Tag: Manufacturing

For The Return

This is a companion piece for my previous post….

We have been told what a wonderful world it will be as soon as Donny’s agenda and tariffs have done their thing…..

But is that true and how long must we wait?

President Donald Trump says his tariffs on imported goods are encouraging companies to invest in the U.S., claiming that will lead to “better-paying American jobs making beautiful American-made cars, appliances, and other goods.”

But critics say it could take years for American workers to develop the 21st-century manufacturing skills that overseas workers have already mastered.

“In the U.S. you could have a meeting of tooling engineers, and I’m not sure we could fill a room.” Apple CEO Tim Cook says. “In China, you could fill multiple football fields.”

In the meantime, critics warn, consumer products will continue to be manufactured overseas, and Trump’s tariffs will drive prices of those imports higher.

There’s a reason companies moved production offshore in the first place: It’s cheaper thanks to lower labor costs. As a result, American consumers have long benefited from lower prices.

George Carrillo, CEO of the Hispanic Construction Council, says garments and furniture made overseas are generally 20% to 50% cheaper than U.S.-made goods. But for some products, like consumer technology items, the differential is even bigger.

Apple, which makes 80% of its products in China, is a good example.

https://moneywise.com/news/economy/priced-out-trumps-plan-to-bring-manufacturing-back-to-the-us-could-cost-consumers-more-for-years-to-come

Just a little something to think about (if that is possible) when it comes to the promise of the return of American manufacturing.

I Read, I Write, You KNow

“lego ergo scribo”

When Will Manufacturing Return?

I have written a lot about the tariffs and what it will mean to us mere peasants…..but Donny has said that it will revive the US manufacturing sector….is that really the case?

If this promise is true….how will it revive that sector?

There are some doubting Thomas’…..

The Trump administration’s tariff scheme appears less and less likely to bring manufacturing jobs back to U.S. shores.

Businesses across the country are crunching the numbers and realizing that, despite Donald Trump’s insistence, they can’t balance out his tariff hikes across the supply chain.

“Some manufacturers who had plans to open factories in the country say the new duties are only adding to the significant obstacles they already faced,” Bloomberg reported Friday.

That’s because the supply chain to produce those goods in the United States simply isn’t there, requiring companies to import raw materials and factory equipment—which Trump’s tariffs have made unaffordable—from abroad.

And Trump’s unpredictable approach to announcing and enacting or even retracting his tariffs has added confusion and significant volatility to the market, making businesses less likely to invest in large, long-term projects such as factory development.

Nora Orozco, the owner of footwear company Evolutions Brands, wants to open a Texas factory that would create 200 jobs. But the nitty-gritty of Trump’s so-called “manufacturing renaissance” just doesn’t work, according to the small-business owner.

“I like the idea of onshoring, but this makes it impossible for us,” Orozco told Bloomberg.

Reinvigorating American manufacturing has been a tall order for both political parties since the country offshored and automated the bulk of those jobs decades ago. But 2022 did see a spike in job announcements for reshored manufacturing gigs, according to the Reshoring Initiative, a U.S. manufacturing advocacy nonprofit.

https://newrepublic.com/post/195070/donald-trump-tariffs-manufacturers-opening-factories

We are also told that it may be a long haul to return the manufacturing sector to its once proud glory.

If so then why do we have open manufacturing jobs?

President Trump has been upending the global economy in the name of bringing manufacturing back. President Joe Biden signed into law massive investments aimed at doing something similar. The American manufacturing sector is reviving after decades of decay.

But there’s something a bit weird undercutting this movement to reshore factory jobs: American manufacturers say they are struggling to fill the jobs they already have.

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are nearly half a million open manufacturing jobs right now.

…

One big reason manufacturers can’t fill these jobs overnight is because they require workers to have particular skills. And it’s not just skills needed to work on assembly lines. Only around 2 in 5 manufacturing jobs are directly involved in making stuff. Manufacturers also employ people to do research and development, engineering, design, finance, sales, marketing and so on.

https://www.npr.org/sections/planet-money/2025/05/13/g-s1-66112/why-arent-americans-filling-the-manufacturing-jobs-we-already-have

The late Steve Jobs explained to Obama why he and others have gone overseas….

