The Oshkosh layoffs and politics

OSHKOSH - When Oshkosh Corporation announced it will layoff 450 workers, Lawrence University Economics Professor Marty Finkler wasn't surprised.  He told FOX 11 Oshkosh Defense makes vehicles for specific military contracts.

"That's not permanent labor, that's labor to meet those contracts, so unless they were to have a continuous stream of such contracts, they're going to have to lay off labor," said Finkler.

But Ben Sparks with Mitt Romney's campaign in Wisconsin told us those layoffs could have been prevented.

"This is the direct result of President Obama's latest defense cuts, look, Americans can't afford four more year's of President Obama's policies," said Sparks.

According to Sparks, Obama reduced the budget for ground vehicles by 32 percent.

Oshkosh Corp. said the layoffs are because the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are winding down.

"Two wars are ending.  =Domestic production of military vehicles will drop in 2013," said spokesperson John Daggett.

"We need to reinvest some of the savings we've been spending on war to do national building here at home," said Joe Zepecki with Obama's campaign in Wisconsin.

Zepecki told us Obama's plan will help those facing layoffs.

"The best way to make sure that those who are affected by this decision can get back to work quickly is to continue building the middle class out, making sure we protect investments in areas like education and worker re-training," said Zepecki.

But Sparks said his candidate has the business background to get those people back to work.

"When Mitt Romney is president, he will work with Democrats and Republicans and put the interests of the American people first and deliver the real recovery President Obama could only promise over the last four years," said Sparks.

And it's the American people who will make the ultimate decision.