Sorry, but your argument might have been valid in the 70s, but in 2010s, the main reason manufacturing is what it is has little to do with Unions and everything to do with granting free trade status to third world countries and banana republics, with no expectation or requirement that they do anything to improve their laws, institutions or nation to garner that status.
Free Trade is the biggest scam ever pulled on the US Population, and far too many folks foolishly and willingly argue the continued export of our wealth to despots is a great idea.
The voluntary (not forced) cooperation of the free market economy is THE major source of wealth creation in the world as Adam Smith pointed out in his 1776 book, The Wealth of Nations. The basic laws of economic do not change with the times. The freedom to supply what consumers demand without government or forced union interference will ALWAYS be the source of wealth creation and economic growth in America and around the world. Both theory and historical fact bear this out.
Freedom works. It is amazing how many on this supposed conservative site don’t believe in freedom, the very core of American values, the very source of her wealth and power, and the reason she is the envy of the world.
Your tariffs punish the American consumer with artificially higher prices. How does that possibly help our economy?
Your protectionism is exactly what dulls the competitive edge needed in the free market to make the best quality for the lowest price. In a free market, the American consumer and the economy as a whole always wins. Your protectionism allows special interests and domestic business to become fat and lazy while the rest of the world is sharpened by competitive forces. Socialism and government interference in the economy is just plain stupid.
The voters in the economy are the consumer. They vote with their dollars. In the 70’s and 80’s they voted for Japanese cars instead of stupid American cars. Why? Because Japan was hungry and had the competitive edge making products that had maximum reliability and quality for a price consumers were willing to pay. U.S car manufacturers needed to roll up their sleeves and sharpen their competitive edge but they never did and one major reason was the unions. But again, the consumers and ultimately the economy ALWAYS win in a free market whether the source is American or foreign as in this example where we, the American consumer, got to buy top quality, reliable cars for a competitive price. The free market increased our quality of life.
Meanwhile, unions and/or costly, dead-end government taxes and regulations cause American businesses to lose because their competitive edge of maximum quality for the lowest cost is dulled like the stupid, fat, and lazy American car manufacturers did and lost. But, again, the consumer won. Certain special interests, like the domestic car manufacturers, lost but consumers and the economy as a whole benefited.