The famously blunt Apple boss wasn’t shy about shooting down the president’s musings. “Those jobs aren’t coming back,” he replied.

The reason why wasn’t just lower costs in countries like China. “Rather, Apple’s executives believe the vast scale of overseas factories as well as the flexibility, diligence and industrial skills of foreign workers have so outpaced their American counterparts that ‘Made in the U.S.A.’ is no longer a viable option for most Apple products,” wrote the Times, summing up discussions.

To illustrate, the paper offered a story shared by a former Apple executive about a last-minute design change to the iPhone’s screen that forced a change in the manufacturing process at the Chinese factory where the phones were being assembled.

Around midnight, a foreman “roused 8,000 workers inside the company’s dormitories, according to the executive. Each employee was given a biscuit and a cup of tea, guided to a workstation and within half an hour started a 12-hour shift fitting glass screens into beveled frames. Within 96 hours, the plant was producing more than 10,000 iPhones a day,” the article reveals.

“The speed and flexibility is breathtaking,” the executive told the Times. “There’s no American plant that can match that.”

https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/steve-jobs-quote-on-american-manufacturing-still-applies-today/91181530

Will those ‘well paying’ jobs ever return….and if they do will Americans rush to snap them up?

But I am sure that there are some out there that feel confident that Donny’s plan will do the thing that he has promised.

Sadly I am not one of them.

But it you feel strongly that this is the proper way to go about this situation then by all means explain why you feel that way.

We await the answers.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

All Those Manufacturing Jobs

That is the promise from Little Donny and his strangling tariffs….it will bring those lost manufacturing jobs back to the USA.  He talked that point up all campaign all along and he still clings to the dream of all those jobs returning to the US….that single piece of rhetoric probably got him a bunch of votes.

But the reality does not echo his hollow promise…..

The trade war is no longer just a geopolitical talking point — it’s now a frontline reality for thousands of workers across North America. In the wake of sweeping new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, a growing list of companies have announced job cuts, operational pauses, and in some cases, full-scale shutdowns. The fallout is cascading through industries as diverse as automotive, steel, consumer goods, and even tabletop gaming.

…

Industry experts warn that what we’re seeing now could be a prelude to deeper economic challenges. A report from Forbes estimates that over 5.6 million jobs across manufacturing, agriculture, and logistics may be at risk if trade tensions continue to escalate.

As political leaders debate trade strategy on the global stage, the consequences are being felt by workers, families, and small businesses across North America. With companies large and small struggling to adapt, and many caught in the crossfire of retaliatory measures, the tariff fallout is proving to be more than an economic theory — it’s a lived reality for thousands.

(barchart.com)

But what about most Americans…..what do they think?

Manufacturing once dominated the U.S. job market. In 1970, more than 25% of American workers held manufacturing jobs. Today, it’s only around 8%, and many of those jobs look very different than they used to.

Despite this drop, support for manufacturing remains high. A 2024 Cato Institute survey found that 80% of Americans believe the country would be better off with more manufacturing jobs. But when asked if they personally would prefer a factory job over their current work, only 25% agreed. About 73% said no, and just 2% of respondents actually work in manufacturing today.

So what gives? According to Carolyn Lee, executive director of the Manufacturing Institute, the jobs that still exist in modern factories are not what they used to be. “The majority of the jobs in the sector are not entry-level jobs that have no skills,” she told CNN. These roles now require everything from certifications to software and robotics skills.

https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/04/44880439/80-of-americans-say-the-country-would-be-better-off-with-more-manufacturing-jobs-but-only-25-want-one-themse

What will any return mean?

https://reason.com/2025/04/15/do-americans-really-want-to-bring-back-manufacturing/

Did you read that?  80% think bringing manufacturing jobs back is a good policy….but only about 25% wants one of them.

