A Plan to Save American Manufacturing

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

[XBob]

good info - lots more in it:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1051883/posts

Exporting Geneva Steel
The Salt Lake Tribune ^ | Monday, January 5, 2004


Posted on 01/05/2004 11:04:12 AM CST by Willie Green


For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.


The deal is not final, but a Chinese firm has offered to buy the bulk of bankrupt Geneva Steel's production equipment and ship it from Utah County to China. If the sale occurs, it will mark the demise of what was once a mighty Utah employer. It also will stand as a microcosm of what is happening to U.S. manufacturing generally.


That the guts of Geneva's mill could go to Qingdao Iron & Steel may be the most potent symbol in Utah of China's rise as an industrial power

[Stultis]

The Dick Gephardt wing of the Republican Party (except more panicky and shrill) speaks up again.

[Stultis]

the decline of American manufacturing is fast nearing the point of irreversibility – at least from the standpoint of restoring a critical mass of industries producing in the United States to world leadership

Yeah, since the manufacturing sector is growing, it can only be asserted to be in "decline" from some (vaguely defined) "standpoint". What a load.

[NRA2BFree]

You might like to see this.

.

[superloser]

My apologies! Yes, I have never seen a currency collapse up close and personal. I'm still a little young to have run into that one.

$4 gas should be where people start screaming loudly, though, but as the dollar falls - who knows where it will land? My guess is 65 on the Dollar Index, but that's just a guess.

[superloser]

Fortunately, my job has not nor will be offshored. I've also got a backup plan if my company goes belly-up or is bought out. Not everyone is so fortunate.

BUT, I know far too many people who have seen themselves go this route. As a result, they are getting involved with groups like WashTech and are looking to unionize technology workers. See http://www.washtech.org for details.

I've got many concerns with offshoring; I am mostly concerned about lower wages leading to more demands for Government Benefits right now. Secondarily, if we aren't producing anything we can export, we can't do anything about the trade deficit and so the currency goes *boom* eventually.

[XBob]

423-"Yeah, since the manufacturing sector is growing, it can only be asserted to be in "decline" from some (vaguely defined) "standpoint". What a load."

You really ought to read through the whole thread, as you don't seem to know very much.

[XBob]

426 - I'm predicting US/global melt down around 2010, as your fears become reality.

[superloser]

I'm predicting US/global melt down around 2010, as your fears become reality.

Personally, I think society is going to melt down before then. We are an angry nation presently with a lot of hate, fear, and discontent. Economic issues come to only a part of the puzzle.

[ninenot]

You are suggesting a government controlled economy

I think this is a stretch of the position.

The suggestion is that the Feds determine an appropriate tariff which offsets inequities deliberately created by other States in world trade.

Whether these inequities are 'labor arbitrage,' restricted markets, or tax/reg favoritism is irrelevant.

There's no call here for the Gummint to 'control the economy;' the call is for the Gummint to redress wrongs.

That's simple justice, not "economic control."

[Stultis]

423-"Yeah, since the manufacturing sector is growing, it can only be asserted to be in "decline" from some (vaguely defined) "standpoint". What a load."

You really ought to read through the whole thread, as you don't seem to know very much.

Again, you can doubtless find some "standpoint" from which manufacturing is "declining," but in absolute numbers the sector is expanding. Has been for the last six months straight. The Institute for Supply Management just last Friday reported a Manufacturing Index of 66.2 (anything over 50 indicates expansion) which is a 20 year high. The manufacturing employment index is much lower, but it rose above 50 in November.

[Euro-American Scum]

You might like to see this.

Actually, I've seen it. And the trend is irreversible. It won't end until America manufactures nothing, supports nothing, and all the heavy lifting is done offshore.

And I'm sure those Indian, Chinese and Russian techo-geeks will be more than happy to supply us with JDAM smart bomb guidance systems if we get into a shooting war with any one of them.

God knows we don't make them here anymore.

[Stultis]

Personally, I think society is going to melt down before then. We are an angry nation presently with a lot of hate, fear, and discontent.

In life outside your compound (or are you writing from Bolivia?) a recent survey indicates that 95 percent of Americans describe themselves as "happy":

A Nation of Happy People ^
			Posted by RWR8189 On News/Activism ^ 01/05/2004 1:47:27 AM CST with 23 comments Gallup News Service ^ | January 5, 2004 | Lydia Saad PRINCETON, NJ -- Happiness. As in, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of." The nation's founders considered happiness to be one of the ultimate objectives of life, so when Gallup asks Americans how happy they are it's no trivial matter.Using the happiness standard, one would have to say the country is thriving. A Gallup Poll conducted Dec. 11-14 found a slight majority of Americans saying they are "very happy" and almost everyone saying they are at least "fairly happy." Only 4% admit to being unhappy.Generally speaking, how happy would you say you are -- very happy, fairly happy, or not too

[XBob]

429 - "Personally, I think society is going to melt down before then. We are an angry nation presently with a lot of hate, fear, and discontent. Economic issues come to only a part of the puzzle."

I sort of agree with you, except I have more faith in the American people than that. The economics will have to precipitate it.

[XBob]

431 - "The manufacturing employment index is much lower, but it rose above 50 in November."

A one month trend?

Since 1980 Washington manufacturing employment has increased by almost 10 percent while manufacturing employment in the U.S. has declined by over 13 percent.

Year Manufacturing Employment
2001 340,414
2000 353,703
1999 366,571
1998 380,508
1997 372,811
1996 346,424
1995 334,508
1994 339,626
1993 342,702
1992 348,252
1991 353,383
1990 371,902

[XBob]

431-"Again, you can doubtless find some "standpoint" from which manufacturing is "declining," but in absolute numbers the sector is expanding. "

LOL Well, I guess all those new Chinese, Indian, and Robot jobs are contributing to our 'absolute' manufacturing expansion. Please note:

December Manufacturing ISM Report On Business® PMI at 54.7%
New Orders, Production Growing
Supplier Deliveries Slowing
Employment, Inventories Decline

ISM's Backlog of Orders Index indicates that order backlogs declined for the sixth consecutive month. ISM's Supplier Deliveries Index reflects slower deliveries for the 12th consecutive month. Manufacturing employment continued to decline in December as the index remained below the breakeven point (an index of 50 percent) for the 27th consecutive month. ISM's Prices Index is above 50 percent as manufacturers experienced higher prices for the 10th consecutive month. New Export Orders grew in December after a one-month decline. December's Imports Index grew for the second consecutive month.

[XBob]

431 - I used to be a member of the Institute for Supply Management (old National Association of Purchasing Managers), and APICS (American Production and Inventory Control Society), and A CPM (Certified Purchasing Manager).

They do have many good things about what is going on in the economy.

Here is the report you are referring to, but it is a pdf file, and must be down loaded. It is really worth a look.

January 2004 (December Data)

[KingNo155]

ty for the info i'll look into it some more

[mathluv]

bookmark

[cp124]

Would you like fries with that rant?