Tucked into the steep hills of western Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh has traditionally been run by the kind of working-class, third-generation German and Irish immigrants who helped propel Clinton to victory in neighboring Ohio. The city, less diverse than Philadelphia, is bunkered on all sides by 100 miles of backcountry. Its population is shrinking, and more than 20 percent of residents live below the poverty line.
Pittsburgh's legendary steel and manufacturing industries have long since faded, leaving the city in a continual quest for new employers. On the campaign trail recently, Clinton credited Ravenstahl for helping "reenergize Pittsburgh," and the two politicians share a simple vision: maintain Pittsburgh's status as a manufacturing hub by investing in clean energy research and relying on universities such as Duquesne, the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon for innovation.
Last week, Hillary announced a big economic plan that included manufacturing concerns.
Today, she announced three new initiatives to help catalyze manufacturing research and ensure that the U.S. becomes a leader in clean energy manufacturing.
...* A “Made Green In America” Fund: Hillary will invest $500 million annually in a “Made Green in America” fund to encourage the creation of high-wage jobs in clean energy manufacturing technologies.
...* A Green-Manufacturing Extension Partnership (G-MEP): The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is a highly effective program that provides technical and business assistance to small and medium-sized manufacturers to help them improve productivity and create and grow the number of good-paying jobs in this country.
In her own words:
We’re also going to create at least 5 million additional jobs in green energy. Jobs making public buildings more energy efficient. Jobs weatherizing homes to make sure that people get more value for their dollar, to save on home heating and cooling bills. Jobs that will re-open shuttered factories to build the clean energy technologies. I was last night in Bucks County at one of the keystone industrial port centers, I saw these big wind turbines being made, with as I understand it union workers from the steelworkers, and I saw the future, and it is a future that we can expand.
How will I pay for that? Take the tax subsidies away from the oil companies and put them to work in clean renewable energy.
This is another critical difference between me and my Democratic opponent. My opponent talks about clean energy on the campaign trail, but when he had a chance to do something about it in the Senate - remember where I come from, my dad was from Scranton, actions speak louder than words - when he had a chance to do something about it he actually voted for Dick Cheney’s energy bill. I voted against it. Once again, when it was time to turn talk into action, his promises were just words. We have to be smart and tough at the same time, it’s not going to be easy to take on the oil companies and the oil producing countries. But I’m ready to do it and with your help starting on April 22nd that is just what I will do.
On a related note, Hillary unveiled her economic Blueprint for Indiana today.
How unfortunate that while she lays out plan after plan of substance, people would rather hear Obama talk in generalities about hope, change and optimism.
