What have we learned from this debate? Only that the problems facing Michigan's economy cannot be solved in an hour using talking points, especially when Nolan Finley is asking the questions. But you knew that going in.
If you haven't heard by now, the big punch for Bernero was the revelation of yet another Snyder company involved with outsourcing - and this one comes complete with a press release that brags about they will help Chinese companies compete in the global market. Founded in 2001, Discera makes electronic components for things like cell phones and such, and they recently opened an office in Shenzhen, China. Although the Snyder campaign is trying to downplay the importance of this company by calling it "a card table and chairs", this is the statement they made when they opened in July:
"By sharing our expertise in semiconductor timing, power reduction, and MEMS technology and sponsoring local research and development, Discera is helping Chinese businesses compete and win in the global marketplace."
So there ya go. Between Gateway and HandyLab and Discera and all these companies that the "jobs maker" is involved in, none of them appear to be in Michigan anymore. Yes, the campaign wants to claim that it's because of taxes and regulations here in Michigan (because they always have a ready-made excuse, notice that?), but anyone who is serious about the economic problems facing this nation knows that there is very little state policy can do when it comes to competing with countries that have manipulated their currency and trade policy to tilt the playing field to favor their own exports. Even a two-bit blogger like me can see that.
Matter of fact, the argument could be made that we are now subsidizing China's growing real estate and other economic bubbles by overheating their economy with our rampant consumption of cheap products. It seems that Republicans, not content with the destruction of American economy and loss of domestic jobs, have moved on to peddle their borrow-more-money for a quick-buck-crack-high to other countries as well, and that can't be good. Market bubbles bursting in China at this point threaten to take us all down. Whether or not that will happen is open to speculation, but why take the chance?
So, help the Chinese put down the crack pipe. Vote Democratic. It's better for us, and better for them.
Argue with that one, Nolan.