Voters Across Six Key States Support Investments in Infrastructure, Manufacturing, Clean Energy, and Care Economy to Rebuild Economy
Ninety percent of voters across six key states and across the political spectrum prioritize repairing and modernizing America’s aging physical infrastructure and rebuilding and retooling American manufacturing to build more products and technology here in the United States, according to a new survey released by the BlueGreen Alliance.
These are investments that will create millions of good, union jobs, protect our air and water, revitalize communities that have been left behind, and ensure we leave a stronger economy and better planet to future generations.
Strengthening America’s social infrastructure, public services, and human service workforce (84%) was also a priority for the voters on a bipartisan basis. Increasing the production of clean energy and investing in innovative clean technologies was also widely supported (72%).
The survey of 1,607 registered voters in Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin was in the field April 5-13. One thing was abundantly clear: most voters don’t want to wait for action. Two-thirds of respondents said the federal government should take a much more or somewhat more active role in addressing our nation’s economic problems. That includes 93% of Democrats, 65% of Independents, and 44% of Republicans.
And they are needed. Our nation’s roads, bridges, and dams are crumbling. Millions of Americans lack access to clean drinking water and high-quality broadband Internet service. Workers in the care economy don’t have the resources to prepare for the next crisis. Wages have languished and workers have historically low levels of agency in their workplaces and trades.
President Biden’s American Jobs Plan features more than $2 trillion worth of spending to revitalize both the physical and social infrastructure that we rely on every day, as well as the conditions that American workers toil under to keep our economy afloat. We know this and more will be needed. Many of the proposed investments in the plan fall short of the investment gaps outlined by the ASCE to bring our systems up to a “B” grade. At least a $4 trillion investment is needed to address our national crisis and set the United States on a sustainable and successful path.
The American Jobs Plan is a down payment for these much-needed investment. And we need it now.
Unfortunately, we are watching a familiar situation playing out. Joe Biden and the Democrats are bargaining in good faith, but Republicans continue to obfuscate and obstruct. The result of that is further gridlock. Last month, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said, "One-hundred percent of our focus is on stopping this new administration.” You can’t negotiate with someone who has no intention of working with you.
We can’t afford to wait. In April, economists expected the U.S. to grow a million new jobs and only 266,000 were reported. After months of progress, the U.S. unemployment rate rose back up to 6.1%. Millions more people are out of work than before the pandemic.
Contrary to what some may have us believe, we can have good jobs and a clean environment. The United States can fight climate change, repair domestic infrastructure, and reinvest in American manufacturing, invest in our workers and communities, and provide unionized, family-sustaining jobs to workers. These are not mutually exclusive goals. In fact, they work in concert.
Given the broad support for the American Jobs Plan and the difference it will make in the lives of workers, it is imperative that our lawmakers get to work immediately.
Regardless of what we do, climate change is accelerating. To ensure a safe and prosperous future for our country, we must begin with the American Jobs Plan. President Biden and the Democratic Congress must pass the full package as soon as possible, with or without Republican votes.
Jason Walsh (@BGAlliance) is the executive director of the BlueGreen Alliance.