Cal Cunningham, Economics, and Western NC
Submitted by atdadok on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 2:18pm
Cal Cunningham with Roundtable Members Deborah Reed, Ron Robinson, Marion Jones, and Jeff Israel.
Since high school, I’ve been interested in economics and economic development, and I grew up camping, hiking, and traveling to Western NC with my family, so yesterday when Cal Cunningham began his roundtable on Western North Carolina economic development, I was all ears.
And it was a great discussion. With a diverse group of including the Dean and Associate Dean at the College of Business of Western Carolina University, several small business owners, and a United Steelworkers member from a local paper mill, folks touched on everyday business challenges to high finance.
One of the take-home lessons for me was that we need economic development policies that emphasize creating new products and light manufacturing based upon those new ideas. With the economic downturn set to last a while, Western North Carolina cannot depend upon real estate and tourism the way it has been.
But more manufacturing requires trade policies that don’t leave our small businesses and communities behind. I encourage people to take another look at Cal’s trade video, released over a month ago, which demonstrates Cal’s commitment to leveling the playing field for domestic companies.
Great Post
I am from Western North Carolina.
We've been hit hard. Places like Iredell, Wilkes, Surry, Ashe, Rowan, etc...We're struggling. The manufacturing jobs have left, corporate chains are taking over and running the small businesses into the ground. Unemployment is high, hopes are low, and folks are turning to prescription pill addictions to take their minds off the tough times.
We need a Senator who understands what folks are going through west of Greensboro. Richard Burr has represented NorthWestern NC since he went to Congress over a decade ago. You can see what kind of job he's done.
We could use a Cal Cunningham in the Senate.
Welcome
Thanks for jumping into the fray.
It really is remarkable how little Burr has to show for 16 years in Congress. In any real job, he'd have long since been shown the door.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Don't Count Professional Politicians for Salvation
One can't help but be sympathetic to the issues brought up by Foxxhunter. However, I hate to think we've been reduced to nothing more than a bunch of share croppers sitting around waiting for a couple of professional politicians to dole out prosperity from Washington. Neither Cal Cunningham or any other politician is going to bring back prosperity to North Carolina. The People of North Carolina can bring back our own prosperity if allowed to do so without meddling from the federal government. Can one get a loan today from our very own Bank of America, headquartered in Charlotte, to start a business? No. Can one start a business free of all of the burdensome federal regulations and associated red tape? No. Can one keep the fruits of their own labor? No, it is taken from us like a thief at night raiding our wallets and it only gets worse and worse. Even after we have our money stolen without our blessing, we have to beg to get it back at the end of a year without so much as a cent of interest paid. The country, to include North Carolina, is fast approaching insolvency and taxation will only get worse. Our representatives in Washington will not save us. Only we can save ourselves by reclaiming our liberty and being allowed to pursuit our own interest free of interference and needless taxation. It may be time for us to take care of ourselves instead of looking north to our federal plantation.