Who is the anonymous politician? Why doesn't the writer put his/her name in the editorial? That's just frustrating, but the heart of the article has me troubled.
I own a small business in Blacksburg - successful for almost ten years now +óGé¼GÇ£ and feel so lucky to be able to have a well respected consulting and computer programming firm that primarily serves the Federal Government, but is located in such a beautiful region. I+óGé¼Gäóm proud to have worked for the US Navy and Marine Corps over the last two decades (one reason I was so excited when Jim Webb decided to run for Senate was having known of him during the Reagan Administration and his writing after, and so many in my family having served under him or shortly after). And when I came to Southwest Virginia I was so happy to be able to continue this work bolstered by such a high tech community that really was at the forefront of the development of what we think of the Internet today- the public side, the World Wide Web, etc.
My view of Blacksburg and the surrounding area is one of new businesses doing cutting edge work- many located at the Corporate Research Center, where a decade of steady growth has resulted in so many outstanding firms. I+óGé¼Gäóve seen manufacturing jobs go, but others like Volvo, all the Luna spin-offs, Tetra, etc. have come and flourished and given us high end jobs. I do see and recognize there is a trend toward the two Americas Webb talks about- all you have to do is look at the real estate prices in towns and country surrounding Blacksburg vs. the town itself and talk to parents about the schools. So maybe I+óGé¼Gäóm insulated in a small boom in a withering countryside- even as bioinformatics, USAMRID and medical schools locate more high end jobs to the area.
At the same time these businesses do well and grow, I see all of the area making a commitment to preserving quality of life- keeping arteries open for bicycles, footpaths, hiking trails, etc. They have already broken ground on an art museum that is supposed to have one of the world+óGé¼Gäós top ten collections in Roanoke. Virginia Tech has announced a performance hall that will seat over 3,000, larger than the Canadian National Arts center in Ottawa, a world capitol. I see all of this happening together, not in isolation. I see all of the social +óGé¼+ôtourism+óGé¼-¥ aspects of the region and its beauty as an attraction to highly skilled workers or a reason to keep them and keep them happy. I see that resulting in my company having no turn over in 3 years- yes we+óGé¼Gäóre small, but still!
Anyway, I+óGé¼Gäóm ambivalent about the article and its conclusions and would love to hear others+óGé¼Gäó takes on it. I think that high tech, manufacturing AND tourism is an acceptable approach to high quality growth in the region.
Jerry seems to be one of those guys that doesn't have enough gumption to haul his ass out to the wilds of Idaho and really get down to the stern, hard life of the wingtopian angryman. So he sits on a hilltop in Bland, looking down. I think I could write his pending screed on the Blacksburg phenomena.
As if southwest didn't grow enough Angrymen, now it's attracting them from out of state - like moths to the flame. Hey Jerry: Try to make yourself useful, eh?
Thanks for pointing that out. I feel less insane now.
believe it or not there are tax incentives and cheaper production costs to manufacture in china, mexico, and other countries. jim webb talks about leveling the playing field between our workers and foreign workers: require imported goods to meet the same labor standards (no children labor, no prisoner labor, no energy subsidies) as us manufacturing. i think all american worker's want is a fair competition. from a market, capitalist perspective this is the best solution.
i wish wal-mart made an effort to purchase american made products. they used to. but now they basically require companies to manufacture products overseas. that one company's decision could radically increase the profitability of american manufacturing.