The White House released a statement on Friday that President Trump is launching a Manufacturing Jobs Initiative as part of his job creation agenda.
“The President will be meeting with some of the world’s most successful and creative business leaders to share their experiences and gain their insights,” the statement said. “President Trump plans to continually seek information and perspectives from a diverse range of business leaders, including those listed below and others, on how best to promote job growth and get Americans back to work again.”
The strategy mirrors that of other modern industrialized nations such as Japan and Germany where industry and government leaders work closely to promote manufacturing.
President Trump’s approach is diametrically opposed to the progressive idea that manufacturing provides no future for American workers.
For decades, Democrats have pitched a manufacturing revival as the key to lifting millions more workers into the middle class. In recent months, though, some of the party’s leading economic thinkers have conceded that may not be true
The Clintons have always felt that manufacturing jobs were for people in China or Mexico and that Americans should all be employed in high-technology fields.
The Obama administration’s “Made in USA” push was largely a vote-getting ploy to keep unions and blue collar democrats behind the Democrats for the 2012 election.
President Obama campaigned on the idea of a manufacturing revival, not once, but twice. In his first campaign, he promised to get tough on trade with China (although we now have a record trade deficit with China). He then promised to create 1 million new manufacturing jobs in his second term (our #AAMeter shows he’s falling way short of that goal). And his campaign commercials and personal appearances featured scores of American flags, hardhats, factory backdrops, and the words “Made in America.”
But now that he’s not running for office anymore and pushing a massive Pacific trade deal, his support has waned significantly.
Donald Trump secured his victory in the manufacturing-heavy rust belt with the help of steel workers, pipe fitters, factory workers and the whole of blue-collar America. The President’s new job initiative looks as though he’s paying those hard-working folks back and keeping a campaign promise in one promising initiative.
Initial business leaders assisting with the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative include:
Andrew Liveris, The Dow Chemical Company
Bill Brown, Harris Corporation
Michael Dell, Dell Technologies
John Ferriola, Nucor Corporation
Jeff Fettig, Whirlpool Corporation
Mark Fields, Ford Motor Company
Ken Frazier, Merck & Co., Inc.
Alex Gorsky, Johnson & Johnson
Greg Hayes, United Technologies Corp.
Marilynn Hewson, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Jeff Immelt, General Electric
Jim Kamsickas, Dana Inc.
Klaus Kleinfeld, Arconic
Brian Krzanich, Intel Corporation
Rich Kyle, The Timken Company
Thea Lee, AFL-CIO
Mario Longhi, U.S. Steel
Denise Morrison, Campbell Soup Company
Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing
Elon Musk, Tesla
Doug Oberhelman, Caterpillar
Scott Paul, Alliance for American Manufacturing
Kevin Plank, Under Armour
Mike Polk, Newell Brands
Mark Sutton, International Paper
Inge Thulin, 3M
Richard Tumka, AFL-CIO
Wendell Weeks, Corning
“Idle hands are the devil’s workshop”…..More work, less idle hands…just might close down some of those workshops…here’s hoping with candles lit.
When we think of manufacturing jobs we tend to think only of the guys and gals with sleeves rolled up and sweating on the line, but let’s not forget that it also means pattern makers, engineers, suppliers, and such….and vendors of all stripes…..a win win…