So if these jobs return who will man the machinery?

The administration is getting rid of cheap labor or maybe they could find some AI contraption to fill the jobs.

The return of these jobs is not on the horizon in my opinion….No I do not think Donny can make good on his campaign promise…

Today, only 9 percent of Americans work in manufacturing. That’s not nothing. And, in fact, the sector has been adding jobs recently after getting hammered during the recession.

But the long-run picture is clear. Manufacturing jobs will never again hold the central place in our economy that they once did. At the same time lots of other sectors — health care, professional services — will continue to become more important, and will continue to offer good, middle-class jobs. But those jobs will not, for the most part, be open to high school dropouts.

Education, not manufacturing, is the key to long-term job growth in America.

The percentage of Americans working in manufacturing fell under President Reagan. It also fell under Presidents Bush, Clinton, Bush and Obama (respectively).

Which is to say, the decline of manufacturing jobs in the U.S. economy is not about who is president or what his policies are. It’s the result of long-running, irreversible, historical factors (read: technology and globalization).

(npr.org)

Sorry people these so-called ‘good jobs’ are not coming back.

Any deep thoughts on this or the promises made?  (Please refrain from blaming the Dems or Biden these results are all on the present administration)

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Trump Nixes The DPA

Recently there has been news about the Defense Production Act and its use to fill the void of much needed medical supplies……I helped my readers get on the right page……https://lobotero.com/2020/03/21/what-is-the-defense-protection-act/

Personally, it is a great idea…..gear up the production for much needed supplies….but it appears the the president does not want that to happen…..

President Trump on Sunday rejected calls from governors, hospitals and others to direct companies to ramp up production of critical supplies for the coronavirus fight through the use of the Defense Production Act.

Trump argued that he has used the Defense Production Act (DPA) as leverage in negotiations with companies to get them to produce supplies and equipment for the coronavirus fight.

He also argued against nationalizing industries, though that is not something that would be done through the use of the DPA.

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/488938-trump-rejects-calls-to-directly-use-defense-production-act

The news is dire from Italy where about 1400 people died over the weekend and there are predictions that the US is about 10 days behind where Italy is…..and yet the president is still trying to look business and takes victory laps for nothing in particular.

To me Trump looks as out of touch as anyone can be……he still seems to believe that all will return to “normal” in due time.

In this time of dire need……the country needs leadership not some kick the can down the road bullshit…….

President Trump says the US will reevaluate its coronavirus strategy at the end of the month to determine “which way we want to go.” In an all-caps tweet, he wrote: “We cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself,” without elaborating, reports Reuters. It could be a nod to the sentiment expressed late last week by the conservative editorial board of the Wall Street Journal. The board argued that while an initial shutdown of about two weeks is wise and necessary, a longer break would be catastrophic for US businesses and their employees. “That should be the moment, if not sooner, to offer new guidance on what might be called phase two of the coronavirus pandemic campaign,” the editors wrote.

The 15-day period Trump is referencing began March 16 when he outlined a series of proposals to help stem the spread of the virus. Since then, states have taken initiatives of their own, and now more than 1 in 3 Americans are under stay-at-home orders, reports US News & World Report. That includes those in the states of New York, California, Illinois, Connecticut, New Jersey, Ohio, Louisiana, and Delaware, as well as in the city of Philadelphia. “At the end of the 15-day period, we will make a decision as to which way we want to go!” wrote Trump.

States are showing leadership…..but we need unity and a national leadership….that is what we elected this person to do and he is FAILING on every level.

How many Americans can die in that 15 day period?

Confidence is sinking…..for me it has sunk……

Please…..Stay calm……avoid crowds…..wash hands often…..us bloggers will pass on all info as it comes available….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Mr. Trump, What About That Economy?

2020 will be a mandate on how the economy is doing and how the American people are doing economically.

You would think that if the economy is as good as Trump use to brag about then he would be beating his chest about how damn good it is and that his policies were the fire that started this good burn.

