It’s the Economy

 It’s the Economy

Yes, it is!

 

It is nice when predictions come true.

 

In August of 2017, I wrote on this page about the pending Foxconn deal cooked up by then Governor Scott Walker, Assembly Leader Robin Vos, and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald to spend lots of our money to lure Foxconn to Vos’ district for the promise of 13,000 jobs and millions in construction expenditures. They approved a $3 Billion dollar subsidy and tax incentive package, ten times larger than any in state history, to cement the deal.

 

In February of 2019, I wrote here about the failure of the Foxconn “con,” including the lack of support from and the complicity of then President Trump in selling the deal. The “con” left taxpayers on the hook for millions of dollars for road improvements, a sewer system and other utility costs, not to mention the forced relocation of many farmers and permanent residents who lost their homes to eminent domain actions. Very few of the promised jobs ever showed up and the new LED screens Foxconn promised got built someplace else.

 

This past Wednesday, President Biden traveled to Racine to announce not only that the original Foxconn deal was indeed a “con,” but that we are about to rectify it with help from Microsoft which purchased a bunch of the vacant Foxconn land and plans to build a huge artificial intelligence data center on that property at a cost of $3.3 Billion dollars.

 

This deal will be one of the Biden administration’s largest economic accomplishments which Biden was proud to note was also one of his predecessor’s most significant economic failures. It is part of Biden’s “Investing in America” agenda and will create 2,300 union construction jobs and 2,000 permanent Microsoft jobs.

 

In addition, Microsoft will be working with Gateway Technical College to start a “Datacenter Academy” which will train 1,000 Wisconsin workers to work with large data. It will also expand its “Girls in STEM” program in two additional local middle schools and develop new programs in science in local high schools.

 

As President Biden noted in his remarks at Gateway, this project accomplishes what the former president promised, but never materialized. It marks the continued resurgence of American manufacturing and infrastructure jobs that has been running full steam since Biden’s election.

 

Biden commented that the former president’s policies cost Racine 1,000 manufacturing jobs and more than 83,000 statewide. In contrast, Racine has added nearly 4,000 new jobs in the past three years while enjoying record low unemployment rates. Wisconsin gained 178,000 new jobs in the same period thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.

 

It is not surprising that the bulk of the federal money appropriated to fund these projects is being spent in Republican districts showing that Biden is working to fulfill his promise to be president for all Americans, not just Democrat Americans. Bringing jobs to these areas, Biden hopes to address the malaise some feel having lost those opportunities in the first place.

 

It is not lost on Wisconsin Progressives that President Biden made his announcements at a local technical college. Economic and social development with educators, scientists and business leaders working together is a hallmark of the “Wisconsin Idea.” That progressive notion was championed by our own “Fighting Bob” Lafollette to develop projects and solve problems in ways fair to both working people and those who employed them. Biden echoed the idea, noting that, “We’re the United States of America, and there is nothing beyond our capacity when we work together.”

 

If the true measure of political prowess is following the mantra, “it’s the economy, stupid,” then President Biden is an accomplished master. In his first term, he has started the largest economic recovery program since the New Deal and post WWII. The signs of help from our federal government are even seen in West Bend as you drive north on Main Street.

 

For too long. we have neglected our infrastructure and sent local good paying union jobs overseas. The Biden administration is bringing those jobs home and rebuilding America and deserves the opportunity of a second term to continue the efforts.