Presenting America's Own "Ghost Cities"

Zero Hedge ^ | 02/26/2016 | Tyler Durden

[Leaning Right]

We’ve written quite a bit about the decline of America’s once proud manufacturing industry which is now but a shadow of its former self and long ago ceded its place in the public’s heart and mind to the service industry...And if it was already bad, it's getting worse.

[Leaning Right]

Interesting article, but to be taken with a grain of salt, as it's from the always-pessimistic Zero Hedge.

There is no doubt that US industry is in steep decline. But the author then goes on to argue that this decline is irreversible.

Comments?

[nascarnation]

When I was a young man, they built big buildings, filled them with machines, called them factories, and made products for the world.

When I was middle aged, they built big buildings, filled them with products from around the world, called them warehouses, and sold the products to Americans.

Now that I’m an old man, they don’t even build big buildings anymore.

[DIRTYSECRET]

The answer is in immigration. Newcomers can take over the blighted properties and do their own thing. It’s better than where they came from. No Muzzies please.

[datura]

Are you serious?

[Pearls Before Swine]

Now that I’m an old man, they don’t even build big buildings anymore.

May you live a long life... and live to see those big buildings stuffed with people.

I'm feeling dystopian this morning.

[Trumpet 1]

Yeah, I too am old. I live in Denver, Co. And they are building lots of big buildings: office towers, apartment buildings, and multi-purpose buildings. And I have heard that Athens, Ga. Is getting lots of new buildings as well. Should the rest of the peoples of planet Earth live in mud huts?

[spokeshave]

Now that I’m an old man ...all the empty factories and warehouses have been converted into senior citizen housing.

[SkyPilot]

This scene is repeated all over America.

[DesertRhino]

“Should the rest of the peoples of planet Earth live in mud huts?”

if the alternative is coming here, yes they should.

[kaehurowing]

Just yesterday someone was saying there are no places to eat in our downtown business section any more, even during work days. All the eating establishments have gone out of business with the exception of Micky D’s and Jack in the Box.

[JoeFromSidney]

The only problem with this article is that American manufacturing output is up. Check Department of Commerce statistics. Unfortunately, American manufacturing employment is down. Reason: increased efficiency in manufacturing. That should be a cause for celebration. It should mean that prices are falling. That, however, is hidden by the Federal Reserve's policy of cheapening the dollar. Prices of American-made goods would be even higher except for the increased manufacturing efficiency.

Our problem is not that jobs are disappearing, but that new jobs are not being created. Taxes and regulations are stifling the creation of new jobs. Fix that and the problem will soon be shortage of workers.

[buffaloguy]

Automation has had a huge impact on mfg. The redesign of products so that they were easier to manufacture was key to the survival of that sector.

Small mfg plants which ran 3 shifts at startup was another success. No more of the one swwwhift per day bs which was the rule when I started in that sector.

[central_va]

n other words, no populist presidential candidate promising to “make the country great again” is going to turn this around - and it won't be for lack of effort. It's just economics. The jobs aren’t coming back from China and the “made in America” stamp is a relic a bygone era. The American economy is now a bartender and waiter creation machine and it's come at the expense of the still declining manufacturing sector.

Bologna. This is nothing but gloBULList Free Traitor™ talk. Forget tariffs, if you embargoed every manufactured good coming in the USA their would be decade of inflation and shortages for durable goods followed by centuries of prosperity.

[central_va]

I didn’t know Jeb was a freeper!

[Lurker]

“Should the rest of the peoples of planet Earth live in mud huts?”

America is under no obligation of any kind to take anyone in. If you want to improve their lot get out your own checkbook.

L

[central_va]

If you built a large manufacturing facility 1/2 mile form that strip mall it would be bustling with secondary economic activity. This is the issue of our time.

[central_va]

Should the rest of the peoples of planet Earth live in mud huts?

I am not a citizen of the world. I am a US citizen and my country comes first. Where and how the rest of the world lives is not our problem or concern.

[central_va]

Reason: increased efficiency in manufacturing.

OH and off shoring had nothing to do with it.

[Leaning Right]

I agree with you. There IS a path to bringing industry back to America. You'd just need a combination of temporary tariffs, lower domestic taxes, and less domestic regulation.

And one more thing. I believe in the concept of unions. But they've become way too powerful. We need rules to level that playing field again.

[central_va]

So how great would the US economy be if we hadn’t closed 55,000 factories, shipped them over seas and dumped 12 million of your fellow Americans into the service economy over the last 15 years? A hell of a lot better.