Rogers on jobs

(Lance Enderle is the Democratic candidate for Congress in the 8th District. City Pulse is providing him space weekly until the General Election. City Pulse has asked him to report this space as an in-kind contribution.)

Who will put Michigan back to work? This is the number one question we have to ask ourselves at the polls this November. Finding the answer is as easy as looking at whose policies guided us into our current unemployment mess to begin with.

For ten long years Mike Rogers has been consistent. He consistently rubber stamped the disastrous policies of the Bush/ Cheney administration. He consistently ignored Michigan’s manufacturing losses, and consistently looked the other way during Michigan’s times of high unemployment.

Rogers has supported NAFTA, CAFTA, and free trade with Singapore, Australia, and China. Each of these "Free Trade" agreements have resulted in huge dividends to stockholders while putting more and more American workers into unemployment lines.

While companies move to other countries where labor is cheap, stockholders make fortunes at the expense of American workers by putting one of every ten out of a job. Meanwhile, those who have found work have been forced to settle for paychecks that are far less than what they earned previously.

At this rate, Rogers and the Republican Congressional Good-Ol’ Boys will be able to eliminate America’s working class if we give them just a couple more terms in office. One thing you can count on--as long as Rogers continues to vote against the interests of the working class, Wall Street special interests will continue to bankroll his campaigns.

As your Congressman, I will work to repeal NAFTA and CAFTA, and replace FREE TRADE with FAIR TRADE. This will take Michigan citizens off of unemployment, and place them in productive jobs that earn decent living wages. It will also open the door for real entrepreneurial initiatives which will create even more jobs in Michigan.

I support President Obama’s small business plan. Small business makes up 52 percent of our private work force, and 67 percent of first jobs. Small business provides 55 percent of new innovations and is crucial for the survival of the middle class and the United States.

With so much of our economy riding on small business, we must support President Obama’s small business initiative. Our way of life, our traditions, and our survival depends on it.

We know from ten years of experience that Mike Rogers is either ineffective, incapable, or incompetent at keeping Michigan workers working. Whichever the case may be, the results have been the same--high unemployment.

Our leaders are supposed to be there for us particularly during our bleakest hour. That is why it is unconscionable that on two occasions Rogers wouldn’t step forward to vote for emergency unemployment extensions. On at least one occasion he voted against them--during times when Michigan citizens desperately needed them most.

It’s time for Rogers to answer for his voting record, and apparent lack of concern for Michigan workers and their families.