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We can profitably make $50 plastic shoes. The heater was manufactured here.
Who knows? If the heater was assembled, it can read made in America.
It depends on greatly minimizing US labor content. I worked for a US corp who insourced by eliminating most of the labor requirements, and we did it because once the labor was minimized, we made more money making it here. That is how sourcing decisions are made.
I think the real question is, how many Americans really want to make things for a living anymore? It's much easier to simply tell other people to work hard and do repetitive BS all day.
Americans do not want these jobs. They want more retail and fast food jobs, and they damn well better pay $15/hr, or else!
That's important point Bob, the coal stove manufacturer I just mentioned tries to source material made in the US. However that's impossible for some things or could create a lot of additional expense. While there is lot of work that goes into building a coal stove that creates the high value the raw materials like the steel may be coming from China.
I think the real question is, how many Americans really want to make things for a living anymore? It's much easier to simply tell other people to work hard and do repetitive BS all day.
Americans do not want these jobs. They want more retail and fast food jobs, and they damn well better pay $15/hr, or else!
It's much easier to just work for $9 an hour at Walmart, and collect various welfare programs. The taxpayer subsidies millions of low paid workers via the corporate welfare scheme.
Honestly I can't see how we could compete against China. We're talking about a country that literally dumps toxic materials into the environment with little to no environmental regulation. The workers are basically slaves with little to no rights.
Most analysts predict prices of goods would skyrocket. For example Apple's marquee iPhone 6S is approximately $650 -- would you be willing to pay for the phone if it was $1,300? Or more? $1,300-yes, $2000 or more not so sure.
It's going to be very hard to compete with the Chinese. They have the infrastructure to manufacture almost anything and we have lost most of ours. It will almost be a ground zero for most companies.
I remember reading in Motor Trend years ago, a guest article by Jay Leno about how machining has all been shipped over to China. Not just the jobs but the machines themselves. We literally do not have the high tech-high tolerance machining tools needed to make many products.
What I would like to see happen is that there be an amendment to our constitution that any products manufactured for use in America, no matter where they are manufactured have to prove that the workers are receiving a living wage and benefits. That alone I think would bring SOME jobs back.
What we have to do is stop American Corporations from taking advantage of poor people in the 3rd world to line their own pockets. I personally do not want to wear a pair of Nikes made by some poor soul who lives in a cardboard box in South America.
This is a small company that employs perhaps 10 people. He's stand up guy but actually has this option because there is no foreign competitors in his market. If one of his competitors takes this deal then what?
Labor costs are not a huge variable. To ship a coal heater here from China would offset that part. Do we have a ton of regulations that play a bigger role? We do. We do need to address that and factually China is starting to have to deal with this themselves.
It's one variable of many. Bottom line is that manufacturer could of closed up his US shop and ran his business from a lazy boy, they would have shipped direct to his dealers. He wouldn't even have to handle the product.
In this case they can stay competitive because it's a niche market, all his competitors are operating under the same economic conditions at this point.
It's going to be very hard to compete with the Chinese. They have the infrastructure to manufacture almost anything and we have lost most of ours. It will almost be a ground zero for most companies.
I remember reading in Motor Trend years ago, a guest article by Jay Leno about how machining has all been shipped over to China. Not just the jobs but the machines themselves. We literally do not have the high tech-high tolerance machining tools needed to make many products.
What I would like to see happen is that there be an amendment to our constitution that any products manufactured for use in America, no matter where they are manufactured have to prove that the workers are receiving a living wage and benefits. That alone I think would bring SOME jobs back.
What we have to do is stop American Corporations from taking advantage of poor people in the 3rd world to line their own pockets. I personally do not want to wear a pair of Nikes made by some poor soul who lives in a cardboard box in South America.
Countries like Germany and Japan are known for making high quality, high production machines capable of holding tight tolerances. You need these machines to compete, but they cost far too much for the average broke machine shop to ever afford. Of course, you also have to hire well trained and qualified people who will properly program, operate and maintain the equipment. Nothing is cheap about making large quantities of stuff. You can try to be cheap about it, but it usually ends up costing more in the long run that way.
America, and it's system, cannot compete unless business owners are willing and able to invest in new equipment. Even if they could afford the machinery though, why invest many millions of dollars to compete against a country and system that allows the use of slave labor? Manufacturing simply is not a good sector to invest in under these circumstances and trade arrangements.
Quote:
Originally Posted by s1alker
It's much easier to just work for $9 an hour at Walmart, and collect various welfare programs. The taxpayer subsidies millions of low paid workers via the corporate welfare scheme.
Honestly I can't see how we could compete against China. We're talking about a country that literally dumps toxic materials into the environment with little to no environmental regulation. The workers are basically slaves with little to no rights.
Right now, the USD is the world's favorite currency, and we can print money like there is no tomorrow. This can't go on forever. The correction will come, and it won't be pretty.
Robotics and 3D Printing are going to put most of the 3rd world sweatshops out of business within 20 years.
What Trump should be worried about is keeping the money and banking in this country.
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