Biden praises GM, Ford for job creation during SOTU

FOX 2 - In President Joe Biden's first State of the Union, the state of Michigan, Ford and General Motors got special mention Tuesday.

Biden stressed the importance of products made in America and how manufacturing in this country is making a comeback. Biden tipped his cap to GM for its EV factory plans expected to bring 4,000 new jobs to the state.

"Companies are choosing to build new factories here, when just a few years ago, they would have built them overseas," he said. "That’s what is happening. Ford is investing $11 billion to build electric vehicles, creating 11,000 jobs across the country. 
 
"GM is making the largest investment in its history $7 billion to build electric vehicles, creating 4,000 jobs in Michigan."
 
Biden said that under his leadership 369,000 new manufacturing jobs in America were created last year. 
 
"As Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown says, "It’s time to bury the label "Rust Belt,'" he said.

Biden also spoke about the highest inflation the country has absorbed in 40 years and said his "top priority" is getting prices lower. 
 
The president blamed the pandemic for businesses struggling to hire enough help to maintain factory production and supply chains.

Biden then steered the discussion back to car production.

"When factories close, it takes longer to make goods and get them from the warehouse to the store, and prices go up," Biden said.  Look at cars. Last year, there weren’t enough semiconductors to make all the cars that people wanted to buy. 
 
"And guess what, prices of automobiles went up. ... One way to fight inflation is to drive down wages and make Americans poorer.  
 
"I have a better plan to fight inflation. Lower your costs, not your wages. Make more cars and semiconductors in America. 
 
"More infrastructure and innovation in America."