
| December 30, 2008
Manufacturing and the Economy
Irvine, CA- -- Since 2002 this web site has been trying to tell people
that our economy was in trouble.
There are two main ways to generate
wealth: Land - By growing food, cotton, wood, and other natural products
we can generate wealth. We can also sell minerals and other natural resources
like water/wind power. When we produce our own energy we are using land to produce
wealth. Manufacturing - By taking raw materials, adding labor, and producing
a product for sale. With manufacturing you get a multiplier of at least five times
the production cost. In other words you produce something for five dollars and
the final retail price is twenty-five dollars. The price grows as the product
moves through the economy. First the manufacturer gets paid by the wholesaler
or distributor and then the distributor sells into the retail market. Finally
the retailer sells to the consumer. A strong economy has a large manufacturing
component that creates a support infrastructure such as raw material suppliers,
service industries, utilities and other support Since the 90's we have been
giving our manufacturing over to foreign countries. At the same time we have given
over our energy production to them also. The combination of these two factors
has lead to a serious weakening of our economy. Unless we get our manufacturing
back and produce our own energy we will become dependent upon other countries.
They will increase prices and use the money to buy more of our industries and
land. When I talk about this many people say that we cannot compete with
foreign manufacturers. This is true only if we do not believe in our creative
skills and resourcefulness. I believe that by the use of robots and factory automation
we can have clean, efficient, productive manufacturing facilities that will create
good jobs and build our infrastructure. As an electrical engineer and businessman
with over 35 years of experience. I can tell you that we have the most creative
people in the world right here in the United States of America. We just need to
set some goals, get motivated, and we can achieve anything. We encourage
you to seek out "Made in USA" products and buy them. If you cannot find
products made in the USA send me an email and I will help you find them. Also
support Pickens Plan with your representatives and friends. .November
12, 2008
US
Ecomomy Falters Due to Three Factors
Shabnam V. The current economic
problems in the United States stem largely from three things: the excessive spending
habits of Americans, the government keeping interest rates too low for too
long, and our excessive trade imbalance. Over the last three years
Americans have been saving -2%. This means they have been borrowing to maintain
their standard of living. The housing market was inflated by the low
interest rates and rampant greed by mortgage companies and the banking system.
The government and the people have allowed foreign countries to dump products
into the American marketplace and destroy the U.S. manufacturing base. This caused
loss of jobs for the middle class Americans and has weakened the economy.
How can this economic collapse be a good thing? The economic collapse is
a good thing because it teaches the people and government officials that they
cannot ignore the basic principles of a good economy. A good economy is based
upon a strong manufacturing sector and conservatism in spending by the populace
and the government. Consumers need to save from 5% to 15% of their income to protect
themselves against fluctuations in the economy and to provide capital for economic
growth. What lesion might we learn form the collapse? Excessive debt
is bad for the economy. Buying products from other countries, even if they are
lower cost, does not build our economy unless there is an equal offsetting sale
of American manufactured goods to foreign countries. We should look to
the words of Benjamin Franklin “I will not look for get rich schemes to
make money”. He also encouraged frugality by elected representatives in
handling the finances of the US government. One young person said that
they will do things different than their parents. They are planning on paying
cash for the things they purchase and limit their borrowing as much as possible.
They will also save more money and purchase products made in the United States.
September 4, 2008
Manufacturing employment fell by 35,000 in July
Northeast Midwest Institute - -- Manufacturing
employment fell by 35,000 in July bringing losses over the past 12 months to 383,000.
Job losses were widespread with notable declines in transportation equipment (-8,000),
wood products (-4,000), and textile mills (-3,000). Machinery added 6,000 jobs
over the month.
Full Story
June 18, 2008
Almost 65,000 U.S. Manufacturing Jobs Anticipated in Second Half of 2008, an Industrial
Info News Alert SUGAR LAND, TX, Jun 18 (MARKET WIRE) -- However
the economic situation of the average American is getting desperate, and the continued
loss of jobs, even with the rate declining, is not helping matters.
