SAM turns up the heat in meeting with Kohl
Members of the Wisconsin chapter of Save American Manufacturing (SAM) and the Tool, Die, and the Machining Association of Wisconsin delivered a box of 2,487 signed letters to US Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) July 12.
The letters were from citizens concerned about the future of Wisconsin’s manufacturers, who say they are losing their businesses because of unfair US trading policies with China.
Jerry Skoff, president of Badger Metal Inc., Menomonee Falls, and national webmaster for SAM (www.samnow.org.), said the group is determined to make global trading policies a national issue in the 2004 election.
"Kohl was told that the group represented the management side of manufacturing and many were lifelong Republicans. They were fed up with the Bush administration’s free trade polices and were ready to vote Democrat if it made a difference to trade policy, which has become such a crucial issue for them," Skoff said of the meeting.
"But Kohl’s record on trade gave them no reason to switch, he was bluntly told. So, it remains to be seen how far Kohl was moved by the meeting," Skoff said. "But a promising start has been made."
Kohl suggested the group go to Washington, D.C., to inform other members of Congress about the issue, Skoff said.
"Sen. Kohl’s voting record is for free trade. After our meeting, he realized this issue isn’t going to go away. I think he got the point that this issue is critical to the small business community for survival," said.
July 25, 2003, Small Business Times, Milwaukee
