How Can the US Recover Without Manufacturing Capacity?
Part of what made our recovery from the 1930's Depression possible was the fact that we had a fairly well developed manufacturing capacity which could be retooled to suit requirements.
I have been thinking along the lines of Mr. Ford for several months now and while I don't necessarily agree with his assessment of the President's ties to the banking industry, I do think he should reconsider his continued efforts to save failed businesses. Or maybe make the banks jump through the hoops us ordinary citizens have to in order to declare bankruptcy. Seems fair to me since the bankers were instrumental in passing the current bankruptcy codes into law.
In any event, this article from Black Agenda seems worthwhile as a thought piece.
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How Can U.S. Recover Without Manufacturing Capacity?
A Black Agenda Radio commentary by
Glen Ford
"You can't put people to work in American factories that don't exist."
The strength of the federal economic stimulus package is seriously diluted by the fact that many of the manufactured goods that will be purchased for the attempted recovery must be imported from outside the United States. America simply doesn't make lots of things, anymore. That means many billions of dollars that folks assumed would go towards fueling an American economic comeback, will instead provide work and paychecks to employees in other countries, that still have manufacturing bases. That's fine with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is dominated by large multinational corporations - the same guys that began stripping the United States of manufacturing jobs decades ago.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce was one of the main lobbyists opposed to provisions that would have mandated that stimulus money go to U.S. companies. The Chamber is a U.S. organization in name only, like its finance capital comrades, the guys that gave the world such a bad case of the dreaded "American Disease," much of the planet is praying that cash-rich China will eventually bail everybody out.
The United States' lack of a manufacturing capacity makes it even less likely that anything resembling a lasting recovery can emerge from President Obama's approach to the economic crisis. The infrastructure projects that are supposed to be central to the recovery scheme are only valued at $150 billion - which is not much of a jolt, especially when much of what will have to be bought is only available in other countries, made by foreign workers. Barack Obama has put a huge emphasis on building a green economy. However, according to the New York Times, most of the sources of solar panels and wind turbines are located in Europe and Asia. There can be no green economy without a mass transit makeover of the United States, but the U.S. hasn't made subway and light rail cars in many years. They'd have to be imported.
"Most of the sources of solar panels and wind turbines are located in Europe and Asia."
Every product that must be imported for the infrastructure project means a watering down of the stimulus impact of the dollars spent. You can't put people to work in American factories that don't exist.
A true national recovery effort would mean re-industrialization, on a grand scale and a green model, through massive direct federal creation of state-owned industries independent of the finance capitalists who murdered American manufacturing and then blew up their own businesses on Wall Street. But this is already nearly impossible, since President Obama is committed to saving the banking class through unlimited infusions of public money, and then allowing these reborn zombies to resume their roles as lords of development. The bankster parasites have neither the capacity nor the intention to build anything other than mountains of debt for the rest of us. Therefore, Obama's partnership with them spells doom for national recovery.
Like Billy Preston said, "Nothin' from nothin' leaves nothin'."
The U.S. cannot create the conditions for economic health without rebuilding a manufacturing capacity. And the remnants of Wall Street have nothing to contribute to an economic recovery, but an infinite capacity to steal.
For Black Agenda Radio, I'm Glen Ford. On the web, go to www.BlackAgendaReport.com.
I have been thinking along the lines of Mr. Ford for several months now and while I don't necessarily agree with his assessment of the President's ties to the banking industry, I do think he should reconsider his continued efforts to save failed businesses. Or maybe make the banks jump through the hoops us ordinary citizens have to in order to declare bankruptcy. Seems fair to me since the bankers were instrumental in passing the current bankruptcy codes into law.
In any event, this article from Black Agenda seems worthwhile as a thought piece.
=====================================
How Can U.S. Recover Without Manufacturing Capacity?
A Black Agenda Radio commentary by
Glen Ford
"You can't put people to work in American factories that don't exist."
The strength of the federal economic stimulus package is seriously diluted by the fact that many of the manufactured goods that will be purchased for the attempted recovery must be imported from outside the United States. America simply doesn't make lots of things, anymore. That means many billions of dollars that folks assumed would go towards fueling an American economic comeback, will instead provide work and paychecks to employees in other countries, that still have manufacturing bases. That's fine with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is dominated by large multinational corporations - the same guys that began stripping the United States of manufacturing jobs decades ago.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce was one of the main lobbyists opposed to provisions that would have mandated that stimulus money go to U.S. companies. The Chamber is a U.S. organization in name only, like its finance capital comrades, the guys that gave the world such a bad case of the dreaded "American Disease," much of the planet is praying that cash-rich China will eventually bail everybody out.
The United States' lack of a manufacturing capacity makes it even less likely that anything resembling a lasting recovery can emerge from President Obama's approach to the economic crisis. The infrastructure projects that are supposed to be central to the recovery scheme are only valued at $150 billion - which is not much of a jolt, especially when much of what will have to be bought is only available in other countries, made by foreign workers. Barack Obama has put a huge emphasis on building a green economy. However, according to the New York Times, most of the sources of solar panels and wind turbines are located in Europe and Asia. There can be no green economy without a mass transit makeover of the United States, but the U.S. hasn't made subway and light rail cars in many years. They'd have to be imported.
"Most of the sources of solar panels and wind turbines are located in Europe and Asia."
Every product that must be imported for the infrastructure project means a watering down of the stimulus impact of the dollars spent. You can't put people to work in American factories that don't exist.
