Friday, November 7, 2008

Michigan on Obama's Agenda

To state the obvious, U.S. automakers are losing a ton of money. They simply can't survive for very long at this rate. But two interesting items that relate directly to what's left of Michigan's auto industry came out of President-elect Barack Obama's news conference today. Jeff Zeleny and Jackie Calmes of The New York Times report:
"The president-elect said he and his advisers would try to find ways to help the struggling automobile industry, and that he hoped to see enactment of an economic-stimulus package either before or soon after Inauguration Day. 'The auto industry is the backbone of American manufacturing and a critical part of our attempt to reduce our dependence on foreign oil,' he said. 'I would like to see the Administration do everything they can to accelerate the retooling assistance that Congress has already enacted.'"
And...
"[Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm of Michigan, one of Obama's economic advisors] is a strong proponent of a stimulus package in the lame-duck Congressional session. Previewing her advice to Mr. Obama, she sent a letter to Congressional leaders on Thursday urging them to finance public infrastructure projects, extend unemployment and food stamp benefits and provide aid to states and the troubled auto industry."


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Thanks for commenting. I moderate comments, so it may take a while for your comment to appear. You might enjoy my book about Flint called "Teardown: Memoir of a Vanishing City," a Michigan Notable Book for 2014 and a finalist for the 33rd Annual Northern California Book Award for Creative NonFiction. Filmmaker Michael Moore described Teardown as "a brilliant chronicle of the Mad Maxization of a once-great American city." More information about Teardown is available at www.teardownbook.com.