PRESS RELEASE
Pontiac, Michigan City Council Urges Congress to Act on Auto Industry Crisis
June 16, 2005 (EIRNS)—The following resolution was passed today by the City Council of Pontiac, Michigan:
Whereas, this Council believes that the economy of the State of Michigan as well as that of the City of Pontiac is near collapse, with the potential for a substanial number of jobs being lost in the industrial sector including but not limited to the automobile and machine tool areas, given that in excess of 3 million manufacturing jobs have been lost in the United States in the past five (5) years, many of which have been shipped overseas; and
Whereas, an increasing number and variety of economists and experts are warning that the collapse of the national economy could occur if certain stop-gap measures and long-term actions are not adopted and implemented to forestall the present threats to our economy from the problesm associated with the automotive and machine tool sectors of our economy. The loss of the physical capabilities of the automotive industry, and especially its machine tool sector, could mean the end of America's leadership as a world eocnomic power and cause irreparable harm to the nation's physical economy, which is exemplified by the accelerating crisis and continued downward spiral of the American automobile industry; and
Whereas, it is conceivable that the automobile industry's leading manufacturers could close most, if not all of their manufacturing facilities in the State of Michigan, and in particular, the city of Pontiac; and
Whereas, it is in the best interests of our homeland security to have a strong and vibrant manufacturing and industrial sector, capable of producing the necessary machinery and technology to defend the citizens of the United States and preserve and protect our interests abroad, but sadly our manufacturing and industrial sector has been experiencing a dramatic reduction in capacity and production over the last several decades; and
Whereas, the closing down of even some of the manufacturing and machine tool facilities would not only have devastating consequences for the U.S. economy but would in addition trigger a ripple effect causing severe damage to the world-wide economy; and
Whereas, government has an obligation to promote economic activity through the creation of new capital investment, which will result in the preservation and expansion of employment opportunities and help jump-start long-term capital investment by private investors. As government leaders, we must ensure the continued viability of our automotive and machine tool industries, which create the bedrock of Michigan and America's economy. The loss of these vital economic anchors would be a disaster with incalculable chain-reaction consequences for our nation and the world; and
Whereas, one of the key options is federal government intervention to create fundamental change to protect the automotive and machine tool industries by investing capital in the diversification of the productive potential of the industries into a broader mixture of production, thereby preerving employment in that sector of the economy. Our nation needs to shift into the domain of essential capital goods and economic infrastructure, such as the repair, expansion and improvement of our national railway system; maintenance and enhancement of water management systems; the development of other urgently needed infrastructure projects' the continuation/restoration of the tax base; and long term, an increase in the standard of living of the workers in that economic sector. The result of this will be to save existing manufacturing jobs and create large new areas of employment in infrastructure and manufacturing for our citizenry in a manner comparable to the best of the New Deal programs that rescued the nation and world from the ravages of the Great Depression; the continuation/restoration of the tax basse; and long term, an increase in the standard of living of the workers in that economic sector;
Now, therefore, be it resolved, by the Pontiac City Council that it be documented that we urge the Congress of the United States to pursue all available options to promote and diversify the automotive and machine tool sectors of our national economy; and
Be it further resolved, that a copy of this Resolution be sent to Congressman Thaddeus McCotter, Congressman John Dingell, Congressman John Conyers, Jr., Congressman Joe Knollenberg, Congressman Sander M. Levin, Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, Congresswoman Candice Miller, Senator Debbie Stabenow, Senator Carl Levin, and President George W. Bush.
