Obama Lobbies for Green Jobs in Ohio
EmailPresident-elect Barack Obama took his lobbying effort for his economic and environmental plan on the road Friday — to a factory in Bedford Heights, Ohio, just outside Cleveland.
Obama toured Cardinal Fastener & Specialty Inc., a company that manufactures unique screws and bolts needed for commercial construction wind turbines. Using the company as a model of economic and environment success, the president-elect touted a key part of his economic plan, the creation of permanent green energy jobs as part of a long-term investment into a healthy economy.
"Cardinal hired two workers this week. With all the bad news going out there, with all the word of jobs being lost and businesses shuttered, jobs were created right here this week," Obama said. "The story of this company, which began building wind turbine parts just two years ago and is now poised to make half its earnings that way, is that renewable energy isn’t something high in the sky; it’s not part of a far-off future."
The president-elect pushed his stimulus plan, which he said would create 459,000 jobs in the energy industry and save and generate 3.7 million jobs.
Against the chilly backdrop of Ohio, the president-to-be called for "dramatic action as soon as possible" to create new jobs and help the faltering economy, calling it the "first job" of his administration.
"That’s why I’ve moved quickly to work with my economic team and leaders of both parties on an American recovery and reinvestment plan that will immediately jump-start job creation and long-term growth," Obama said. "And I’m pleased that Congress has seen the urgency, as well, and is moving quickly to consider such a plan."
Obama has been making appearances on Capitol Hill, along with his economic adviser Larry Summers, and has talked with Democratic lawmakers to hash out a plan that could boast a price tag upwards of $825 million.
The plan has been coldly received by Republicans, who say it will boost government spending but not the economy.
"They’re moving on this path along the flawed notion that we can borrow and spend our way back to prosperity," said House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.
But only four days away from the presidency, Obama has stepped up efforts to sell his plan to the people.
In a statement praising the bill, the Obama team said the package would "save or create over three million jobs, provide tax relief to struggling families and businesses that create jobs, and invest in priorities like health care, education, and energy that will make America strong and competitive in the 21st century."
At the same time, he continued to use his words with caution, stressing again — just as he has in his appearances since his victory — that things will get worse before they get better.
"Given the magnitude of the challenges we face, none of this will come easy. Recovery won’t happen overnight, and it’s likely that, even with these measures, things will get worse before they get better," Obama warned today. "But if anyone doubts that we can dig ourselves out of this hole, I invite them to come here to Ohio and look what you’ve done at Cardinal Fastener."
For some companies, digging out of their financial troubles may not come so easy.
Just a sampling of bad news that came today with announcements of at least 51,000 workers: Bankrupt retailer Circuit City said it will close its 567 U.S. stores and cut 30,000 jobs. General Electric’s GE Capital unit will cut between 7,000 and 11,000 jobs. Rental car company Hertz Global said it will eliminate more than 4,000 jobs worldwide as it further cuts costs amid slowing demand. Drug giant Pfizer reportedly plans to lay off 2,400 sales representatives, nearly a third of its 8,000 salespeople. Advanced Micro Devices will cut 1,100 jobs, WellPoint 1,500 and Blue Cross of Michigan 1,000.
Even Citigroup — despite receiving bailout money — today suffered a quarterly loss of $8.29 billion, its fifth in a row.
Economic issues are likely to be bought up once again as Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden begin a train trip — with the theme of "Bringing the Voices of American People to Washington" — tomorrow. The "whistle-stop tour" from Philadelphia to Washington D.C is reminiscent of a similar tour Abraham Lincoln — a hero of Obama’s — took to his own inauguration 147 years ago.
ABC News’ Yunji de Nies filed a spot on the trip for the World News Webcast today from Bedford Heights:
- Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller
Sen. DeMint: GOP Race Could Go Until Convention 
Obama Avoids Questions on Contraception Rule
“The plan has been coldly received by Republicans”
Coldly received by Punch- we havent got a story on it yet.
Posted by: BertieW | January 16, 2009, 6:49 pm 6:49 pm
Green jobs, the latest scam for the global warming hoaxers. What’s a green job? Something like idling your bio-diesel fueled bus all night so it will run in the morning?
Posted by: bill-tb | January 16, 2009, 7:18 pm 7:18 pm
Obama is the recipient of an eight year legacy of incompetency, which encompasses massive debt, regressive policy making, a wrecked economy, and a war torn Middle East region. I hope he’ll get more support than partisan power plays.
