with more than 98,000 of those in Alabama since 2001. In 2015, manufacturing accounted for just 30,000 of the 2.7 million jobs created nationwide. That’s why more government spending should be tied to Buy America procurement rules.
The reasoning behind such rules is simple: As long as the price is right, public money spent on public infrastructure projects should be spent on products made in America. Why? Doing so creates jobs and wealth in America, not overseas. It stabilizes American communities, because workers don’t have to constantly worry about layoffs:
And it’s equally important to small businesses:
If any candidates are looking to pick up votes in manufacturing-heavy states like Alabama, we think supporting policies proven to support industry – like Buy America – would be a heckuva good idea.