Ohio’s U.S. Senators weighed in Monday on what they hope to hear in President Obama’s State of the Union address.
Democrat Sherrod Brown wants the president to focus on jobs, especially in the manufacturing sector. He says the U.S. lost 5 million manufacturing jobs between 2000 and 2010, and has only gained back HALF a million.
“We need a real plan and policy for how do we move forward in manufacturing. It creates immense wealth, as we know, in Northeast Ohio," says Brown. "When manufacturing hurts, it causes a lot of pain for far too many people and far too many neighborhoods and communities. So I hope the president’s focus is mostly on jobs, with an intense focus on manufacturing.”
Brown made his comments at Cleveland’s Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, where he talked up a proposal to increase pediatric research.
At a SMALL BUSINESS event in Cleveland, Republican Rob Portman said he hopes the president will extend an olive branch to the GOP, and be open to more business friendly policies.
“Whether it’s tax policy, which I talked to a lot of these small business people about today, or regulation, or health care or energy - these all matter in terms of being able to create jobs here in the Cleveland area," says Portman. "And let’s get rid of the partisan labels. You know, what’s in the interest of the country right now to really get this economy moving?”
President Obama delivers his State of the Union Address tonight at 8:00.