Full Story
The U.S. Is Still Losing the Competitive Advantage New AeA Report
Calls for Immediate Action to Maintain American Competitiveness
Washington, DC (March 28, 2007) — Today AeA released its latest report,
We Are Still Losing the Competitive Advantage: Now Is the Time To Act. The report
serves as the natural sequel to the AeA report of two years ago: Losing the Competitive
Advantage? That report focused on how the United States is at risk of squandering
its preeminence in science, technology, and innovation as countries across the
globe became more competitive and as America neglected the factors that gave it
this lead. This new and expanded edition of that report reinforces the conclusion
that America is losing its competitive advantage and the time to confront those
issues is now.
www.aeanet.org
January 23, 2007
U.S. Manufacturing Hiring Seen Expanding In February (Yes, Expanding)
By Tom Granahan, Editor-In-Chief, Manufacturing.net Manufacturing.Net
The following is not a typo: There will be more hiring in manufacturing and
less in the services sector in February 2007 versus a year ago, according to the
latest numbers from the Leading Indicator of National Employment report. However,
despite an overall drop in job vacancies, firms continue to face difficulty in
finding highly qualified applicants to fill key positions.
http://www.manufacturing.net/article/CA6409279.html
November28, 2006
Surprise Fall in US Goods Orders A slump in demand for civilian
aircraft has helped trigger the sharpest fall in orders for big-ticket products
in the US for more than six years. "There are some signs emerging that
the manufacturing sector is softening," said David Sloan, senior economist
at 4Cast. BBC
September 1, 2006
The Gathering Storm
The United States takes deserved pride in the vitality of its economy, which
forms the foundation of our high quality of life, our national security, and our
hope that our children and grandchildren will inherit ever-greater opportunities.
That vitality is derived in large part from the productivity of well-trained people
and the steady stream of scientific and technical innovations they produce. Without
high-quality, knowledge-intensive jobs and the innovative enterprises that lead
to discovery and new technology, our economy will suffer and our people will
face a lower standard of living.
Executive Summary pdf format
July 25, 2006
Senator Lugar: Bush Administration Unprepared For Venezuela Oil Cutoff
By NATALIE
OBIKO PEARSON AP Business Writer © 2006 The Associated Press
CARACAS,
Venezuela — A U.S. senator says that the Bush administration has not prepared
adequately for a possible cutoff of oil sales from Venezuela that would cause
a spike in crude oil prices and hurt the U.S. economy. In a letter sent
last week to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Republican Sen. Richard
Lugar said the South American country's "direct supply lines and refining
capacity in the United States give Venezuela undue ability to impact U.S. security
and our economy."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4068491.html
July 25, 2006
Domestic Manufacturers Force The National Association of Manufacturers' Big Members
To Take A Stand On China; Multinationals Lose Vote And Are Accused Of Defending
Chinese 'Protectionism' The
simmering conflict within the National Association of Manufacturers between smaller
domestic manufacturers and large multinational companies with production throughout
the world and especially in China came to a head during a two-hour meeting of
representatives from the two groups on June 27. On that day, NAM's International
Economic Policy Committee (IEPC) held a vote on whether NAM should endorse legislation
that would allow U.S. companies to petition the U.S. government for relief under
trade laws due to foreign governments subsidizing their currencies. NAM president
Gov. John Engler tried to avert a showdown by offering a compromise, but the domestic
manufacturers were well organized and ready to vote. Ironically, it was the multinationals
who, perhaps overestimating their own strength, called for a vote and thereby
ended the possibility of a compromise, according to those in attendance.
Manufacturers with most of their production in the United States strongly support
the measure (HR 1498) sponsored by Reps. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) and Tim Ryan
(D-Ohio). Those with production in China -- mostly the big multinationals -- were
strongly opposed. The domestic manufacturers won, 75 to 46 with five abstentions.
