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Former Kimberly-Clark factory workers gathered outside the plant in Everett, Wash., Monday for a jobs rally. One worker said he is tired of "lip service" from politicians. (AP Photos/File)

To former factory workers, 'talk is cheap'

BY Brandi Kruse  on July 9, 2012 @ 8:52 pm (Updated: 5:36 am - 7/10/12 )

"Talk is cheap." "Actions speak louder than words." "The proof is in the pudding."

Call it cliché, but Darrell Moffatt is tired of all the "lip service."

"I want to believe that they're really going to do something," said the former Kimberly-Clark factory worker, who lost his job when the company closed its Everett, Wash., site earlier this year. Workers gathered outside the plant Monday in support of the Bring Jobs Home Act, which would offer tax incentives for companies who bring jobs back to the United States.

Moffat, 58, has been unemployed for more than two months and has decided to go back to school rather than wait for politicians to help create jobs.

And he isn't the only one.

Marilynn Monroe, 43, worked at the factory for almost 10 years and said she would rather return to school to study health care than settle for a minimum wage job.

"The president is saying right now that he's created all these jobs, well I want to know where they are and how much they're paying," said Monroe, who made $26.77 an hour at Kimberly-Clark. "I made more money here than I've ever made in my life. I wasn't rich by any means, but I was comfortable."

Last week, during a two-day bus tour through Pennsylvania and Ohio, President Barack Obama called the past 28 months a "step in the right direction," claiming that businesses created 4.4 million jobs during that period, including 500,000 manufacturing jobs.

But Dr. Stephen Lerch, Washington state's interim chief economist, said economic data is "complicated," and it is important to be "careful" when interpreting figures given during political campaigns.

According to the most recent jobs report, the economy added just 80,000 jobs in June and the national unemployment rate remained at 8.2 percent.

"Whether you're talking about the U.S. or you're talking about Washington, this is not much of a recovery," Lerch said. "It's disappointing."

During a speech in New Hampshire, Mitt Romney was quick to blame the president for the latest job figures, saying Mr. Obama has "clearly not been successful" in turning around the economy.

He called the jobs report a "kick in the gut" for middle-class families.

Obama, however, downplayed the report and reiterated his message that the economy would not be a quick fix.

But, as Moffatt said, "talk is cheap."

"It's just words," he said. "It's just words to get elected."

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
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Comments (38)