In case you are new and have not been keeping up I have a little reminder of how this economy is really doing…..not the bluster of bullsh*t from some deluded toad and his lackeys….but real facts.

Let me help…….https://lobotero.com/2019/08/15/the-economy-stupid/

What bout all those beautiful jobs and factory re-openings and good times had by all?

It seems the the manufacturing sector is having a bit of a slide……

A gauge of U.S. manufacturing showed the lowest reading in more than 10 years in September as exports dived amid the escalated trade war.

The U.S. manufacturing purchasing managers’ index from the Institute for Supply Management came in at 47.8% in September, the lowest since June 2009, marking the second consecutive month of contraction. Any figure below 50% signals a contraction.

The new export orders index was only 41%, the lowest level since March 2009, down from the August reading of 43.3%, ISM data showed.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/01/us-manufacturing-economy-contracts-to-worst-level-in-a-decade.html

How about all those steel mills that would be re-opening?  That was another economic promise. 

It seems that this sector is not as stable thanx to Trump….

Louisiana is the latest state to see a steel mill close due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

“Hundreds of Louisiana steelworkers are finding out they no longer have a job. This comes as Bayou Steel “unexpectedly” shut down its mill in LaPlace on Monday.

Now, 376 people are looking for new work.

Bayou Steel transports and makes steel beams and other similar products. They also collect industrial scrap for recycling. Company officials say the mill will be permanently closed on November 30, and sent out a WARN letter to parish and state officials Monday. That letter cited ‘…unforeseen business circumstances and the inability to secure necessary capital’ for the closure….

Steel Mill In State That Voted For Trump Closes Suddenly, Leaving Hundreds Jobless

Trump’s economic adviser stated that “Manufacturing is strong as a rock”….maybe they misspoke and meant that it is sinking like a rock.

Then there is all the talk about how well the sanctions Trump has imposed is doing for the country…..really?

The Trump administration has made sanctions a key part of its foreign policy arsenal, placing enormous economic pressure on nations like North Korea and Iran in a bid to force concessions in negotiations with the United States. But is there real evidence that this tactic works?

The U.S. government, it turns out, can’t be sure. A new report released by a government watchdog this week found that although the agencies that implement sanctions track their economic impact, they do not measure whether the sanctions achieve their aim in forcing a target to change its behavior.

https://outline.com/V5rVXb

Finally, what about the federal deficit under the Trump presidency?  Well thanks for the Trump tax cuts the deficit is approaching $1 trillion…that is trillion with a “T”…….

The federal budget deficit for 2019 is estimated at $984 billion, a hefty 4.7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and the highest since 2012, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said on Monday.

The difference between federal spending and revenue has only ever exceeded $1 trillion four times, in the period immediately following the global financial crisis.

The deficit, which has grown every year since 2015, is $205 billion higher than it was in 2018, a jump of 26 percent.

The CBO has warned that the nation’s debt is on an unsustainable path. Higher levels of debt increase borrowing costs, make it harder for the government to battle economic downturns and increase the share of future spending devoted to paying off interest costs.

https://thehill.com/policy/finance/464764-federal-deficit-estimated-at-984b-highest-in-seven-years#.XZvfoTG5TFN.twitter

If the 20320 election will truly be about the economy…then should not this stuff be making the news?

Just asking but I already know why….do you?

Be Smart!

Learn Stuff!

“I Read, I Wrote and now You Know”

Lego Ergo Scribo”

Closing Thought–28Aug19

We hear from our beloved monarch that our manufacturing sector is doing well and that we will be opening 6 or 7 news steel mills soon.

He spent all day Tweeting his ass off about the Fed and manufacturing……..according to His Majesty our manufacturing is doing really well.

But just how well is our manufacturing really doing?

Trump has long claimed that he and his policies would be a boon to workers, especially blue-collar ones. But since he became president, over 716,000 American workers have received pink slips from their employers as jobs are eliminated and plants close.

