"Ed Huntress" wrote:


I can't tell if you're being serious or just garnishing a gripe g, but, in
case you *are* serious, US manufacturing actually hasn't done badly. Except
for the blip caused by the rise in finance, its share of GDP hasn't declined
much. Our total manufacturing output continues to grow:

http://www.aier.org/research/comment...-manufacturing

What's declined sharply is manufacturing employment -- a product of
continually improving productivity. And consumer product manufacturing has
been moving to low-wage countries for decades. More of our output has
switched to industrial products. (You can get details on government
websites.) Something like Vise-Grips, which are based on 80-year-old
manufacturing technology, are a natural for low-wage countries to
manufacture.

And damn hard to automate to the point we are price competitive.

I've never seen people fired due to automation in any plant I worked at but what has been
lost is slots in hiring. We bring in automation, typical attrition for various reasons
lowers the head count and we end up making more product with fewer people.

The US is getting less and less job friendly to people w/o skills. Just being a hard
worker gets you a long time as a temp, then a shot at being factory floor labor if it
works out and you don't **** someone off.

A good education is required to navigate the current job situation. Weak minds and a
strong back get you no where. Especially when poor border control undermines those with a
good work ethic, strong back, and willingness to do the dirty jobs. Not every child is a
College candidate.

Wes




Here's something that seems to surprise everyone: US manufacturing output
lies between 2.2 and 2.5 times that of China.