Mackinac Moments on ‘Bridging the Future Together,’ Competing With the Chinese Communist Party

Elliott explored this year’s Mackinac Policy Conference theme of “Bridging the Future Together” and reflected on what keeps Michigan from driving “the Power of &” and having the reality and the perception of what is going on in the state match.

“The bricks we are building now are not working for the person on the path,” he said. “If they were, we wouldn’t see these big gaps between perception and reality. A lot of the time, the people on the path are not your tribe or who you work with day to day, but they are the people that need to win in order for the state to win.”

Elliott further emphasized that “the people we are here to serve need to be heard” and encouraged Conference attendees to utilize the power of their leadership, make new connections, and build bridges together.

U.S. Representative Haley Stevens (D-MI 11) addressed the U.S.’s relationship with the Chinese Communist Party and identified three urgent goals: reset its relationship with the Chinese Communist Party, restructure how it does business with the Chinese Communist Party, and reinvest at home and with its allies abroad. Stevens said these are not just strategic moves but crucial steps in a high-stakes competition that demands our immediate attention and action.

“We know the job that we need to do. We need to stand up for our supply chain. We need to bring small businesses into the conversation. We need to make sure that we have trade policies working for every single one of us. And we need to not be afraid to brag about who we are as Michiganders and manufacturing leaders.”