Issue Position: Jobs and the Economy

Issue Position

The financial crisis that began in 2008 was the worst economic downturn our country has experienced since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Michigan families who were hit particularly hard are still reeling from its effects. Although our economy has started to improve, we must continue to fight hard to create jobs and stabilize the economy in our region.

It is vital for Michigan that we expand our manufacturing base while diversifying our state's economy. If elected to Congress, I will work closely with both business and labor to develop comprehensive policies to move our region forward and grow our economy in southeast Michigan. Working with our auto industry and our workers, we must remain focused on policies that will strengthen our economy. A number of policies have contributed to our economic recovery including the Auto Industry Recovery Act, an extension of unemployment insurance, which Congress needs to support again, and tax incentives for business investment and hiring. But we can and need to do more.

We have too many young people, as well as older workers, who can't find a job because the jobs have gone away. In some instances, they are ready and willing to work but can't find a job because they don't have the education or skills needed in the workplace. For our part, we need to help create more jobs and ensure workers have access to the education and training they need to be successful. We must support tax policies that help hard-working middle-class families in the interim such as expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit and credits for child care expenses. We also need to support policies that will ultimately help them succeed, such as investments in education. We must also have a trade policy that is fair and levels the playing field. We can start by ending corporate tax breaks for those who ship jobs overseas.

It is critical that we protect workers by ensuring their safety in the workplace. The right of workers to organize and collectively bargain must be protected. Too often we see blatant discrimination in employment practices, such as a woman being paid less for doing the same job as a male co-worker with the same skills. This is unacceptable. Everyone who does the same work deserves the same pay regardless of their gender. If elected to Congress I will work to ensure pay equity in the workplace.

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