Interesting article that takes a rather optimistic look at the future of US manufacturing. The basic idea is that GE and others are actually starting to ship some of their manufacturing jobs and facilities back to the US. Why? Mostly because wages in China are rising, gas prices are rising, energy costs in the US are shrinking, labor unions aren’t as greedy, and they’re scared the Chinese will steal their high tech designs. Among other things.
So this could indeed be a good thing. If it turns out to be true. As always though, I remain pessimistically doubtful.
EDIT
Stuff
[ Edited: 04 December 2012 09:55 AM by Dead Monky ]
Yeah, I’m not too optimistic either, DM. However, if the government ever developed enough testosterone production ability, it could impose a significant tax on products imported from outside the country if they could be manufactured here.
The problem with the tax idea, Occam, is the World Trade Organization would never allow it. That is precisely the sort of behavior international trade agreements prohibit. The WTO is a quasi-governmental organization created to help multinational corporations maximize profits, and they will not let countries unilaterally inhibit free market competition.
True, but we have the power to cancel international agreements. I know that our own corporate power structure would never allow our legislators to do so, and I suppose we would face retribution, but I think the benefits to our workers would far outweigh the penalties the WTO could impose.
And we could do it the sneaky way others do: not tax or impose a tariff on incoming goods, but rather, give in-country manufacturers subsidies or tax breaks.
Actually, I don’t think we need import taxes. U.S. corporations are starting to insource jobs because they are realizing outsourcing isn’t such a great idea after all. Dell Computer’s customer support ratings tanked when they outsourced support to India. Apple’s customer support ratings have remained at the top of the industry, and they never outsourced support to foreign companies. Other corporations are realizing that outsourcing software jobs has hurt quality as well.
Give it time, and we’ll see more jobs coming home. The free market might work in this instance.
OK, I just read that article in The Atlantic. So, Apple is not leading this GE is. GE figured out how to make appliances not only more energy efficient, but reduced the parts used and cut the build time on water heaters by 80 percent, and can now sell them for less money than the Chinese made units. This is very encouraging.
I’m strongly pro-union, but the So. Calif. Port Clerks Union that struck at the Long Beach port for raises over their already well over $100,000 jobs, jobs in perpetuity including passing them on to their kids will do just as well as tariffs at driving industry back into the U.S.
Is the So. Calif. Port Clerks Union a double edge sword? One side driving industry back into the U.S. while the other side is inhibiting the same U.S. industry exports with higher logistical cost?
I’m strongly pro-union, but the So. Calif. Port Clerks Union that struck at the Long Beach port for raises over their already well over $100,000 jobs, jobs in perpetuity including passing them on to their kids will do just as well as tariffs at driving industry back into the U.S.
Occam
I’m confused at your statement here Occam. The emphasis is on the “but”, and your emphasis on “raises over their already well over $100,000 jobs.”
Are you Pro-Union? But more importantly if you have The Official Book on Fair and Arbitrary Salaries please let me know where I cann get a copy. Or at least share some more info from it.
