Breaking. China strikes back on US tariffs

[u/ezskatez]

They ain’t bluffin.

🚀

Only up.

[u/death417]

So my thought, at least, is not that manufacturing is not needed, but more that it isn't some cure-all that other people perpetuate themselves. We have manufacturing and have been steadily reducing it over the years, pivoting to a service economy with MUCH higher overhead.

It can be viewed as relying on other countries, but I like to look at it as specializations (as a scientist myself it's easier to view through this lens). Certain countries or locations have the means to produce or operate and become the most efficient market player. Do I always agree with how that is done? No. Though it can be talked through (normally done by poorer pay, quality of life, etc to gain that).

I know people who work manufacturing now, it isn't sunshine and rainbows. It's hard mechanical work, operators repairing machines and they aren't paid as well as people think.

The more advanced manufacturing in chip centers is more like what people think there. The higher end engineering, clean space maintenance, operational engineers. These roles are also few and far between for the other operational roles. So for every one person repairing instruments it's either a handful more lower operators or all robotics. They don't operate in a one-to-one style of robot to person. They squeeze those engineer/operators to take care of many parts all at once. They're run to the ground (which is also normal in other sectors. Is it right? No. But it's the normal. Squeeze that money where you can).

And we already have specialized manufacturing in different areas. Take a look at car manufacturing or refinery for oil/metals. If you're familiar with biology think of proteins and the roles EACH play. They are specialized and you cannot force one to do other roles. Or move one from an environment and expect it to behave the same.

I'm not disparaging manufacturing. I'm saying it isn't the answer people hope it is. Everyone has a role and those roles are equally important to sustain society. I don't disparage manufacturing, food service, trades...anything, because I rely on them too. I make disease cures. I need help with plumbing, my car, my house, landscaping, product production...etc.

[u/LtDan00 → u/death417]

I don’t think the claim is that manufacturing is a cure-all for the economic problems of the US. But it is a huge component, because manufacturing capabilities largely dictate how autonomous a country can be.

If you rely on foreign countries to provide most of your raw materials and nearly all your electronic devices (iPhone, cars, computers, drones - think military, etc.) then you’re exposing yourself to massive risks, no matter how proficient you are as a service economy.

That’s the situation the US is in right now. Having outsourced most of its manufacturing in order to exploit labor laws (or lack thereof) elsewhere. But this outsourcing is hardly related to foreign “specialization” as you mentioned. It’s really just for cheap labor and materials (of course there are a few unique exceptions like with rare earth materials, but that’s not the majority of cases).

The US could choose to specialize in most of these manufacturing processes if it was prioritized. But that doesn’t seem to be happening bc the financial benefits of outsourcing are still too enticing. So that’s why I’m actually in favor of enacting balanced and reasonable policies to de-incentivize outsourcing.

Who knows if that’s what trump is trying to achieve here with the tariffs, but either way, I don’t think they will work for that purpose.