Reward Businesses That Keep Jobs in U.S.

By Jane Johnson

Quad City Times

March 17,  2006

Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., ranking Democrat on the House Commerce and Trade Committee, is presenting a plan formulated by local political scientist, Robin Johnson of Monmouth College, and Bill Edley, formerly an Illinois state representative.

The plan targets the billions of dollars in subsidies and tax breaks the government grants to companies that outsource U.S. jobs, exploit workers (both here and overseas) and who dodge taxes. The plan Rep. Schakowsky espoused will correct the fraud perpetrated on the American taxpayer and recover those taxes lost through corporate off-shore loopholes. The Johnson-Edley-Schakowsky plan is designed to entirely fund itself. It would give significant tax advantages to corporations that agree to create a real partnership with American workers. Those corporations that voluntarily participate would be placed on the front line to receive federal contracts.

Qualifications require the production of 90 percent of their U.S.-sold goods and services to be produced in the U.S. Other criteria include limits for top management salaries, more corporate money spent for research and development, profit-sharing plans, allowance of employee organizing drives, disallowance of price gouging and all corporations must be in good standing with the EPA, OSHA and other regulatory agencies.