[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.

[SkyPilot]

This scene is repeated all over America.

[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.

[Defiant]

A president that pledges to and does bring back American manufacturing, including jobs, could remake the dynamics of the political parties. It would be a great opportunity for a guy like Trump to wander around in the husks of old factories and talk about what he would do to get them producing again. The landslide would be on.

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

Zero Hedge is pessimistic, yes, but is there any arguing that what has happened to our economy has been catastrophic?

The American people, especially the ones over 40, realize that something is very very wrong with our economy.

They remember the days when a college grad didn't have to go job hunting for a year just to earn a living.

They remember the days when a young person didn't have to send out 5000 resumes just to get a handful of interviews.

They remember their parents having good, stable, decent paying jobs and were able to raise a family in middle class America.

Those days are gone, and it's very sad.