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  • maplefish wrote...
    The Lying Obama Dog & Pony Show
    July 10, 2012 5:27 am
    Keeps telling us they're creating millions of new jobs and that we're climbing out of the recession....Liars never figure and figures never lie....you know, like "It's Not a Tax" !
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • YouGotNothin wrote...
    It must be exhausting to have to work at being that dumb?
    July 10, 2012 5:50 am
    I figure that you are one of these dyed in the wool Republidopes, who will cast their vote for anyone, or anything with a "R" next to it?! Our last C+ college graduate president got us into (I forget, was it 2 or 3 wars?) which have bled our country dry and have trashed the economy. Then using the "evil doers" as a good excuse to trash the Constitution. The current President is trying......is faced with a obstructionist Congress, who can't stand the fact that a black man is in the Presidency and will do everything they can to trash our country just to make their point and tell everyone " see, I told ya so!" The current administration could be doing a much better job and have wasted the first 2 years trying to create a legacy with their health care reform. The health care system IS one of the major problems which is bring our country to it's knees. Politicians, be it Democrat, or Republican, should all be thrown out of their homes and have their lives destroyed.......only then will they wake up to the fact they it is they who are the problem......not just "the black man in the presidency".
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    YouGotNothin wrote...
    July 10, 2012 8:12 am
    Very appropriate name. You start out w/ name-calling, then move on to the classic Dimocrat "It's Bush's fault" excuse, then pull the classic liberal race card, then you blame a health care system. I blame attorneys. Notice there was no tort reform in "Owebma-care"? Gee...I wonder why...and he's half white too, you know.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Top Grunt wrote...
    The current occupant of the White House is a Moron
    July 10, 2012 10:57 am
    This guy is trying to destroy the United States and is doing a very good job of it. The first order of business should be to run him and all of his followers out of town on a rail with a new suit of tar and feathers, this would send a nice message to all elected officials that the American people are fed up with the crap, follow the constitution or be held accountable, we will give you a suit like the last moron. Politicians are like a babies diaper, they have to be changed often and for the same reason they are all wet and they stink.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Seattle is a cesspool wrote...
    Got nothin'
    July 10, 2012 11:34 am
    Is upset cause he got his wool socks in a bunch. You stink of patchouli dill hole.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SickofSeattleite wrote...
    unemployed are sick of politicians?
    July 10, 2012 5:51 am
    How about the employed? I think Everyone should be sick of politicians at this point. America needs to set the reset button. Flush out career politicians and get back to the basics. Term limits in congress with the elected actually being served by the people. No more electoral so peoples votes actually count and a flat tax so everyone would have to pay their FAIR share and CONTRIBUTE. I would also ABOLISH WELFARE! All this should pretty much eliminate all the fraud and waste in America. To much GOVT!!!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Agree. TERM LIMITS..
    July 10, 2012 8:13 am
    Politics should not be a life long career. Look at Sen Snaggletooth; a perfect example.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • just Fred wrote...
    party politics is bringing us down
    July 10, 2012 6:26 am
    It should be crystal clear to even the most common observer that NEITHER party, democrat or republican (I did not use capital letters on purpose) don't have a clue. BOTH partys have led us down this path. It's time for a true change. If we continue to do things the same old way - democrats and republicans - we will get the same old results. If you think things will change by voting traditional party lines, then you are a fool. Sorry, I don't mean to offend anybody, but if the American people don't wake up and stop allowing our senators, congressmen/women and president to continue to make bad decisions, continue to make laws and legislation that only benefit their careers then we are doomed. Health care? OK, lets see a plan that our elected officials have to use just as you and I do. Taxes? As someone just commented, a straight percent - period. Also, just as a thought, check out Gary Johnson. If you truely want to see our elected officials sit up and take notice and actually start to represent the American people, vote in a 3rd party candidate. And I haven't made up my mind, but read up about Gary Johnson, he makes sense and he might just be what this country needs. Of course, that means thinking outside of the box and breaking away from the same old way of doing things and getting the same old results. Just saying
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    Hey, you former workers
    July 10, 2012 6:51 am
    probably voted for "Hope and change"and you will still vote for the "same" scoundrel again.Your vote must be cheap.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • adiru wrote...
    Never Forget!
    July 10, 2012 6:58 am
    The "shovel-ready" jobs that never materialized and the $840 BILLION of our tax dollars that vaporized. How many people actually got any bit of that money? Rather, it went to the governments of the various states that blew it all away.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hnuh wrote...
    07-10-2012 To former factory workers...
    July 10, 2012 7:17 am
    First, the dribbling slobberers vote democrat. Then they cry about being unemployed. The republicans try being democrat lite because leftist media says everybody loves democrat "ideas". So you got a bunch of hard core leftist (socialist) democrats and a bunch of left leaning republicans. Both are the envoys of destruction. Neither gets the idea where prosperity comes from. Both promise handouts to get votes. Neither delivers on promises. The hard truth is, if you won't produce goods and services, for any reason (yeah, envirowhackos, talkin' about you), you get poorer. The hard truth is, if you spend more than you make long enough you go broke (government at all levels). Quit voting for democrats and lefty republicans! Be adults! Take personal responsibility! Ahhh... not likely... skip it... it's just too hard...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hpygolkyone wrote...
    Breaking News!..............
    July 10, 2012 7:36 am
    John Boehner and Harry Reid were reported in a special session on how to get Americans back to work......forget about "shovel ready jobs".......this plan is foolproof!

    .......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JmA2ClUvUY&feature=relmfu

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Fuego wrote...
    Sounds like they
    July 10, 2012 7:38 am
    finally learned that politicians don't create jobs and you shouldn't rely on them to do anything for you.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SeattleNative wrote...
    @Fuego
    July 10, 2012 9:46 am
    But politicians...and especially administrations...can create policies that either promote or prohibit job growth. Right now we've got an administration that is systematically killing our private sector.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • William Lawn wrote...
    Considering when he took office this economy was shedding 3/4 of a million jobs per month
    July 10, 2012 11:19 am
    And we have had job growth in 23 of the past 27 months, it doesn't look to me like "we've got an administration that is systematically killing our private sector."
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Yes... Willie...we all know...
    July 10, 2012 1:07 pm
    it's Bush's fault. Pathetic....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • William Lawn wrote...
    We have had job growth in 23 of the past 27 months
    July 10, 2012 2:12 pm
    Best part is, not a bubble in sight.

    You mad because you didn't get your union negotiated COLA this year?

    Or maybe you did.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }