Vote NOW: Does 'Buy American' Belong in the Economic Recovery Plan?

The House version of the economic recovery plan contains a "Buy American" provision that would require government-financed stimulus projects to use U.S. steel and iron. The Senate version is now being debated.

Sounds sensible, doesn't it? Not to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). He thinks "Buy American" is "a bad idea."

What do you think? Click here to take this online poll and we'll report the results next week.

A lot of misinformation about "Buy American" has been going around, spread by groups like the Business Roundtable and others who are very interested in overseas production and trade but not so interested in restoring quality U.S. jobs.

When U.S. banks got a handout – with absolutely no strings attached, as was orchestrated by the Bush administration – very few complaints were raised.

But when some lawmakers want to step up to support U.S. jobs and help turn around a devastated manufacturing sector that has lost 4 million jobs since 2000 – that's one-fourth of all manufacturing jobs -- certain business interests and their political supporters say "no way."

What do you think?