Thread: Hunter: Presidential candidate visits Thumb

Presidential candidate visits Thumb
Kate Hessling, The Huron Daily Tribune
01/11/2008

CARO — The flurry of campaigning by Republican presidential candidates on Tuesday's primary ballot hit home Thursday as Duncan Hunter made a stop in Caro during the annual Lincoln Day Dinner at the Brentwood in Caro.

The dinner, comprised of more than 100 Huron and Tuscola Republicans, featured the Republican presidential candidate as well as Josh Romney, son of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Hunter is a congressman of 26 years, representing the state of California in the U.S. House of Representatives. A Vietnam Veteran serving in the 173rd Airborne and 75th Army Rangers, Hunter formerly chaired the House Armed Services Committee.

He said he attended the Thumb event because he's familiar with the area as some of his best friends are from Caro, and also because of the area itself.

"This is a community that cares deeply about national security and enforceable borders," Hunter said. "Even though we're a long way from the Mexican border, they care deeply about making sure we have strong and secure borders."

That addresses the problems the Thumb area has been having with illegal immigrants working for some local farms, he said.

"I don't agree with the idea that people here illegally are doing work that Americans won't do," Hunter said. "When they pulled 850 illegal workers out of the (meatpacking plants) in Iowa, the next day there were lines of American workers waiting to get their jobs back."

Bringing back jobs — especially manufacturing jobs — is something Hunter says he knows those living in the area care about, as does he.

"Of all the candidates, I'm the guy that's not a free trader," he said. "I think we should stop China from cheating on trade."

Hunter said China has stolen 54,900 manufacturing jobs from Michigan. "So I think the people from this community have common ground in revitalizing our industrial base and bringing back high-paying jobs and stopping China from cheating on trade."

What's worse is that China is using American dollars to bolster its military, Hunter said.

"China is emerging as a military super power and they're doing it with American trade dollars," he said.

As far as Michigan's economy goes, Hunter said he understands the state is lagging behind just about every other state in the nation because we've lost our manufacturing base.

"Michigan is the heartland of America's manufacturing … and our manufacturing capability is the arsenal of democracy," he said. "We must maintain manufacturing jobs for our families."

Hunter said because of these beliefs, many people have labeled him as a protectionist.

[b]"I say our American workers are worth protecting," he said, adding he's the only candidate with a strong, tough stance on China with respect to trade as the other names on the Republican presidential primary ballot are all “free traders.â€

BTTT

Hunter has some real good things to say. Just want to make sure eveyone had the opportunity to hear (read) some of his ideas.