Promoted from the diaries by Repair Man Jack.

As CEO of one of the largest U.S. plastic bag manufacturing and recycling companies, my priorities are to create good jobs for the American workforce, grow the company and provide return to investors. But this American industry has been under attack by ideologically-driven proponents of plastic bag bans and taxes, providing a case study of misguided regulations that cost jobs and produce no benefits.

As we’ve previously read here on RedState, and as I explained recently in an interview on Fox News, plastic bag bans and taxes are based on falsehoods, half-truths and emotion, and they prevent our company from creating jobs, utilizing our nation’s natural resources efficiently and adding value to our customers. Too many of our politicians – based on misinformation – have moved to either ban or tax our 100 percent recyclable and U.S.-manufactured product.

I have worked for more than 20 years in the plastic industry. My passion is working with my teams to generate innovative products and run a great company. I’m not usually one to speak out, but given the circumstances, I felt it was time to act. On behalf of the 1,250 Hilex Poly employees across the country and the tens of thousands of Americans who rely on our industry to support their livelihoods, I am speaking up to correct the facts and protect their jobs in the face of unjustified attacks.

This dangerous trend of banning or taxing safe, American-made products is being spread by individuals who will actually achieve the opposite of everything they say they stand for:

• They say they want more American manufacturing jobs, but plastic bag ban or tax legislation kills these types of jobs.

•  They say they want fewer greenhouse gas emissions, but plastic bag ban or tax legislation drives consumers to alternatives that generate more greenhouse gas emissions.

• They say they want more green innovation from the private sector, but plastic bag ban or tax legislation stifles reinvestment, innovation and recycling efforts.

• They say they want to ban plastic bags to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, but the truth is that the majority of our raw materials are produced from U.S. natural gas, and our products are produced in U.S. plants.

We are involved in this debate because we want people to know the true facts about our product, and how misguided, job-killing regulations are the wrong answer in these tough economic times. We must take our message further, and armed with the truth, stop the attack on the hardworking Americans who are the bedrock of this industry.

We do not believe government should try to legislate an American industry out of business. That’s no way to grow our economy. We do, however, support a competitive marketplace and an open and honest debate based on facts. We believe the facts are on our side and will not stand for unfounded attacks that threaten an American industry and defame our product.