Posted on 05/27/2020 9:08:27 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
The head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says he doesn’t believe it’s necessary to ‘reshore’ all industrial production to the United States, which runs counter to President Donald Trump’s “America First” mindset and strategy to reinvigorate American manufacturing.
In an online conference this week, Chamber CEO Tom Donohue cautioned about “reshoring” too much of the supply chain from China back to the U.S., Reuters reported.
“Protecting the resiliency of our supply chain doesn’t have to mean reshoring all production in the United States,” he said.
While it may be that the U.S. will need to bolster its domestic production capabilities in the future for some industries, “there will also need to continue to be a huge place in the U.S. economy for a global supply chain,” Donohue said.Tom Donohue, courtesy Creative Commons.
But that message runs afoul of President Trump’s objective of returning as much manufacturing back to the United States as possible, a necessity he and members of his administration say was only emphasized by domestic shortages of vital products and pharmaceuticals during the coronavirus pandemic.
Just this week, President Trump touted efforts to return pharmaceutical manufacturing back to the U.S., announcing a multi-million dollar contract with Virginia-based Phlow Corp., a start-up that plans to make several generic medications including some used to treat COVID-19.
“This is a great day for America. This has all of the elements of the Trump strategy,” said Peter Navarro, one of the president’s top economic advisers who is leading the ‘return to America’ effort.
“It’s made in the USA. It’s innovation that will allow American workers to compete with the pollution havens, sweatshops and tax havens of the world,” he added.
Returning most pharmaceutical manufacturing to the U.S. would alone create hundreds of thousands of new, good-paying jobs, according to a recent study by the Coalition for a Prosperous America.
“The US is dependent on China for over one-third of all the antibiotics we import, and in the case of many generic drugs, we are completely dependent on China,” the organization noted in a report.
“We found that an ambitious but realistic reshoring program could create 804,000 US jobs and add $200 billion to annual GDP in the first year,” it continued. “The benefits in terms of security of supply are separate, and in times like the present, critically important.”
At present, some 80 percent of drugs prescribed in the U.S. are manufactured overseas, with the bulk coming from 10 countries: Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, India, Denmark, Belgium, Canada, United Kingdom, and Japan.
And while China is farther down the list, it’s important to note that many of the ingredients used in the manufacture of those drugs come from that country.
“We should never be reliant on a foreign country for the means of our own survival. I think we’ve learned a lot,” Trump said in late March as it became apparent that the U.S. had become far too reliant on China for personal protective equipment.Courtesy: White House
“This crisis has underscored just how critical it is to have strong borders and a robust manufacturing sector,” he added.
Trump has taken on the Chamber of Commerce before, though most Republicans are hesitant to do so.
In June 2016 as he appeared to be sailing to the GOP presidential nomination, Trump, in a campaign speech, chastised a series of global ‘free trade’ agreements he said were responsible for offshoring tens of millions of U.S. jobs over decades.
He came under immediate fire from the ‘America last’ Chamber.
Under Trump's trade plans, we would see higher prices, fewer jobs, and a weaker economy https://t.co/3xcCNgiS2k pic.twitter.com/9jPtGXAOlQ
— U.S. Chamber (@USChamber) June 28, 2016
But the soon-to-be president counterattacked, blasting the Chamber for not doing more to promote American jobs and workers.
The @USCHAMBER must fight harder for the American worker. China, and many others, are taking advantage of U.S. with our terrible trade pacts
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2016
Why would the USChamber be upset by the fact that I want to negotiate better and stronger trade deals or that I want penalties for cheaters?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2016
In his first three years, Trump managed to renegotiate several previous trade deals including the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada, and won concessions from China after slamming the country with tariffs. The economy was red-hot before coronavirus shut it down and governors’ orders threw nearly 40 million Americans out of work.
US Chamber of Commerce = Globalism Lobbyists = Chicom Sellouts/Puppets
Execute him for Treason.
Spoken if it was from a script delivered by the Chicoms.
GFY CoC
Maris Crane says we should GET RID OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WE REALLY DO NOT NEED THEM ANYMORE.
President Trump is the best Chamber of Commerce we have ever had.
The Chamber of Cheap Labor speaks for their Chicom masters.
‘...WE REALLY DO NOT NEED THEM ANYMORE.....”
Exactly. They and the UN can go via of the dodoo bird.
Both are as useless as teats on a Brahma bull.
Chamber of Commies?
I predict they will come up with a new name. Maybe Chamber of Karens is available/ S
I second that! Totally useless swamp rats undermining our country ecery step of the way.
They should rename the Chamber of Commerce to Chamber of China
"The United States Chamber of Commerce (USCC) is a business-oriented American lobbying group.
Politically, the Chamber usually supports Republican political candidates, though it has occasionally supported conservative Democrats. The Chamber is the largest lobbying group in the U.S., spending more money than any other lobbying organization on a yearly basis."
A damaging organization with a disingenuous name, and innumerable pols on its payroll.
Hey Chamber CEO Tom Donohue, F-you pal.
You are at least as
Stoopid as a person can be pal.Chamber CEO Tom Donohue
How about America first and to hell with one world.
You beat me to it.
Yep...USCOC is CCP owned.
Tom, GFY.
“Chamber of Commerce” = “China’s whores” + “Illegal and H-1B pimps”
FUCOC!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.