One hundred and one years ago, President Calvin Coolidge told a group of newspaper editors:
“After all, the chief business of the American people is business. They are profoundly concerned with producing, buying, selling, investing and prospering in the world.”
Despite our divisions, I believe that Americans are largely united on this idea: We want a government that helps us produce, buy, sell, invest and prosper. As individuals and as a nation.
American Ingenuity
In his State of the Union address, President Trump has the opportunity to set the agenda for the remainder of this session of Congress and beyond. I hope he focuses on how his Administration and Congress can help us prosper by unleashing some good old-fashioned American ingenuity.
American ingenuity historically has been built on two pillars: science and innovation. And I believe as a nation we need to double down on these two powerful drivers.
In my industry, we use science (chemistry) and engineer new molecules (innovation) to make materials that helped take us to the moon… and will help take us to Mars. Because of this ingenuity, plastics manufacturing has become a cornerstone of U.S. jobs, resilient supply chains and economic strength. Today we enable countless other enterprises that use plastics to make the things that Americans rely on: our cars and trucks, our homes, our airplanes, our protective food packaging, our medical equipment. Even our sports gear.
Our nation’s critical industries need a robust, reliable supply of plastics.
Every day, these innovations grounded in science enhance our lives and help us build an even brighter future. We need to keep this innovation alive here at home in America to help our economy thrive… or we risk losing our innovation edge and its economic benefits to our global competitors.
Pro-Science, Pro-Innovation Agenda
The President (and Congress) can help. In his address, I would like to hear the President reinforce the need for smart policies guided by science that support bold American innovation.
America (and Americans) invented the airplane, the light bulb, the phone (and iPhone), the transistor and personal computer, Kevlar and the Internet. All of these represent the power of science combined with innovation.
Here’s a great example of legislation that embodies these two pillars (there are many). The Recycling Technology Innovation Act led by Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) aims to modernize and expand recycling by unleashing innovative technologies (based on chemistry) that can dramatically increase the types and amounts of plastics we can recycle.
This may sound like just an “environmental” bill. But recycling doesn’t just help keep more plastics out of landfills and our environment. Making as much new plastics out of used plastics as feasible also creates domestic manufacturing jobs, a more resilient U.S. supply chain and a more competitive America. If we recycled just 50 percent of the plastics we send to landfills, we could create 173,000 new jobs nationwide, including 43,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector.
American Leadership on Sustainability, Manufacturing
To succeed, we’re investing heavily in technologies that can recycle lots more plastics. That’s not a partisan play. It’s an American play.
I mentioned Rep. Crenshaw’s bill, but there are others in Congress introduced by Democrats and Republicans alike. These bills also would improve recycling and bolster American innovation and manufacturing growth, demonstrating that recycling and sustainability are not partisan issues.
American economic leadership and sustainability go hand in hand. With the right policies and the support of the President, the United States can lead the world in sustainability while strengthening our economy at home.
In addition, policies that build on science and innovation can help the Administration and Congress deliver against a key promise: growing American manufacturing. Industries like ours employ thousands of Americans and contribute to a positive trade balance (exports of plastic resin far outweigh imports). I would like to hear support for policies that promote domestic production of goods, particularly those that help rebuild our nation’s infrastructure. That would not only help my industry – it would bolster pretty much every American manufacturer. And benefit pretty much every American.
State of the Union Address
President Coolidge was largely right. But there’s more to Americans’ lives than just business. Family. Faith. Freedom, to name a few.
I suspect most Americans would be happy with a government that focuses on helping us produce, buy, sell, invest and prosper. If public policy can double down on the pillars of science and innovation, I believe we’ll be able to write the next chapter in American prosperity.
In his address, I hope the President talks about what we’re going to build together here in America. I hope he lays out a vision that inspires American ingenuity and helps us prosper. I doubt the President’s State of the Union speech writers need any help with catchy phrases for the Administration’s policies that enable American ingenuity.
But just in case, here’s one: Guided by science. Driven by innovation.
I’d like to hear that on February 24.
