The competitiveness of this year’s presidential election has brought the candidates to more of our communities than any other election in recent years. I believe our democracy is stronger when voters are given an opportunity to learn more about the candidates.
Senator John McCain lands in Washington state today to host a $33,100/plate event at a hotel in Bellevue. Most of us would use $33,100 to pay for our child’s college education or a down payment on a home.
When Senator McCain’s plane lands at Boeing Field, I hope he takes a moment to notice that he is surrounded by the world’s finest workers and airplanes.
The competitiveness of this year’s presidential election has brought the candidates to more of our communities than any other election in recent years. I believe our democracy is stronger when voters are given an opportunity to learn more about the candidates.
Senator John McCain lands in Washington state today to host a $33,100/plate event at a hotel in Bellevue. Most of us would use $33,100 to pay for our child’s college education or a down payment on a home.
When Senator McCain’s plane lands at Boeing Field, I hope he takes a moment to notice that he is surrounded by the world’s finest workers and airplanes.
He led the fight in Washington D.C. that reversed a major tanker contract for Boeing. He’s talked about this often and prides himself for asking the tough questions.
Recently, the Bush Administration chose a European company – not Boeing – for a new $40 billion contract to build tankers for our military. This contract would have created 44,000 jobs in communities all across America, including 9,000 in my state of Washington.
Hundreds of elected officials nationwide are rallying against this decision. But Senator McCain is silent, asking no questions and seemingly content with 44,000 of our jobs and $40 billion of our tax dollars going overseas.
Like most, I was confused and angry when I heard the news. I will continue to work with Washington’s Congressional delegation to find out why the Bush Administration made this decision.
Everybody knows that American workers build the best planes in the world. And I think we should have American hands building planes for our brave men and women in uniform – now more than ever.
Our national economy is undermined by the rising price of oil and the falling prices of our homes. Some states have lost hundreds-of-thousands of jobs in recent months.
Fortunately, Washington is not among those states. Since 2005, we’ve created more than 215,000 new jobs, doubled exports to $66 billion and reduced red tape. Independent economists have said that these results have created a buffer that should insulate our state from the worst impacts of the national economy. Even so, Washingtonians still face economic troubles.
Each trip to the supermarket is another reminder that no state is entirely immune from troubles in the national economy. Food prices are up, and consumer confidence is down as we spend more for less.
Our lack of confidence in the economy is mirrored by our lack of confidence in the Bush Administration. We need leaders who take on challenges and get results, but our nation only gets more of the same failed policies and politics from the other Washington.
To help our national economy, the Bush Administration sends us $600 "economic stimulus" checks. I have no doubt that many need this money. It will buy a month’s worth of groceries and pay for the rising cost of gasoline.
But the Bush Administration sent $40 billion of economic stimulus to Europe. And I have no doubt that $40 billion and 44,000 new good-paying jobs would feed entire communities and repair lives broken by debt and the loss of homes.
This November, we will decide if we want more of the failed policies and partisan politics of the Bush Administration or a new direction for America.
You and I agree that America needs a new direction, and our voices and votes will make it happen.
Sincerely,
Chris
www.ChrisGregoire.com