(See accompanying story for final tally of votes for and against.) The majority
of companies voting against the measure were large multinational firms. The
vote "is a good wakeup call that this is still a problem and a wakeup call
for the administration and China that this is a still a problem that needs to
be addressed," said Pat Mears, NAM's director of international commercial
affairs..
http://www.manufacturingnews.com
The Death
of American Manufacturing By Robert
Morley February 22, 2006 Globalization
and outsourcing are hammering our icons of industry. For over a half century,
American manufacturing has dominated the globe. It turned the tide in World War
ii and hastened the defeat of Nazi Germany; it subsequently helped rebuild Europe
and Japan; it enabled the United States to outlast the Soviet empire in the Cold
War. At the same time, it met all the material needs of the American people.
http://www.thetrumpet.com
|
Innovation Economy Strong, But State Lags in High Tech Job Creation, MTC Index
Finds - December
13, 2005 Massachusetts' innovation indicators may be strong, but the conversion
of innovation into new high tech jobs is lagging and the state’s median
household income continues to dip, according to the latest Index of the Massachusetts
Innovation Economy.
http://www.ssti.org/Digest/2004/121304.htm#MTC
Wall Street Journal article reports that companies create their own shortages
- November 16, 2005
"Corporations often create the very shortages they decry by insisting on
applicants who meet every item on a detailed list of qualifications." Employers
are being inundated with resumes, but instead of putting greater numbers of unemployed
U.S. engineers back to work, as one might expect, the overwhelming response has
caused employers to narrow their search criteria, effectively weeding out engineers
who don't possess very specific skills.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05320/607304.stm
The US is Losing
Its Technology Edge - July 8, 2005
More than half a century of U.S. dominance in science and engineering maybe
slipping as America's share of graduates in these fields falls relative to Europe
and developing nations such as China and India, a study released on Friday says. The
study, written by Richard Freeman at the National Bureau of Economic Research
in Washington, warned that changes in the global science and engineering job market
may require a long period of adjustment for U.S. workers. Moves by international
companies to move jobs in information technology, high-tech manufacturing and
research and development to low-income developing countries were just "harbingers"
of that longer-term adjustment, Freeman said. Urgent action was needed to
ensure that slippage in science and engineering education and research, a bulwark
of the U.S. productivity boom and resurgence during the 1990s, did not undermine
America's global
economic leadership, he added. The United States has had a substantial lead
in science and technology since World War II. With just 5 percent of the world's
population, it employs almost a third of science and engineering researchers,
accounts for 40 percent of research and development spending and publishes 35
percent of science and engineering research papers. Many of the world's top
high-tech firms are American, and government spending on defense-related technology
ensures the U.S. military's
technological dominance on battlefields. But the roots of this lead may be eroding,
Freeman said. Numbers of science and engineering graduates from European
and Asian universities are soaring while new degrees in the United States
have stagnated--cutting its overall share. In 2000, the paper said, 17 percent
of university bachelor degrees in the U.S. were in science and engineering compared
with a world average of 27 percent and 52 percent in China. The picture among
doctorates--key to advanced scientific research--was more striking. In 2001, universities
in the European Union granted 40 percent more science and engineering doctorates
than the United States,
with that figure expected to reach nearly 100 percent by about 2010, the study
showed. The study said deteriorating opportunities and comparative wages
for young science and engineering graduates has discouraged U.S. students
from entering these fields, but not those born in other countries. These trends
are challenging the so-called North-South global economic divide, the paper said,
by undermining a perceived rich-country advantage in high technology. "Research
and technological activity and production are moving where the people are, even
when they are located in the low-wage South," Freeman wrote, citing a study
saying some 10-15 percent of all U.S. jobs
were "off-shorable". Story Copyright © 2005 Reuters Limited. All
rights reserved. Copyright ©1995-2005 CNET Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. April
12, 2005 Tech Job Cuts Hit Five Quarter High
Losses
in the tech sector account for more than one fifth of all jobs lost in 1Q '05.
