Manufacturing McDonald's? (The Manufacturing Job Issue Solved - My Title)

Newsday ^ | 02.21.04 | James Toedtman, Chief Economic Correspondent

[Beck_isright]

Washington -- White House economists wonder whether hamburger flippers at fast-food restaurants should be considered manufacturers.

Not a chance, said Edson Pardo, manager of the McDonald's around the corner from the White House. "We don't flip hamburgers," he said. "We just heat them up."

[Joe Hadenuf]

Please, if this was something discussed in a Clinton or Gore White House it would be proof positive they were trying to cook the books because mfg jobs had taken a dive.

You bet, if the Clinton administration came up with this half baked, con game, this thread would go over 5000, mocking, and slamming the idiots......

[Beck_isright]

He was on Slimeball with Chris Matthews the other night with the "Reverand" Jesse Jackson and Jerry Brown. Pat has correctly pointed out that Edwards is the one candidate that W should worry about because of his stand on NAFTA, outsourcing and the inability of Bush's economic advisers to see things from the average Joe's point of view.

[Beck_isright]

"You bet, if the Clinton administration came up with this half baked, con game, this thread would go over 5000, mocking, and slamming the idiots......"

You are 100% correct.

[raloxk]

they need to fire Mankiw. He doesnt understadn the difference between hard ball politics and a bunch of egg heads sitting around discuss economic theory

[Beck_isright]

"they need to fire Mankiw. He doesnt understadn the difference between hard ball politics and a bunch of egg heads sitting around discuss economic theory"

Agreed. They have not one ounce of perspective from the Joe 6 pack point of view and it could cost them the election.

[raloxk]

there is no decline in manufacturing output. You are mistaken. THere is a decline in employment and guess what there has been a decline in manufacturing employment in the USA ever since 1978 and in other developed countries since the 1970s and 80s. Even China will see a peak in manufacturing employment within 10 years.

Ive said this before here: Manufacturing's future will be like the historical experience of Agriculture the past 75 years. Output will continue to increase, but employment will fall. In 1920, there were about 20m people in the USA working in agriculture. Today there are about 2m. Manufacturing employmetn peaked in the USA at about 20m in 1978, today it is about 15m, yet output has increased. In 20 years employment will be probably in the range of 5-8m, but the USA will produce more than it does today.

Manufacturing productivity has been growing at almost 10% annually, world demand for manufactured products has not kept up. Thus employment must fall.


We must invent new jobs and new technologies, not cling to old ones.

[Ronaldus Magnus]

there is no decline in manufacturing output. You are mistaken.

First, I made no claim relative to manufacturing output. My comment was limited specifically to perceptions about manufacturing, which is much more important to the upcoming election than any statistical measure. While manufacturing employment would be a much better proxy for this, a comparative analysis to other countries is irrelevant to domestic politics.

Manufacturing productivity has been growing at almost 10% annually

That is a remarkable assertion. Although it doesn't affect anything I have said here, do you have a reference for that? Most of the indices I have seen have shown an average increase of only 2%.

[raloxk]

the 2% number is for the overall economy. I will find manufacturing productivty numbers. I know that during the past 2 years, productivity has risen about 10% annually. Dont forget, government employees are included in overall productivity numbers. what do you think their prodictivity growth is?

[raloxk]

according to the BLS.gov, productivity in the US rose 6.4% in manufacturing in 2002. Employment fell 6.8%

[anonymous86]

Hmmm, Pat and Jesse Jackson on the same show. That must have been interesting. :)

John Edwards does seem to be focusing on his concern for the "average guy." Pat's against free trade too, so he and Edwards would agree on that. If Edwards gets elected, I know the economy will continue getting better, and the democrats will have another excuse to believe that they're "better for the economy." I think Pat's got a great combination of economic policies.