First, I would like to post a statement about the USA\’s manufacturing industry. Please read it through and see if you agree with my comments:
Themanufacturing industry has long called the USA its home and, at onetime, had grown into one of America\’s greatest and most lucrativeexports, an industrial touchstone known around the world, an economicengine for jobs and business and a magnet for industrial innovators.Combined, the industry supports millions of direct jobs and untoldbillions in wages in the USA. Butwe are now greatly concerned that the country\’s status as theepicenter for manufacturing is at risk. What started as isolated runaway manufacturing production to afew countries some years ago has become an ever-growing exodus ofhigh quality middle-class jobs. And with those jobs, the USA issending precious tax dollars, economic opportunity and its iconicbrand to other nations.
Manufacturingproduction is a major source of jobs and economic vitality in theUSA, but with increased competition, it is losing thousands ofmiddle-class jobs and significant tax revenue to other nations. Ifpolicymakers fail to make our country more competitive, themanufacturing industry in the USA will face the same fate as otherindustries, which resulted in hundreds of thousands of jobspermanently leaving the USA for other countries.
TheUSA no longer can afford to rest on its laurels or its storiedmanufacturing industry pedigree. We believe it is imperativethat the Legislature and Administration take decisive steps to retainan industry that serves as a vital source of jobs, tax revenue andeconomic opportunity.
So? What do you think?
Ok, thanks.
Now I would like to post another statement; one that I did not write. Except for its list of specific examples (which I could easily have posted for the manufacturing version as well, but would have made the blog overly lengthy) I think you\’ll find it very similar.
See how you feel about this one:
Themotion picture industry has long called California its home and hasgrown into one of America\’s greatest and most lucrative exports, acultural touchstone known around the world, an economic engine forjobs and business and a tourist magnet. Combined, the industrysupports more than 190,000 direct jobs and $17 billion in wages inCalifornia. Butwe are now greatly concerned that the state\’s status as theepicenter for motion picture production is at risk. What started as isolated runaway film and television productionto a few countries some 15 years ago has become an ever-growingexodus of high quality middle-class jobs. And with those jobs,California is sending precious tax dollars, economic opportunity andits iconic brand to other states and nations.
Filmand television production is a major source of jobs and economicvitality in California, but with increased competition, California islosing thousands of middle-class jobs and significant tax revenue toother states and nations. If policymakers fail to make ourstate more competitive, the film industry in California will face thesame fate as other industries, including aerospace, which resulted inhundreds of thousands of jobs permanently leaving California forother states.
Californiano longer can afford to rest on its laurels or its storiedentertainment industry pedigree. Webelieve it is imperative that the Legislature and Administration takedecisive steps to retain an industry that serves as a vital source ofjobs, tax revenue and economic opportunity.
So? What do you think? Do you find any similarities between this statement and the previous one? Do you think they are making roughly the same point for roughly the same reason?
FYI: The second statement is real. It is currently posted by an organization called Film Works, in the form of a petition.
Film Works describes itself as “a stakeholder-driven education and outreach campaign centered around filming in California. It\’s also an effort to combat the problem of runaway production, which is when film and television productions leave the Golden State to shoot in other states and/or nations.”
I am sure that Film Works, along with the rest of California\’s film industry, fervently hopes people will sign on to this petition.
Why am I showing you this? What am I trying to convey?
If you don\’t know already, you probably never will….