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Job cuts in the tech sector hit
their highest quarterly total since 2003, global outplacement firm Challenger,
Gray & Christmas said Monday.
Heavy job cutting in the telecommunications and computer sectors pushed first-quarter
job cuts to 59,537, up 3.2 percent from the previous quarter and more than double
the number of cuts in the year-ago period, the Challenger report said. "The
biggest factor pushing tech job cuts to a five-quarter high was a surge in corporate
combinations in the telecom sector, which resulted in over 3,000 job cuts in February,"
said John Challenger, the company's chief executive. "In fact, 92 percent
of the first-quarter telecom job cuts resulted from mergers," he added.
Telecommunication firms led all tech-sector job losses in the period with 35,079
job cuts, more than double the pace of job cutting in the computer industry.
Losses in the tech sector account for 20.7 percent of all job cuts in the first
quarter, the report said, adding that tech-sector job cuts could rise in the near
term. March 1, 2005 New Report: One million California manufacturing
jobs "at risk" The Bay Area Economic Forum released a report
this morning explaining manufacturers' vulnerability and estimating the number
of "at risk" manufacturing jobs in our state. The report also makes
recommendations to both management and government as to how the "at risk"
jobs might be saved.
Download report |
Press release March 1, 2005 Without Timely Action, the U.S. Faces
a Decline in Competitiveness as Other Countries Catch Up Decline can be
avoided if the United States stops ignoring the factors that sparked the technological
breakthroughs of the last 60 years The AeA’s new report, Losing
the Competitive Advantage?: The Challenge for Science and Technology in the United
States, finds that America can no longer remain idle if we hope to continue our
lead in science and technology. We are neglecting the factors that sparked the
U.S. technology revolution. Ultimately, this threatens U.S. economic vitality
and our competitiveness in the global marketplace. A copy of the report can
be found at http://www.aeanet.org/competitiveness
January 9, 2005 Offshore Outsourcing: How Far Does It Go? After
some members of ASME raised concerns regarding the recent media coverage of the
offshore outsourcing of professional services, the Society's Board on Government
Relations conducted a confidential, random survey of 5,000 non-academic U.S.-based
members to gauge the impact on ASME's U.S. constituency. There were 260 responses—a
response rate of 5.2 percent, about the average for a survey.
by Patti Curtis, ASME Government Relations December
17, 2004 U.S. Slips in Attracting the World's Best Students American universities,
which for half a century have attracted the world's best and brightest students
with little effort, are suddenly facing intense competition as higher education
undergoes rapid globalization. The European Union, moving methodically to
compete with American universities, is streamlining the continent's higher education
system and offering American-style degree programs taught in English. Britain,
Australia and New Zealand are aggressively recruiting foreign students, as are
Asian centers like Taiwan and Hong Kong. And China, which has declared that transforming
100 universities into world-class research institutions is a national priority,
is persuading top Chinese scholars to return home from American universities.
New York Times December
15, 2004 A Plea for Support of Innovation America risks losing its leadership
of the global economy if government and industry fail to make changes that encourage
innovation, a panel of leading executives and university presidents say in a study
to be released today. A host of problems is eating away at the nation's economic
strength even as countries such as China and India work to lift their international
status, according to the Council on Competitiveness, a bipartisan group of some
400 top executives and leaders of universities. Washington
Post December
14, 2004 U.S. trade deficit swells to record $55.5 billion
The USA's trade deficit swelled to an all-time high $55.5 billion in October as
imports surged to the highest levels on record. Sky-high crude-oil prices also
contributed to the yawning trade gap. The latest snapshot of trade, reported by
the Commerce Department on Tuesday, showed the country's trade imbalance widening
a sizable 8.9% in October from the previous month — despite the fact that
U.S. exports also registered their best month on record. The growth in imports,
however, dwarfed the pace of exports in October, producing another bloated trade
gap. The deficit was much bigger than the $52.4 billion imbalance economists were
forecasting. AP in the USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/trade/2004-12-14-deficit-oct_x.htm December
7, 2004 It's Slipping Again
According to a new study from staffing firm Hudson Global Resources, confidence
among IT workers in the U.S. took a step backward in November. About 27% of employees
polled said they expected layoffs at their companies over the next few months.
