Investing in Our Future Means Buy America

The Chamber of Commerce and the Chinese Communist Party coming together to lobby Congress would have stunned our grandparents, but both outfits recently found unity in opposition to the “Buy America” requirements that were inserted into the economic stimulus package signed by President Barack Obama in February. 

The provision requires that tax dollars used to fund the recovery package are – when economically feasible – spent on products made in America. When the federal government is trying to kick-start the economy and create new jobs, it’s smart policy to encourage the purchase of domestically-made steel and other manufactured products, which puts the stimulus bill one step closer to its goal of pulling the nation out of the economic doldrums.  

And despite the accusations of protectionism, the measure would not harm relations with those nations – like Canada – with whom we have a mutually beneficial trading relationship, a promise reiterated by Obama during his recent trip to Ottawa.  

It’s basic common sense, but the provision created a firestorm from Beijing to Wall Street when it was announced in January. A coalition of major corporations lobbied the Senate – unsuccessfully – to kill the measure while the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communists predicted a trade war if Buy America became law.

 One can understand China’s opposition. With its economy serving as a low-wage haven for global exporters, its makes sense for its government to oppose any measure that might boost production here in North America.

And with most manufacturers used to easy access to poorly paid Third World workers, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s loyalty is to a quick buck, not to the men and women of the nation they purport to represent.

What they describe as ugly protectionism is a guarantee to working people that federal spending will help rebuild domestic manufacturing and create good jobs, not keep China’s authoritarian economy afloat with tax payers’ money.

 Despite the noise made by the big-bucks lobbyist machine to kill the provision, it’s encouraging that leaders like Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.) – who were among the measure’s sponsors – stood up to its wrath to make sure that the American Recovery Act does what its supposed to do – lay the foundation for a re-energized economy that will benefit workers on both sides of the border.