Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) led an attempt to defund the National Labor Relations Board in the U.S. House earlier this year, and he continues to vigorously criticize the board following the NLRB’s complaint against Boeing for locating new production facilities in South Carolina. In a statement, Rep. Price says:

The decision by the NLRB to attack a company trying to create American jobs is emblematic of the current administration and its attempts to punish success and pick winners and losers in our economy.  This is an absolutely reckless effort to placate a political ally at a time when we should be encouraging companies to invest and grow.

Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association, also identifies political solicitude as the impetus for the NLRB move against the aircraft manufacturer. In a Forbes.com column, “Federal Government Attacks on Boeing Fuel Our National Economic Suicide,” Shapiro writes:

Sometimes by favoring a narrow constituency, the federal government can cause economic devastation for a company or a state and even encourage companies to manufacture outside the United States. In terms of sheer economic stupidity, the Obama Administration committed an economic felony when the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ordered Boeing to shutter a spanking new $2 billion facility that would have created 1,000 much-needed new jobs in South Carolina.

In addition, the letter from nine attorneys general to the NLRB’s acting general counsel calling on him to withdrawn the complaint continues to draw attention.

• Charleston Regional Business, “Attorneys general ask NLRB to withdraw complaint against Boeing“
• Washington Examiner (blog), “Cuccinelli joins Boeing labor fray”
• Sunshine State News, “Defending Boeing, Pam Bondi Stands Up for Right to Work”

Missed this from earlier in the week, a new survey released during a Consumer Electronics Association event at the Republican National Convention in Minnesota. From CEA:

Fifty-eight percent of those polled said they consider trade a good thing because it has reduced the costs of goods such as electronics and clothing while at the same time helping Americans to become more competitive with workers overseas. The survey released by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)^® was conducted by Zogby International.

A vast majority, 69 percent, report that they personally benefit from trade. Support for trade has particularly been drawn from the technology and consumer electronics fields. Sixty-nine percent of Americans called said they support overseas trade in those sectors. In addition, 74 percent said that it was a “good thing” that overseas trade and global manufacturing had reduced the costs of consumer electronics goods in the United States. Fifty-seven percent said that America would not be the economic leader it is today without overseas trade. Only 25 percent disagreed with this statement.

“The verdict is in and the people have spoken. Now it’s time for Congress to grasp what the American people firmly understand – that trade benefits our country,” said CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. “It’s time for Congress to listen to the American people and not the protectionists in the media and do what’s right for our economy, which is passage of trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.”

The event in Minnesota, which featured Commerce Secretary Gutierrez, was part of the CEA’s month-long “America Wins with Trade” bus tour. Washington Times story here.