That percentage was just under 19% in October and reached its lowest level since
June. With a Forrester analyst recently telling SearchCIO.com that CIOs
will be challenged next year to attract IT talent when the field seems to be less
desirable as a career choice, this Hudson study looks all the more worrisome.
Let's face it; IT has taken some dings over the last few years as a career path.
While many IT workers seem to be bailing out of the business, some CIOs insist
that IT is still a very attractive field with lots of promise for the right people.
-Ed Perry
[SearchCIO.com] December
6, 2004 Outsourcing study a welcome surprise in budget bill So
far, the government has simply lacked the data to determine offshore outsourcing's
impact on the U.S. work force, said Republican Rep. Frank Wolf of Virginia. Wolf
initiated the measure to grant $2 million to the independent, nonpartisan National
Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) for the study.
Lou Dobbs CNN.com December
4, 2004 A recent survey of programmers
resulted in some disappointing statistics. When asked what they would do if their
job was outsourced the participants responded: A: Circulate
my resume, call everyone I know and hope to find a similar job. 22% B: Hit
the books and beef up my credentials. 18% C: Become an independent consultant.
16% D: Change career altogether. E: Retire early.6% F: Unknown
15% Source SearchVB.com September
8, 2004 Because of recent inquiries
we have developed a Standardized Proclamation that can be used by local and state
governments to promote the Buy USA First Initiative. To download the proclamation
please click here. June
22, 2004 Thanks to our supporters
Buy USA First.org is in transition. We are reworking the website to expand the
services and products available. May
31, 2004 What is happening to
the U.S. job market? A series of articles that attempt to chronicle the economic
impact of offshore outsourcing and other hiring trends on the U.S. economy
and its workers. When you read this remember that McKenzie does consulting for
overseas clients. Stanford
Graduate School of Business May
18, 2004
Attendees get down to business at Outsourcing Summit
[SearchCIO.com] Gartner
says outsourcing has hit the mainstream for companies of all sizes, but evidently
the controversial aspects are still alive and well. Some companies are eager to
learn more but aren't all that enthused about discussing their plans.
MORE INFO:
See
why one company discovered outsourcing was the wrong move May
15, 2004 CARY, N.C. - A five-by-nine foot box that resembles a small recording
studio may symbolize the future of the troubled American textile industry. The
machine offers hope for an industry that has been devastated by free trade and
lower overseas labor costs.
Yahoo News May 13,
2004 Shifting blame for manufacturing job loss The effect of rising trade
deficit shouldn't be ignored. Many economic observers have recently exonerated
international trade flows for the hemorrhaging job losses in the manufacturing
sector of the United States, generally claiming that either changing demand patterns
or rapid productivity growth are the cause of manufacturing's decline. But the
evidence shows that trade imbalances in manufacturing have accounted for 59% of
the decline in manufacturing employment since 1998. By
Josh Bivens, Economic Policy Institute May
7, 2004 Non-farm payroll employment increased by 288,000 in April, and
the unemployment rate was about unchanged at 5.6 percent, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The April increase
in payroll employment follows a gain of 337,000 in March, and job growth again
was widespread. In April, employment rose substantially in several service-providing
industries, construction continued to add jobs, and there was a noteworthy job
gain in durable goods manufacturing. Both the unemployment rate, 5.6 percent,
and the number of unemployed persons, 8.2 million, were essentially unchanged
in April. The unemployment rate has been either 5.6 or 5.7 percent since last
December. Employment
Situation Report from the Department of Labor May
5, 2004 Detroit automakers
— facing more competition from Asia and Europe, rising health care and pension
expenses and shrinking U.S. market share — have eliminated nearly 20,000
contract workers in recent years to cut costs and boost profits. The
companies are drastically reducing temporary white-collar staffs by shifting duties
to full-time employees, declining to renew contracts with agencies that supply
contract employees, eliminating the work or sending it to foreign countries where
labor rates are cheaper. Steady productivity gains also are allowing
General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler AG’s Chrysler Group
to operate with fewer contract workers — a major blow to a sector of the
Michigan economy and work force that enjoyed healthy growth in the 1990s.
