A Plan to Save American Manufacturing

TradeAlert.org ^ | Wednesday, December 31, 2003 | Kevin L. Kearns, Alan Tonelson, and William Hawkins

[XBob]

202 - "Are vastly increased profits bad? Is that not the basis for capitalism? Ford owes this to its stockholders who are mainly ordinary workers."

You really should correct your impressions, and make that 'former workers'. The new workers, the chinese Ford workers, can't afford any Ford stock.

[RLK]

Factories prosper as jobs vanish -----------------------------

This piece has more holes in it than a swiss cheese. It begins with a collaterl exclusionary focus that avoids the issue critical to America. The issue is not whether China or Brazil or where are becoming more efficient or losing manufacturing jobs. The issue is that the jobs once done here are being shipped out. The profits made from importing foreign goods without domestic investment or physical involvement are argued to be efficiency and productivity. Poobaah.

[XBob]

206-"But since you think all workers are merely ciphers on a spreadsheet, you might not get that concept, Erik."

nine, he is one of 'them':


236-"(the thieves who stole our innovations/knowledge/jobs and sent them overseas) "

[RLK]

I loathe both parties. Time for a new party.

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AMEN!

[alrea]

"Trying to stop the clock isn't going to work," he said. "Manufacturing jobs have been declining for 100 years, and it's going to keep happening."

Same prescription: Lower taxes. Smaller more efficient government interacting with private competition.Fewer bureaucratic job protectors. Caps for tort "awards."

[Paul C. Jesup]

A Plan to Save American Manufacturing

Abolish the IRS and EPA. ;P

[RLK]

182 - "Second, national security may be jeopardized in the short-run, however, we could build manufacturing plants in a few months to churn out what we need for any war effort (in face of a boycott). Do you remember WW2?????" It is very apparent you have never built a plant and know nothing about building, or where the equipment comes from, or where the machine tools are made. This lie of yours is just wishful thinking BS.

-----------------------

This clown wouldn't know a steel pland or a machining plant from eggplant.

[XBob]

212-

http://www.suppliernetworks.com/overview.htm

Supplier Networks LLC

Sino-American Automotive Supplier Development and International Trade

Due to the significant difficulties in lowering their corporate cost structures, US automotive manufacturers are employing a global sourcing and integrated purchasing strategy to expand their product options and enhance pricing power. This initiative to source components and systems from emerging markets, primarily China, is being primarily driven by the two US automotive manufacturers, General Motors Corporation (GM), Ford Motor Company (Ford) and to an extent DaimlerChrysler AG (DCX).

According to industry sources, GM intends to raise its purchase from China over the next 3 to 5 years from $1.1 billion to over $10 billion. Ford has a similar target of $10 billion by the year 2010, after starting from a purchase of less than $100 million in 2002. DCX has begun to demand “world prices” that force automotive suppliers to find the absolute lowest cost for production on a global basis and provide that price in every region. With over 2000 automotive suppliers in China, there are numerous opportunities to focus on this important business trend.
China is becoming an increasingly large auto parts export base. The US Commerce Department reports a total of $2.2 billion of Chinese auto parts and components were imported into the US in 2002, which is almost three times the volume of imported components in 1997. The PAC Group estimates that exports of automotive components from China will grow to $70 billion by 2008.

China has a cost advantage primarily due to lower costs in labor, product and processing, plus the added benefit that the automotive industry is one of the “pillar” industries that receives government support. Additionally, the developing technology and advanced equipment from foreign investments have made auto parts suppliers in China more export competitive.

The challenges associated with the initiative to source in China are numerous and are several layers deep and span across commercial, technical, and/or operational challenges. For example, development of the Chinese supply base requires international expertise especially with a keen understanding of the inner workings of Detroit as well as understanding of new processes in South America, Europe, and Japan.

The major automotive manufacturers are not in the business of developing suppliers so that they can engage them in earnest. Although, they occasionally provide substantial assistance, the level of effort required to bring on a new Chinese supplier is well outside the bounds of what major automakers are willing to do. A firm with international automotive expertise, strong relationships, keen understanding of business development and marketing, to step in and assist the Chinese suppliers to effectively interface with Detroit for the benefit of both parties. This is the strategic value that Supplier Networks will bring to Sino-American automotive industry relations.

[RLK]

Having done that, GM and Ford will wonder why they are not able to sell new automobiles the the people here they put out of jobs.

[Jerr]

I agree! And the time to start is now, before it is too late!

Time for another industrial revolution in the United States --- Rebuild the United States, Made in the United States and Buy From the United States.

Time to get truely American companies back on their feet. There management, employees, and local governments need to work together to get this turned around. It will take a long time, but if we don't start now, it may never happen!!

