From the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field
Posted by SPaul on October 29th, 2008
ManufactureThis wrapped up a busy month on the road last night at beautiful Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Our “Keep It Made in America” Town Hall meeting had so many highlights that it’s hard to know where to start.
Well-known Wisconsin radio talk show host Sly moderated a panel discussion that included insightful remarks from Jon Geenen of the United Steelworkers, Rod Bolhous of Milwaukee-based Bucyrus International, Inc., Margrete Strand of the Sierra Club, and Sachin Chheda of the Wisconsin Fair Trade Coalition. Among the topics: the plight of the paper industry in Wisconsin, how an American manufacturer is able to keep more than 2500 jobs in Wisconsin, the work of the Blue-Green Alliance to grow new “clean energy” jobs, what we need to do about China’s unfair trade practices, and what a new trade policy would look like.
Rep. Steve Kagen (WI-08) laid out his vision for trade and manufacturing next year. His opponent, John Gard, was invited, but did not attend.
A.J. Hawk and Mason Crosby of the Green Bay Packers gave their support for keeping good jobs in the community, telling the nearly 500 gathered in the atrium at Lambeau Field that a strong manufacturing base is important to the football team and the community.
And we received a terrific welcome from Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt, State Rep. Tom Nelson, and Steelworkers District Director Mike Bolton. In a region that has seen dozens of plant closures and layoffs from unfair trade practices from China, the meeting helped to galvanize public support for a plan to grow manufacturing in Wisconsin and throughout America. We hope Washington will get the message.
You can see and read a bit of the media coverage of the event here and here.
Even this long-time Chicago Bears fan was honored to be at Lambeau, together with the community of Green Bay, A.J. Hawk and Mason Crosby.