GM cut its North American contract work force from 16,000 in 2000 to 7,526
in 2003. Chrysler has trimmed 1,200 contract workers over the past several years.
At Ford Motor Co., 1,700 contract workers were terminated in 2003.
The Detroit News May
3, 2004
U.S. Is Losing
Its Dominance in the Sciences
By WILLIAM J. BROAD (NYT) News for SCIENCE
April 24, 2004
"The good news is that the economy has finally begun to generate more jobs,"
said Stephen Herzenberg, an economist and executive director of the Keystone Research
Center. "Now the question becomes how good are those jobs? On that score,
the loss of manufacturing jobs does not bode well."
KFVE Honolulu, HI April
22, 2004 How Michigan can create manufacturing jobs The
keys: tax system reform and continued support of free trade. By Charles Ballard
of the
The Detroit News April
22, 2004 MARKUP OF H.R. 3866, H.R. 2771, AND H.RES. 516 Congressman
John D. Dingell proposes "We need to tackle the problem of "outsourcing";
we need to expand programs in the Department of Commerce such as the Manufacturing
Extension Partnership and the Advanced Technology Program; and we need to address
the significant negative impact that increasing healthcare costs have on manufacturing.
I hope the Committee will take an active interest in these matters. Otherwise,
the words contained in this resolution would be a meaningless expression of support"
John D.
Dingell April 16,
2004 Offshore outsourcing isn't killing the U.S. economy, it's helping.
That's the conclusion in a nutshell of a new study. But given the fact that this
is one of the most contentious issues of our time, the report has its critics.
Report:
Offshore outsourcing helps U.S. job market
[SearchCIO.com]
April
15, 2004 Round Rock, Texas-based
Dell employs more people abroad than it does in the U.S., it disclosed in a regulatory
filing this week.
Yahoo News April 5, 2004 Ron Hira, chair of the career
and workforce policy committee for IEEE-USA, the Washington policy and
lobbying unit of New York-based Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Inc., fields questions about outsourcing and its effect on tech companies
and workers in the United States.
The Washington Post April
4, 2004 Scientist predicts U.S. will have more serious economic
problems. See Information>Editorial April
3, 2004 Buy USA First.org begins
project system to gain insight into the manufacturing and service job problem.
For details see Organizational>Projects April
1, 2004 - No Joke - Economist calls unemployment rate 'misleading'.
Topeka Business Journal March
20, 2004 - Manufacturing companies make the future for the United States
National Association of Manufacturers How to use this
site:1. Read our Mission Statement below. 2. Read the negative news.
3. Read the positive news. 4. Read the Editorials. 5. Follow the links
in the Information Sources section. 6. Write to your congress person and tell
them what you think. 7. Buy products and services produced in the U.S.A.
8. Send us any new information you find and we will post it. 9. Help support
this effort by making a donation in the Support US section. If we had just a little
funding we could do a lot more! Mission StatementBuy
USA First is dedicated to helping United States based manufacturing and service
industries through research, education, advocacy, and service.
We support the following concepts: We
encourage USA residents and companies to first consider purchasing USA manufactured
goods or services before considering goods or services produced outside the United
States of America. We
fully support legal immigration to the USA, participation of foreign companies
in the U.S. economy, and profitable fair trade with other countries. We
encourage the expansion of United States based manufacturing and service industries.
Purchasing USA produced goods and services promotes the growth of jobs in the
United States. It helps to keep the economic base of the United States of America
strong and ready to benefit future generations.
Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety,
deserve neither liberty nor safety. --Benjamin Franklin Copyright
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Intelligence Corporation Last Updated 11/12/2008 |