NMMA asks Obama to clarify remark on boat buying
CHICAGO — The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has called on President Obama to clarify a remark he made earlier this week in Nashua, N.H., while announcing his new Small Business Lending Initiative.
“When times are tough, you tighten your belts,” Obama told a town-hall audience. “You don’t go buying a boat when you can barely pay your mortgage. You don’t blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you’re trying to save for college. You prioritize. You make tough choices.”
The comment sparked criticism from the NMMA as well as Nevada lawmakers.
“The recreational boating industry is one of the last remaining American manufacturing businesses and net exporters, contributing nearly $30 billion in new sales and services to our nation’s economy each year,” NMMA President Thom Dammrich said in a release. “We don’t believe the president meant any harm by his comment, but we encourage the president to join us in celebrating the U.S. recreational boating industry and to stay focused on creating conditions for a strong business environment, including his own remarks.”
Dammrich sent a letter to the president encouraging him to visit a boat manufacturing plant and describing the U.S. boating industry.
To read the complete letter, click here.
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