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IronLionZion

(45,250 posts)
Sat Feb 8, 2020, 05:17 PM Feb 2020

The myth of the manufacturing jobs renaissance

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/08/economy/manufacturing-jobs/index.html

New York (CNN Business)US manufacturing jobs have disappeared. They won't be coming back.

The Trump administration wants voters to believe in a US manufacturing renaissance -- proof of economic success as America barrels toward election day.

President Trump in his State of the Union address Tuesday once again took credit for "restoring our Nation's manufacturing," claiming that the United States "has gained 12,000 new factories under my administration, with thousands upon thousands of plants and factories being planned or built. We have created over half a million new manufacturing jobs."

Those numbers are largely accurate, and US factory activity expanded in January. But the manufacturing industry is hemorrhaging jobs, losing more than 4 million over the past twenty years. The problem is growth is concentrated in a few outlier industries -- pharmaceuticals, computers, semiconductors -- that boost output while employing only a fraction of the workers in traditional factories.

Those jobs aren't coming back

Despite the White House's promises, nothing will restore a 1960s-style mass employment on the assembly lines. The new manufacturing reality is an industry of specialized high-tech work that requires less manpower, or lower paid, non-union jobs.
The jobs growth Trump cites is coming from emerging US industries -- such as American shale -- or were sparked by a post-recession shopping-spree for items already produced domestically, like cars.

Other industries are hurting.


Video and more info at link. States Trump stole in 2016 have been losing manufacturing jobs. We have a fighting chance to flip them back this year.
5 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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The myth of the manufacturing jobs renaissance (Original Post) IronLionZion Feb 2020 OP
I surely hope Ohiogal Feb 2020 #1
Yes, Dems need to pound on this and other truths. People should be able to see... Beartracks Feb 2020 #3
Like they said in the debate last night "It's the economy, stupid" IronLionZion Feb 2020 #4
Yep. Economic issues are the tentpole for the Big Tent. Beartracks Feb 2020 #5
That's what I've been thinking and hoping....nt 2naSalit Feb 2020 #2

Beartracks

(12,761 posts)
3. Yes, Dems need to pound on this and other truths. People should be able to see...
Sat Feb 8, 2020, 06:01 PM
Feb 2020

... that the Democrats are telling the truth because it will match the reality that voters see around them and their friends and their families every day.

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IronLionZion

(45,250 posts)
4. Like they said in the debate last night "It's the economy, stupid"
Sat Feb 8, 2020, 07:18 PM
Feb 2020

which is working out great for wealthy stock investors and certain types of jobs but not so much for millions of Americans all over important swing states.

Beartracks

(12,761 posts)
5. Yep. Economic issues are the tentpole for the Big Tent.
Sun Feb 9, 2020, 05:13 PM
Feb 2020

The other issues being discussed on the campaign trail are all important, but the economy should be the linchpin of the platform. It's the tentpole for the Big Tent.

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