Posted by: kat | January 16, 2009, 7:27 pm 7:27 pm
“Green jobs, the latest scam for the global warming hoaxers”
Yes.
Why bother competing in the world market when we can just cling tightly the notion that we are the technological leader!
Thankfully the anti-science crowd got the boot in Nov.
Posted by: Ryan C | January 16, 2009, 7:27 pm 7:27 pm
“I hope he’ll get more support than partisan power plays.”
I doubt he will get more than partisanship at least from party leaders.
Individual Republicans he may be able to work with though.
Posted by: Ryan C | January 16, 2009, 7:29 pm 7:29 pm
Wait 1st we spend our way into a recession with wars and bailouts galore. And NOW the solution is MORE government spending (Don’t even bother rescindng the bailouts, that we don’t even KNOW where the money even went!) when people are being kicked out of their homes. How does solving an artifical problem, solve the BIGGER problem that we were supposed to be solving with the 1st bailout in the 1st place? This is like cutting your toenails to fix a toothache!”
Posted by: hmn... | January 16, 2009, 8:02 pm 8:02 pm
Now we’re talking. Finally someone who makes sense
Posted by: jim bob | January 16, 2009, 8:16 pm 8:16 pm
Using “FEAR” to get taxpayers dollars to fund all the Democratic PORK projects is what this is about……. the left wingers have been beating up Bush for supposedly using “FEAR” to go into Iraq…. ….. BUT it’s ok for BO to use “FEAR” to get taxpayer dollars for all the liberal “PORK” projects….. this is going to be one MASSIVE Government give away program…..
“FEAR
Posted by: Vet1973 | January 16, 2009, 8:34 pm 8:34 pm
Obama says, “Things will get worse before they get better”.
Oh really?
Do you mean the man who took down Bush and McCain, by running a campaign to promise Americans instant wealth is now saying things will get worse?
He just LIED to get himself in there now he sees how tough it is. He criticized McCain and the Republicans in every instance of his campaign. Now, it is his turn and he can see the job he begged and pleaded for is his. I want to see Mr. Magic make things better now.
Come on Obama, where is the CHANGE you promised?
Posted by: prtmg01 | January 16, 2009, 9:39 pm 9:39 pm
Any job that a person likes and pays them what they are satisfied with is a good job. I wonder if anyone knows exactly what goes in to making a wind turbine? Metal, fiberglass, copper are certainly not what are considered “green” products, they all are made of earthly materials and require hydrocarbons to make. A hybrid car has massive amounts of hazardous materials in the batteries alone and is the energy output of a hybrid equal to the amount of energy used to make it? Most rational people would look at what we already have and make it better, more efficient and cleaner and while windmills will work in some places I can imagine that they’ll be many loud protest when someone wants to sit one atop of a scenic mountain or where any of the Kennedys can see them.
Posted by: david | January 16, 2009, 9:45 pm 9:45 pm
He’s obviously crafting his argument for the stimulus to somehow woo both Republicans and Americans skeptical of yet more government money (taxpayer money) being thrown at the economy.
It will be a tall task to change the dynamics of the conversation over bailout/stimulus spending from a negative to simply a necessary measure.
Posted by: matt | January 16, 2009, 9:50 pm 9:50 pm
When I saw the picture I was certain he was standing with James Earl Jones.
Posted by: keredte | January 16, 2009, 10:08 pm 10:08 pm
Well, when he is Finally “present” in the oval office, I hope he has more than lovely speeches & hope to get this mess straightened around. I hear kids are asking him how he is going to change the economy, and change the world.
Posted by: disgusted in Ohio | January 16, 2009, 10:40 pm 10:40 pm
I wonder if anyone knows exactly what goes in to making a wind turbine? Metal, fiberglass, copper are certainly not what are considered “green” products, they all are made of earthly materials and require hydrocarbons to make. A hybrid car has massive amounts of hazardous materials in the batteries alone and is the energy output of a hybrid equal to the amount of energy used to make it
****************************************************
The assertion with the wind turbines is that because they have to be constructed out materials, they don’t qualify as being green. The turbines’ potential lies in the production of energy without fossil fuels. They’re being constructed to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, most of which come from the Middle East. The output of energy from a hybrid car would certainly exceed the energy making it when you factor in mpg and the overall decrease of gas consumption their collective use would bring. I get the impression you’re attempting to use environmental arguments in an attempt to discredit green technology. I don’t disagree that we should use what we already have, but there are presently no wind turbines. Though maybe cars could be outfitted to run electrically or with biofuels.
