STATEMENT OF CHARLES H. BLUM
COALITION FOR A PROSPEROUS AMERICA BOARD MEMBER
OCTOBER 2, 2008
 

GOOD MORNING.  THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.  MY NAME IS CHARLES BLUM.  I’M A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COALITION FOR A PROSPEROUS AMERICA.  SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 2007, CPA HAS BROUGHT TOGETHER FARMER, RANCHER, LABOR AND MANUFACTURING INTERESTS IN OUR QUEST TO RESTORE BROAD-BASED PROSPERITY TO OUR COUNTRY.  WE AIM TO BE A GRASS ROOTS FORCE FOR CHANGE IN AMERICAN TRADE AND ECONOMIC POLICY.

WITH MAJOR HELP FROM THE AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS TRADE ACTION COALITION, WE RECENTLY REACHED OUT TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO AGREE THAT OUR ECONOMY HAS LONG BEEN HEADED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.   THE RESULT IS OUR AD HOC GROUP, CHRISTENED “THE COALITION TO FIX AMERICA’S ECONOMY.”    IT IS OUR COMMON RESOLVE TO USE OUR CONSENSUS PLATFORM TO ENSURE THAT THESE ISSUES ARE GIVEN PROMINENT ATTENTION IN THE BALANCE OF THIS ELECTION CAMPAIGN AND ARE ACTED UPON BY THE NEXT CONGRESS AND THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION. 

LET ME EMPHASIZE THREE POINTS:

1.     THIS STATEMENT IS BACKED BY AN UNPRECEDENTEDLY BROAD AND DEEP NATIONAL COALITION, CUTTING ACROSS ECONOMIC SECTORS AND GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS.  IT UNITES  35  NATIONAL, STATE AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WITH 75 INDIVIDUAL PRODUCERS IN A COMMON PURPOSE.  IN ADDITION, WE HAVE A GROWING NUMBER OF EXPERTS AND CONCERNED CITIZENS WHO HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO THIS EFFORT.   WE EXPECT OTHERS WILL JOIN.  THEY CAN DO SO BY LOGGING ON TO OUR  WEB SITE, WWW.FIXINGAMERICASECONOMY.ORG.
2.     IT IS A CONSENSUS DOCUMENT.   IT REPRESENTS THE MINIMUM THAT WE JOINTLY EXPECT. 
3.     OUR INTENTION IS TO EMPOWER EVERY GROUP AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL ASSOCIATED WITH THIS EFFORT TO RAISE OUR CONCERNS WITH ANYONE SEEKING PUBLIC OFFICE, PRINCIPALLY THE PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES.  WE WANT TO PRESS ALL CANDIDATES TO COMMIT THEMSELVES TO HELP SHIFT OUR ECONOMIC POLICIES IN THE DIRECTION WE’VE OUTLINED.   WE INTEND TO SHARE THE RESULTS, POSITIVE AS WELL AS NEGATIVE, WITH ONE ANOTHER, WITH ALL OUR MEMBERS. AND WITH THE PUBLIC.

THIS IS A NONPARTISAN COALITION.  IT INCLUDES ACTIVISTS FOR BOTH PARTIES AS WELL AS INDEPENDENTS.   AS SUCH, THE COALITION WILL NOT ENDORSE ANY CANDIDATE FOR ANY OFFICE.  BUT WE WILL PURSUE THEM ALL AND PUBLICIZE THE RESULTS OF OUR EFFORTS.

WE ARE UNITED IN THIS EFFORT BECAUSE UNTIL NOW THESE VITAL ISSUES HAVE NOT RECEIVED ADEQUATE ATTENTION IN THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN.  WE SHARE THE CONVICTION THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL JUDGE US – AND THOSE WHOM WE ELECT -- BY THE CLARITY OF OUR VISION, THE STRENGTH OF OUR RESOLVE, AND OUR ABILTY TO PUT ASIDE ISSUES ON WHICH WE DIFFER IN ORDER TO PURSUE THE OVERRIDING CONCERNS WE HAVE IN COMMON.

NEXT, ROB DUMONT, PRESIDENT OF THE TOOLING, MANUFACTURING AND TECHNOLOGIES ASSOCIATION, WILL READ THE TEXT OF THE JOINT STATEMENT.  HE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS, EACH OF WHOM WILL IDENTIFY THEMSELVES.  THEN WE’LL BE PLEASED TO RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.