GOP worries grow on job losses
Congressional Republicans propose tax breaks, ‘buy American’ rules

Concerned about the loss of factory jobs and with an eye on next year’s election, some congressional Republicans are pushing protectionist and pro-manufacturing measures — which may provide cover for incumbents running for re-election. Republicans have offered a range of measures, from beefing up “buy American” provisions in defense contracting to tax breaks for manufacturing firms.

EVEN AS THE House approved free trade accords with Chile and Singapore Thursday, there was an undercurrent of deep worry about the hemorrhage of American manufacturing jobs.

“We’re getting killed. Cored out to the bone,” said Rep. Don Manzullo, R- Ill., who represents a northern Illinois district with a heavy concentration of machine tool and tool-and-die plants, in an interview with MSNBC.com Thursday. “There’s 11.3 percent unemployment in Rockford,” the largest city in his district.

Manzullo added that fellow Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert’s district, just south of Manzullo’s in Illinois, is “getting hit as unmercifully as mine is. So this is big-time stuff.”
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Hypocrites!