Posted by: kat | January 16, 2009, 10:48 pm 10:48 pm
Typo: Because they have to be constructed out OF materials . . .
Posted by: kat | January 16, 2009, 10:50 pm 10:50 pm
When I saw the picture I was certain he was standing with James Earl Jones.
********************************************
Why? The man in the plant is clearly white.
Posted by: kat | January 16, 2009, 11:00 pm 11:00 pm
Excuse me. There are no wind turbines to reuse. There are certainly major turbine areas in TX and CA.
Posted by: kat | January 16, 2009, 11:02 pm 11:02 pm
Obama is trying to get people to accept his multi trillion spending……and AS HIS USUAL think if you talks in pretty buzz words like Green that the idiots will follow blindly. We haven’t dumbed down this much have we. Stop the spending…….allow those that made bad decision to go under and let the system clean itself up. Spending only gives politicans more money to scam and prolongs recessions in the long/term.
Posted by: chattyway | January 17, 2009, 12:21 am 12:21 am
Big oil is scared, green is mean to them. Instead of spending money to rebuild Iraq he will spend money to rebuild America…Republicans hate that. Let Americans and their infrastructure deteriorate so we can handout money to defense contractors in Iraq was the Bush motto. Now after a record deficit and worst recession since the Depression Repubs are concerned about the deficit? Hahahah Where were they for eight years taxing and spending with no economic benefit! Cheney said deficits don’t matter. Priceless!
Posted by: Hege! | January 17, 2009, 12:24 am 12:24 am
Wind power can at most only cover 6% of the US energy and this under the most optimistic. Wind takes to much room to run efficiently and will never be able to significantly replace nuke, gas, oil….but hey who cares about the facts.
Posted by: chattyway | January 17, 2009, 12:27 am 12:27 am
Big oil isn’t the slightest worried about green——Green techs can’t cover the energy needs Period. But here we go again, who cares about the facts? Lets waste billions and use the buzz word Green…think of all the money the UN, Gore, Obama, and others can force from taxpayers.
Posted by: chattyway | January 17, 2009, 12:30 am 12:30 am
Green dreamland consists of dingys that don’t realize there are trade offs….much like the Corn Ethanol fiasco that caused many to go hunger/starve and didn’t do much to lower Carbon since growing Corn consists of using massive amounts fertilizers that releases mega carbons and pollution, but hey they did use the Buzz Words Green and Carbon. Not to mention that this latest cold invasion shows as many TRUE CLIMATOLOGISTS (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE PSEUDO SO CALLED SCIENCE NOTS AT THE UN) keep saying that Man made Co2 has nothing to do with these NORMAL fluctuations in weather. We have entered a cold era and fully expect years of colder weather and can only wish that we could controll weather so easily by releasing Co2.
Posted by: chattyway | January 17, 2009, 12:35 am 12:35 am
Wow, Chattyway! That’s an awesome analysis. We need to start listening to those TRUE CLIMATOLOGISTS instead of those chicken little ones at the UN who cry “the sky is choked up with CO2.” And yeah, all that corn fertilizer is farting out mega carbons and methane into the atmosphere. Nope, I don’t want Al Gore and the UN taxing me because of all this fake science stuff. You rock, girl!
Posted by: kathy | January 17, 2009, 12:55 am 12:55 am
Obama is the Pres now, and he needs to set aside all that “rust-belt” ideology that got him to where he is now. He needs to realize that his playbook is to do more of the same that Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and Pittsburgh politicians have been doing for two generations to drive business (jobs) away. We need to make these cities more like the growing cities in our country, not vice versa.
Cut taxes. Cut bureaucracy. Stop
Posted by: ragnar30066 | January 17, 2009, 1:37 am 1:37 am
There was an article out recently by Pravda claiming the scientists are looking at a bigger picture involving the earths tilt and so on, and that we are on the edge of a 200,000 year Ice age. They claim this is also being previewed by the extra severe cold snaps over the last couple years. The sudden spike in Co2? This is explained as a natural phenomenum that precedes the begining of the Ice ages.
I sure would like to hear this from somebody other than Pravda. Maybe if Polar ice wasn’t melting so rapidly?
Posted by: David Williams | January 17, 2009, 1:55 am 1:55 am
Obama rocks!
Posted by: w_roos | January 17, 2009, 1:59 am 1:59 am
Grotesque waste would be a good place to start in terms of trimming back the poisoning of the earth. How long can the planet support gross consumer-based societies where America leads the way in piggish consumption and waste and the rest of the world tries to follow?
