Dow's Liveris calls for U.S. industrial policy

Dow Chemical Co. Chairman and CEO Andrew Liveris spoke at the Detroit Economic Club today, emphasizing the need for a "comprehensive U.S. industrial policy." Liveris outlined the need to balance energy, the environment and manufacturing as a foundation to keep the nation competitive in a world that is increasingly global, sophisticated and interdependent. "What I'm talking about is a pro-industrial policy crafted and developed by manufacturers for manufacturers; a policy that rejuvenates our economic base. Consider it a new strategy, if you will, to make American industry competitive again, re-establish our economic and energy independence, and regrow jobs in America. What are the components of this plan? There are two. First, we must look with fresh eyes at the structural costs that have weakened the very foundation of our manufacturing enterprises and remove the obstacles hurting our competitiveness. And second, no surprise to any of you, we must develop a comprehensive energy policy." Liveris signed on as a co-chair a National Summit on technology, energy, the environment and manufacturing. The other co-chair for the event, which is scheduled for June 15-17, 2009, in Detroit, will be William Clay Ford. Hmmm, let's see. Those dates will put the summit just a week before NPE, and about five months into the first term of either President McCain or Obama. Anyone want to predict where the Dow Jones Industrials (and the price of a barrel of oil) will be when Ford and Liveris convene their summit?