Rep. Adam Kinzinger responds to Obama's jobs speech in conference call

Adam Kinzinger (R-IL)

This sentence was on the front page of today's Chicago Tribune: "There is no question that the jobs picture in Illinois isn't good: Unemployment in the state was 9.5 percent in July, compared with 9.1 percent nationally."

Illinois of course is President Obama's home state.

And mine.

Representing Illinois' 11th congressional district is freshman Republican Adam Kinzinger of Manteno. He held a media conference call with Tim Norman, president of the STL Family Companies of Bloomington, who Kinzinger calls "a good job creator in the area."

Cash for Clunkers: Just a good month

As for Obama's speech, Kinzinger said, "The devil is in the details." Members of the House weren't able to see Obama's jobs plan or read the speech prior to his delivering it. Having the American Jobs Act pass in one piece will be "tough selling," Kinzinger declared.

But he said "I think there are areas of common ground." Kinzinger wants corporate tax rate to come down and he'd like to see tax loopholes closed. What that will do is level the playing field for companies like STL so they can compete with the large corporations that pay no federal taxes.

Passing the three pending free trade agreements with Colombia, South Korea, and Panama needs to be done. "I think that's an area where we can find some very good bipartisanship."

As for his opinion of the president's speech, Norman commented, "My impression from a small business perspective is 'Will it help my job, will it help my business, or will it help my employees.'" He offered, "There are pieces and parts I would have to say, 'Yes, I think it will.'"

Veteran's monument, Walnut, IL,
11th congressional district

But small businesses aren't looking for just a good month, he reasoned, they are looking for a good year--or a period of several prosperous years. Norman singled out the 2009 "Cash for Clunkers" program as a good month, but of course no automobile dealership can survive solely on a strong 31 days. That goes for any other business.

Illinois and the nation's economic health is bad. The sluggishness has "morphed into the new normal," Norman bemoaned.

LaSalle, IL, 2009,
11th congressional district

Kinzinger likes the idea of infrastructure improvements, the roads and bridges Obama spoke of in his address...however, "As long as it's paid for," he asserted. As for the failed stimulus bill, Kinzinger reminded us that only about six percent of the $862 billion went for infrastructure improvements. Building roads is something Kinzinger likes; re-blacktopping old ones, and oh, I did I see a lot of that in Illinois over the last two years, is something the congressman is less enthusiastic about.

I asked a question about the regulatory environment of the Obama administration. Kinzinger noted the EPA's proposed ozone standard that would have cost a lot of jobs. But the president put it aside. "I give the president credit for this," he said. "I hope he hangs on to that," he concluded.

Technorati tags: Republican gop Congress news government chicago politics Chicago illinois illinois politics adam kinzinger chicago southland jobs panama colombia south korea cash for clunkers