subject: Will America Ever Regain Its Jobs? [print this page] Will America Ever Regain Its Jobs? Will America Ever Regain Its Jobs?
Will America EVER Regain Its Jobs?
Maybe?
Day after day, year after year, going back 40 or more years we have seen the slow deterioration in the number of American manufacturing jobs. As 2011 approaches, and with pundits and politicians saying we may see some small employment improvements, many regular people seriously wonder if America will ever really regain its historic large scale manufacturing job base.
From the perspective of human resources, we have seen what amounts to an unpatriotic sell out of the American worker, a sell out committed by our very own fellow Americans. But patriotism aside (and it seems as though it is), from a business perspective, the sell out made sense. America created the EPA, Unions were demanding better working conditions, wages slowly increased, Government was collecting taxes on all levels, various agencies were putting pressures on business, and the list goes on. In simple English, American manufacturing was being stifled and needed a way out, they needed FREEDOM. But where could American Business find FREEDOM?
Apparently it could not find FREEDOM in the land of the FREE. So why not look for a place were workers were not free (but they sure were cheap) and business had almost total freedom, i.e., it had none of the hurtful restrictions found in America, especially if you greased the right foreign politician's hand. Hmm, where would American Business go?
Why of course, China! The same "investment" strategy worked very well in Germany and Japan, our enemies, so China would be "a piece of cake." Thanks to President Nixon's early efforts, and the subsequent birth of the New World Order, and many other deals, American Business was FREE at last - in China! So, returning to the first point: will America ever regain its jobs, especially its manufacturing jobs? This is the question of the week, but in actuality it is the question of the last few decades. And this question is the mere seed for countless questions that grow and branch off from it, into even more questions, which as you are beginning to think: there will be too many questions, but will there be answers, and finally this seems really complex! I need an aspirin and/or a martini, now!
Let's ponder one question that most likely leads the rest. Can America competitively adopt lean manufacturing standards to a scale that our economy eventually reflects manufacturing job numbers and percentages comparable to Germany and Japan (our good ol' enemies)? Or how about we rephrase the question: Will Americans accept the fact that they have been seriously marginalized (by their very own countrymen) and now must expect devalued currency, less buying power, less "stuff" and foreign economic (and maybe military someday) domination? What will happen to American pride? What will happen to our military if we lose all our tool makers and machinists because they are too expensive to pay? How low will you go American people? Perhaps a good Chinese style lynching of the business leaders across the country along with Trump's 25% tariff of Chinese imports will fix everything.
Then there is the question of R&D and our education system. If we do not make anything, we do not innovate, invent, gain the edge, take the lead, and produce. If we do not produce, we don't make money, we lose money, especially "investment" money. No money means no R&D and no education, which means America loses its edge. Okay, a little simplistic, but on the whole, not far from reality.
The environment! Would America be better off if it dismantled the EPA and allowed Business and manufacturing to produce and Pollute at will, with no oversight, restrictions or standards? In China there is little or no control over pollution output, and Business is happy, but are the people? In America we have a cleaner environment which most people seem happy about, but Business is not happy with this. Okay, generalities, but maybe not far from the truth. Next question: Can America have lean and clean manufacturing while making people and Business simultaneously happy? Windmills and electric cars come to mind. . .
The American worker, will he/she accept no union protection, reduced or marginal pay, no over-time pay, devalued currency, little or no worker's rights, i.e., little or no legal standing in court for the worker who has suffered work related problems, long hours: 60, 70, 80 per week just to survive, unsafe working conditions (remember no EPA or OSHA: dismantled), conditions say that are comparable to China? Well America, will you?
Will America ever regain its jobs? Yes it could in time, BUT. . . with complex problems, many variables need to line up before it will occur. One important variable to consider is American Government "FOR THE PEOPLE" vs. American Business, yes, the boundless and boundary-less multinational (American) Corporation. Perhaps something to consider in another article later on, written for free by an unemployed American with an online business, Engineer Nexus, that helps American's find work, and businesses find workers, which is presently doing no business.