A true national recovery effort would mean re-industrialization, on a grand scale and a green model, through massive direct federal creation of state-owned industries independent of the finance capitalists who murdered American manufacturing and then blew up their own businesses on Wall Street. But this is already nearly impossible, since President Obama is committed to saving the banking class through unlimited infusions of public money, and then allowing these reborn zombies to resume their roles as lords of development. The bankster parasites have neither the capacity nor the intention to build anything other than mountains of debt for the rest of us. Therefore, Obama's partnership with them spells doom for national recovery.
Like Billy Preston said, "Nothin' from nothin' leaves nothin'."
The U.S. cannot create the conditions for economic health without rebuilding a manufacturing capacity. And the remnants of Wall Street have nothing to contribute to an economic recovery, but an infinite capacity to steal.
For Black Agenda Radio, I'm Glen Ford. On the web, go to www.BlackAgendaReport.com.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ray Phillips on -
Luane, Mr. Ford is right. None of the efforts to head off this crisis, be it the TARP program enacted under Bush or the stimulus package enacted by Obama has done anything to correct the fundamental flaw in our economic system: the middle class (by far the majority of Americans) has spent itself out trying to keep up with inflation. As better paying jobs were eliminated and replaced by lower paying jobs in the small business sector, credit was made easier to obtain so that the spending needed to keep our economy going would still take place. In fact, we were told to go out and spend because the economy depended on us.
Now the chickens have come home to roost and the debt ridden middle class can't afford to spend to keep the economy going. Tax breaks aren't going to help because the savings most Americans will get wouldn't make a house payment or pay off a credit card. Tax breaks for corporations to allow them to hire more employees will not help, either, because no company is going to hire unless there are people out there spending money. Unblocking the credit stoppage will not help because the middle class cannot afford to take on more credit. The only thing that will help is opening up better paying jobs for American citizens, which means bringing manufacturing back into this country.
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Permalink Reply by cecil friend on -
Thank you ray.....totally correct and right to the point......and unfortunately bringing manufacturing of goods again in competiton with all these other countries will require the will and demand from us citizens that this is the priority and the way to wisely spend or should i say invest in alternative energy sources ........lets invest in the alternative energy sources, lets demand that the money spent thru govt appropations is correctly applied to these needs, the ripple effect of doing the correct method , will create plenty of jobs, more than enough to go around , the govt will get its payback from employment taxes, and the merry -go round can start again, .............MY QUESTION TO EVERYONE IS.......now that the govt is jawboning the fed....federal reserve to create all this fiat money......increased the balance sheet...and the treasury is printing money and increasing the federal debt, what type of time line is being considered , or what is this going to do in competion with the other money that is out there in savings or , in payroll wages, or earnings, so that when we do go to buy something are we going to need to compete with all this funny money that has just been created out of the kindness and goodness of our politicans hearts........because they know whats good for us....like the way they adjusted the rules for fannie and freddie to buy up sub prime loans, or hud to do the same, or to entice the investment banks to create securitized loans by doing away with THE GLASS STEGALL legislation...which has created the debacle we are in....all in the name of .....THEY know what is good for us and THEY are going to help the american people.......WAKE UP FOLKS...... We, the american people are being sold a flim flam game and they...our elected officals are running it.....until we demand term limits, and hold them accountable, we will get more of the same.....the 12 step program teaches .....ignorance is the act of doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result......folks, it just does not happen....accountability and correct results are the guidelines that need to be applied.....thanks for listening.........cecil......
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Permalink Reply by Dale Nelson on -
Excellent post. Ford is quite right, we must make things again to recover. The governor of Wisconsin has proposed using the closed GM plant in Janesville for rail car manufacturing. Good coverage of that here:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/2/27/183154/249/969/690601
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Permalink Reply by Dave Howard on -
It looks like its high time for The People to start Planning a Revolt 1776 all over again .If not We will just be another Third World Crapper . The people have just gotten sucked in by a Wall street government once more and its just Red party vs Blue party and nothing has changed . The Super rich get Trillions to stay rich and the poor get hand outs and steal from each other ,the ones in the middle are going to pay big time . This is the beginning of the end of what is left of this place and people have no real friends to be found ,no one cares ,Its all personal greed . This country is a new kind of hell on earth and stupid energy plans and give a way ideas will not help that . Real help would be not gouging any one for anything that would be a start and make real friend that you would risk your life for .Start Anti Government Anti Rich Guy Unions and Fight Like Hell . Other wise theirs going to be hell to pay Now is the time to start or die slow in fear . We need a peoples union web sight and fast !
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Permalink Reply by SJC on -
The U.S. has been losing manufacturing the last 30 years. Reagan said that would be balanced by increased business in the "service sector". That sector includes fast food and hotels where people make less money flipping burgers and tucking sheets. No one ever said those jobs would pay as well and no one ever asked.
We have met the enemy and it is us. Gullible people that listen to right wing politicians and leave their brains in neutral until their pockets are picked look like deer in the headlights....then it is too late.
I suggest everyone engage in what is going on every day. Be sure you are giving the big things careful thought and if it does not sound right, ask the right questions. It is your life and your future and no slogans will make it better. Those that speak the slogans will have plenty in their bank accounts and you can just go pound sand for being so naive.
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Permalink Reply by cecil friend on
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glenn ford.......thank you , you are 100% on target, and thank you for sharing your view in a informative and thoughtful manner.....we need you and more responsible persons like yourself to stand up and tell it like it is......thanks again....cecil.
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