I suspect that equaviator was talking about the the industry that makes machine tools, not the machinists themselves.
I admit to not knowing anything except to suspect that sentiment may be true.
What is your take on it?
It’s been 15 years since I or anyone else in the shop I worked at, put any tool in any machine that wasn’t Made in China, down to the lowly drill bit.
“equaviator was talking about the the industry that makes machine tools, not the machinists themselves”
That’s correct. A machinist operates the machine tool(s).