Both parties have been eager to take credit for President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill.
By James Lynch
Producer
Breaking Points
The revival of American manufacturing just got a major boost. Tech hardware giant Intel recently made a shock announcement that the company would be investing $20 billion in Ohio to build the world’s largest chip production site. The facility will be located on the outskirts of Columbus and is projected to create 3,000 manufacturing jobs and 10,000 indirect jobs and will boost U.S. competitiveness with China in the development of an essential part of the chips required for building cars and a plethora of other essential goods.
This is excellent news for members of the working class in a state ravaged by outsourcing and globalization. And it was made possible by incentives in Ohio’s budget bill. Ohio changed state law to include more potential tax breaks in an attempt to lure Intel; Governor DeWine lobbied Republican lawmakers for a “megaprojects” tax credit, which would grant companies that invest at least $1 billion in the state 30 years of job creation tax credits instead of 15.
This is a good thing. The creation of good working-class jobs should be a priority for both parties. Policies oriented around manufacturing job creation such as this should provide a blueprint to Democrats and Republicans looking to gain support from working class voters, especially in vital swing states like Ohio, moving forward.