American manufacturing has pulled us
out of virtually every major economic downturn that we’ve faced. In the 1960’s
only 10% of the products Americans purchased were manufactured overseas. Today,
that percentage is well beyond half. That needs to change!
After World War II, American manufacturing fervently
escalated. American ingenuity, entrepreneurship, pride and fortitude engulfed the
nation. We invented home appliances, Rock ‘n’ Roll, industrial heating, the TV dinner, and
muscle cars in that period. By the 1960’s we were manufacturing the rockets and
the rocket fuel that landed us on the moon… first.
American astronauts planted the American-made American flag firmly on the moon
surface in 1969, with 500 million-plus watching it all take place live on
American-made televisions and listening on American-made radios.
Unfortunately, the USA’s manufacturing proficiency peeked in
1979. Since then, overseas markets were making things more cheaply (albeit with
child labor and deplorable, dangerous work conditions) and flooding the
American marketplace. This generated a consistent decline in American-made
purchases.
According to a recent survey by Consumer Reports National
Research Center, given a choice between a product made in the U.S. and an
identical one made abroad, 78 percent of
Americans would rather buy the American product.
More than 80 percent of those people cited retaining
manufacturing jobs and keeping American manufacturing strong in the global
economy as very important reasons for buying American. About 60 percent cited
concern about the use of child workers or other cheap labor overseas, or stated
that American-made goods were of higher quality.
So what can we do to right the ship, and return America to economic
greatness?
New Administration, New Hope, New
Confidence
The fact is political cycles matter. As much as they can also
disrupt and divide the country, the underlying non-sensational facts, figures,
deals, policies, procedures, penalties, perks, diplomacy, enforcement, law,
order, etc. all firmly affect our economy for better… or for worse. In 2017 the
new administration is 180 degrees from the former in most of the aforementioned
categories. Whether you believe it to be right or wrong, you must certainly acknowledge
that it will absolutely create a change.
Initial indications from American manufacturers large and small
are positive. Anticipation of relaxed sanctions, lowered taxes and increased
consumer confidence have enticed major auto and hundreds of other manufacturers
to reshore their operations and invest in America and the American work force.
Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!
Economists state that if we all spend just 5 percent more on
American-made products; we will create a minimum of 1 million more jobs for Americans! We have to believe that
Americans can compete. With the growing overseas wage gap and subsequent cost
of goods produced quickly closing, it’s increasingly impossible for
manufacturers to justify the other costs associated with offshoring including
shipping, delivery delays, and the overhead that comes with maintaining large
inventories.
When doing the math, as many as 1 million jobs would come
back to the USA if companies would recognize the mathematical common sense for
themselves and reshore their manufacturing processes.
The Community Domino Effect
When a factory closes, the dominos fall. Every manufacturing
job creates 15 jobs outside of the factory; the gas stations, the stores, the
restaurants, the electricians and plumbers who maintain the factories, chefs,
hair stylists, insurance agents and many more. When the factory goes, those
jobs follow. When only one job is lost at a factory, 15 jobs in the community
are at risk. It impacts everyone. Buying American recirculates money in our own economy and gives other Americans
opportunities to prosper.
We need to understand, as a country, that we must protect
and support our manufacturing jobs. We must fight to put Americans back to work!
Consumers have amazing power in a country, and we can change our country,
ourselves… now, without waiting for
politicians. It’s really quite simple. Every time you buy something, make sure
that it was made in America.
Growing the Middle Class and
Shrinking the Poverty Class
Since the 1960s, manufacturing has always paid substantially
more than the minimum wage. Even today, the manufacturing jobs that remain pay
an average of $20.17 an hour. That's
nearly three times the federal minimum wage. It's enough to vault a worker out
of poverty and solidly into the lower middle class.
Manufacturing is at the center of the economy; it’s highly
connected with most other sectors, such as transportation, retail, mining,
utilities and business services. Manufacturing companies also account for about
77% of what the private sector spends on research and development each year. If
it weren’t for manufacturing, there would be very little innovation in the
United States.
The Wrap Up
The ongoing decline of well-paying manufacturing jobs in the
U.S. has ;devastated the working class; and made achieving the American
dream increasingly difficult. Technological advancements and the rise of
low-skilled manufacturing in China and other developing nations mean that fewer
Americans work in factories, just as technological advancements 100 years ago
meant that fewer Americans worked on farms.
That is all changing, and we as the American consumer play
the largest role in turning the tables and making America great once again. Don’t
leave it all in the laps of the politicians. We are wiser, we are stronger, we
are organized, we are focused, and we are sick and tired of not leading the
pack! Together we unite, together we buy American, and together we create
American manufacturing jobs.
Together we support America and we support Americans… our
neighbors, our brothers and sisters, our nation’s resilience. Together we leave
this nation a better place and provide hope for the future for our children and
beyond.