Time for the planet to get smart, despite the remarkable scientific insights of chattykathy and company.
Posted by: pefros | January 17, 2009, 2:16 am 2:16 am
I though the environmental nut jobs didn’t like wind power because it kills birds?
Posted by: nathan | January 17, 2009, 2:35 am 2:35 am
Green alternative energies are the future. When we start implementing it, we begin to become more innovative and smart about it. My lap top has more memory than a computer of the 1970′s. In turn that computer of 1970′s which had less memory than my lap top took 1000′s of square feet in physical space-entire office floor. The point is the sooner we start the closer we become oil dependence free. Also, We need not to utilize crops to get our energy.
Posted by: t42 | January 17, 2009, 4:21 am 4:21 am
Hmmmm! Obama lobbies for green jobs in Ohio? It won’t work. He doesn’t have a plan. He is having a hard time selling his stimulus package plan. The voters that vote for him are mad because he broke his promise to them.
Posted by: anonymous | January 17, 2009, 4:41 am 4:41 am
Obama supporters who HATE Bush so much should learn from PEBO. In an interview with CNN Obama said that he has always thought that Bush was a “good guy”.
Posted by: CW | January 17, 2009, 7:30 am 7:30 am
Obama has NOT taken office yet and has already asked for $1.2 trillion dollars to spend. What will that number be in 4 years? Taxpayers will go up to 50% or more. So far the only people who have benefited from the bailouts are the CEO’s
and Obama with their endorsement. NO MORE BAILOUTS.
Posted by: CW | January 17, 2009, 7:46 am 7:46 am
Obama stimulus package gives the American people $500 a year credit. That is $9.25 a week. WHERE IS THE REST OF THE MONEY GOING AND TO WHO.???
Posted by: CW | January 17, 2009, 7:49 am 7:49 am
I hate Bush – I love Obama! I love Bush – I hate Obama! Shut up already people and go out today and BUY something if you want to help this economy out!
Posted by: Karl | January 17, 2009, 8:09 am 8:09 am
What no one seems to understand is that reducing your carbon footprint benefits you and actually hurts the corporate blood suckers. That’s what I’m about, revenge to the corrupt politicians and blood sucking corporations. Thanks to the depression I cut back on everything and became more green. It isn’t only about changing light bulbs. It’s using a lot of things in nature to live. I’m still dependent on some things like electricity and the internet, but I have really been able to reduce my carbon footprint and reduce my expenditures. GO GREEN and save money, best of all, instead of the greedy Progress Energy getting $80 this month, they only got $35.
Posted by: clancy49 | January 17, 2009, 8:14 am 8:14 am
Bring back the styrofoam Big Mac holders – help this planet out!
Posted by: Greg | January 17, 2009, 8:26 am 8:26 am
I though the environmental nut jobs didn’t like wind power because it kills birds?
Posted by: nathan | Jan 17, 2009 2:35:49 AM
I’ve heard this excuse before. It’s usually from neocon nut jobs, fabricating left-wing sounding excuses in order to discredit the other side and stay on oil.
Posted by: hey Scoob | January 17, 2009, 8:53 am 8:53 am
No matter how many trillions are thrown at the problem of energy independence, neither the government nor big business will provide the solution. It’s not in their best interest to remove the primary reason for wars and foreign intervention– i.e., natural resources control and access to them. That said, there are private, non-profit groups developing alternative energy solutions
Posted by: h5mind | January 17, 2009, 9:29 am 9:29 am
The high cost of fuel this past year did serious damage to our economy and society.The ripple effects will be felt for years to come. Thank God we are about to have a president that sees the need for America to become energy independent. After enjoying a few short months of lower prices at the pumps OPEC’s promised cuts are showing in gas prices as they slowly but steadily creep back up. We have so much available to us in the way of free energy sources such as wind and solar as well as many advanced technologies such as hybrid cars and biofuels. There is no one single answer. It will take a collaborative effort on our part to put all these pieces together and make energy independence a reality in our nation. What we seem to lack is a plan. I just read book by Jeff Wilson called The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence Now. I hope our president elect has heard of this book and read it as well. WE can create cheap CLEAN energy. Create millions of badly needed new green jobs, and get out from under our dependence on foreign oil all at the same time with becoming energy independent!
Posted by: Alan | January 19, 2009, 8:10 am 8:10 am
Why dont our newly elected dictator instead of pushing this GO GREEN poppycock just step down we certianly dont need this jerk at all
Posted by: Flu-Bird | February 22, 2009, 11:44 am 11:44 am