“716,341 workers have been notified of plant closings and layoffs,” American Bridge 21st Century said in a statement on Wednesday, citing their analysis of the publicly available information.

The numbers may actually be worse, since several states — Arkansas, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, and Wyoming — haven’t provided data.

https://shareblue.com/over-716000-plant-workers-lost-jobs-us-trump/

Just lots of lies or as we say the Trump spin…..which means nothing out of his mouth is truthful.

Keep this in mind as you prepare to vote.

Be Smart!

Learn Stuff!

VOTE!

“Lego Ergo Scribo”

How About An Industrial Policy?

The US has a policy for everything, drugs, terror, on and on, but we seem to have missed the boat on a substantial industrial policy.

Let usa look at some of the things happening in our country today according to Harry Tarq in “Dairy Of A Heartland Radical”:

-For most workers, including the college educated, real wages today are lower than they were in the 1970s.

-Rates of unemployment have grown over the years, doubling between 1999 and 2009. Unemployment rates are a third higher for African Americans and Latinos.

-There has been a sea change in employment as manufacturing labor has dipped below 15 percent of the work force. The sectors with most employment growth include health care, fast food, hotel work, and transportation. Generally higher paying manufacturing work is being replaced by low wage service labor.

-During the last forty years most manufacturing jobs have been transferred to other countries where wages are low, the right to form unions is limited, and costs for health and retirement benefits are minimum.

-There has been a qualitative shift in investment to financial speculation and away from manufacturing.

-Meanwhile, worker productivity in the United States has increased.

One kind of industrial policy that would be appropriate for the twenty-first century is the green jobs agenda. This approach would combine our massive environmental and job needs. To use an historical analogy, to save the lives of millions of Americans, a New Deal green jobs agenda must become part of our future.

Our industrial base is shrinking daily…..and we do not seem to have a grasp on how to get it up and running again.  Our manufacturing has taken a backseat to financial poker game and we, the people, are losing everything because the economic theives are “all in”  with our future.

Many analyst say the the use of “green technology” is the way of the future and that if handled properly could re-invent our industrial base.

Green jobs could be a saving grace, but I am not too optimistic on that for the future…..why?……right now they are en vogue, but will that continue when a new admin takes the reins in Washington?  Many good programs have died at the hands of well intended administrations, i.e.  energy policies of Carter….if they had been followed it is possible that we would not be addressing some of the global warming issues we face today….

American Manufacturing Is Dying

And few in the media seems to care.  The workers on the other hand are the ones that will pay the orice of this death, not the speculators.

General Electric announced it was selling its 101-year-old appliance division last month. Newspapers around the world proclaimed the death of U.S. manufacturing. “Is it the end of an era? Or is the era already over?” asked the Wall Street Journal. GE is the “ideal coal-mine canary,” according to Kiplinger.com. According to the Asia Times, the announcement was “the death-knell of yet another U.S. manufacturing business, one among so many in U.S. manufacturing’s long and seemingly unstoppable downtrend since 1980.”

U.S. manufacturing has been on a steady decline for a number of years. Yet every time a company makes this kind of announcement, two questions are always raised: Why, and who cares anyway?

One of the main reasons U.S. manufacturing is declining so rapidly is outsourcing. Yet outsourcing is an effect, not the root cause of the problem. Treat the root cause—find the reason it is cheaper to make goods abroad—and then you can solve the problem.

The common causes given for the ramp-up in outsourcing is that more companies are turning to factories overseas to take advantage of lower wages, longer work weeks, reduced regulation, and less stringent environmental standards—all valid reasons. However, inexpensive foreign locales are not the only problem. Many of the problems plaguing industry in America are self-inflicted.

theTrumpet.com has explained this situation very accurately.  The workers are the ones doing ALL of the struggling, fewer jobs are being created, more jobs are being lost, and people are having their lives destroyed in the name of profit.  TThe question to ask the presidential candidates is, where and when will this destruction of the working class stop.  And demand an answer that is forthright and truthful, not some pandering BS just to get their vote.