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President Obama to speak about the 'fiscal cliff' today in Michigan

White House

President Obama will visit a Redford Township factory today - as part of his effort to galvanize support for his plan to avert the fiscal cliff.

The President's visit also comes at a high stakes time for the United Auto Workers.

The Republican-controlled state legislature is poised to vote tomorrow on bills to make Michigan, the birthplace of the UAW,  a so called right to work state.   That would mean workers in unionized facilities like Detroit Diesel in Redford could opt out of paying union dues.

More than 3,000 union workers make heavy-duty engines at Detroit Diesel.

White House staff have said little about the President's visit, except that it's part of his effort to boost public support for his plan to avert the fiscal cliff. The plan involves letting Bush era tax cuts expire for the wealthiest Americans, those making 250,000 and more,  but not most middle-income Americans.

Republicans argue many wealthy Americans are job creators and taxing them more will hurt job growth

Tracy Samilton covers energy and transportation, including the auto industry and the business response to climate change for Michigan Public. She began her career at Michigan Public as an intern, where she was promptly “bitten by the radio bug,” and never recovered.
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