Biden celebrates computer chip factories, pitching voters on American 'comeback'
President Joe Biden on Thursday sought to sell voters on an American “comeback story" as he highlighted longterm investments in the economy in upstate New York to celebrate Micron Technology's plans to build a campus of computer chip factories made possible in part with government support. Staring down a rematch with Republican Donald Trump, Biden was asking voters to buy into his vision of the future, at a moment when voters are most worried about enduring pressures from high inflation. The initial phase of New York project would open the first plant in 2028 and the second plant in 2029, with more time expected for the next two factories to be completed.
Biden was campaigning on a promise of better times ahead, just as Trump, the former president, often taps into a past when U.S. manufacturing was the world standard. The Democrat is trying to convince voters to think beyond their present circumstances at the ballot box.
“This is such a big deal," Biden said. “We’re bringing advanced chip manufacturing back to America." He added: “It’s one of the most significant science and technology investments in our history." It's far from a surefire message in an era of near-instant gratification. Compared to when Biden began in politics in the 1970s, people can immediately stream music and videos on their smart phones, order a pizza with finger swipe or text a friend thousands of miles away.
Trump, for his part, is telling voters that Biden's policies will hurt jobs tied to making gasoline-powered autos and ultimately send work to China. On Tuesday, he vented about how the rising value of the dollar against foreign currencies would hobble U.S. manufacturing by making American-made goods too costly.
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