[Jerr]

Far too much activity is being outsourced, off-shored or totally moved out of this country.

As the article states, it will take some strong medicine to fix the problem!

Time to bite the bullet and make it happen!

[XBob]

223- there was no surplus under xlinton, except a surplus of lies:

The Debt To the Penny
Current Amount

12/31/2003 $7,001,312,247,818.28


Current
Month

12/30/2003 $6,915,186,083,875.25
12/29/2003 $6,916,516,664,113.52
12/26/2003 $6,915,121,384,308.12
12/24/2003 $6,927,206,071,138.91
12/23/2003 $6,930,329,859,205.35
12/22/2003 $6,923,902,827,390.09
12/19/2003 $6,921,782,749,480.24
12/18/2003 $6,922,308,687,684.80
12/17/2003 $6,932,242,837,786.48
12/16/2003 $6,937,495,551,032.68
12/15/2003 $6,935,737,372,166.94
12/12/2003 $6,939,710,592,770.24
12/11/2003 $6,939,621,502,947.36
12/10/2003 $6,936,475,127,245.87
12/09/2003 $6,940,395,230,585.36
12/08/2003 $6,940,376,825,298.36
12/05/2003 $6,937,966,948,177.28
12/04/2003 $6,939,572,558,142.72
12/03/2003 $6,936,234,103,128.50
12/02/2003 $6,918,260,082,500.99
12/01/2003 $6,914,406,243,287.65


Prior
Months

12/31/2003 $7,001,312,247,818.28
11/28/2003 $6,925,065,499,881.34
10/31/2003 $6,872,675,839,106.67


Prior Fiscal
Years

09/30/2003 $6,783,231,062,743.62
09/30/2002 $6,228,235,965,597.16
09/28/2001 $5,807,463,412,200.06
09/29/2000 $5,674,178,209,886.86
09/30/1999 $5,656,270,901,615.43
09/30/1998 $5,526,193,008,897.62
09/30/1997 $5,413,146,011,397.34
09/30/1996 $5,224,810,939,135.73
09/29/1995 $4,973,982,900,709.39
09/30/1994 $4,692,749,910,013.32
09/30/1993 $4,411,488,883,139.38
09/30/1992 $4,064,620,655,521.66
09/30/1991 $3,665,303,351,697.03
09/28/1990 $3,233,313,451,777.25
09/29/1989 $2,857,430,960,187.32
09/30/1988 $2,602,337,712,041.16
09/30/1987 $2,350,276,890,953.00

SOURCE: BUREAU OF THE PUBLIC DEBT

Looking for more historical information? Visit the Debt
Historical Information archives.


Updated January 2, 2004

[XBob]

226 - "We now buy all of the rare earth magnets for our cruise missiles from plants in Russia."

how about elaborating, rare earth magnets are normally not so rare.

[nmh]

I don't need a "Constitutional solution" to this. Good grief!

Simply get another job! Change professions. It's what others have done. More importantly why do you see yourself above that? Elitist laziness is not becoming to even you.

[XBob]

233 - this deserves repeating:

Millions of Americans are paying the cost of changes brought on by "globalization," etc. For two years the Limbaughs and Tom Sullivans pushed the lie of the classic recovery and blamed the unemployed for unemployment.

Dem rats blast the President -- hoping and hoping the situation gets worse, both for the American workers and the American soldiers in the war to defend against radical Islam.

The Republicans say, "Jobs is jobs. Go sweep floors, Mr. Big Shot engineer. Your're making us look bad."

I loathe both parties. Time for a new party.

[XBob]

228- excellent post

[XBob]

238 - "We made stainless, bronze and brass castings and had modernized with some vacuum molding tech etc"

I remember, the castings business went first to Japan and Spain, then to Korea, and I think most lately it has gone to Thailand and China, successively cheaper countries. I watched helplessly as my suppliers closed their doors, one after another. I doubt seriously that any of them are left now, which I used in the 80's.

[XBob]

240-"The liberals want to teach arts and crafts and regulate chewing gum."

good one - too true!

[XBob]

247 - "This clown wouldn't know a steel pland or a machining plant from eggplant"

very good - LOL

[XBob]

249 - And focus particularly on this item - a 3000% increase in chinese autoparts imports in just 6 years:

"With over 2000 automotive suppliers in China, there are numerous opportunities to focus on this important business trend. China is becoming an increasingly large auto parts export base. The US Commerce Department reports a total of $2.2 billion of Chinese auto parts and components were imported into the US in 2002, which is almost three times the volume of imported components in 1997. The PAC Group estimates that exports of automotive components from China will grow to $70 billion by 2008."