Name:   Talullahhound - Subject:   Mixed message Date:   7/31/2017 11:53:09 AM

American apparel manufacture died when people decided they preferred cheap, foreign goods, as opporsed to quality, American made goods.  Let's face it, most of us don't keep our clothes a long time and don't expect them to last. 

Now, what shocked me was when the whole of the furniture industry moved off shore.  There are only a couple of them that are still making their furniture here, and it is high quality and pricey.  But most people would rather go to IKEA, Rooms to Go, or Ashley and buy foreign made at a cheaper price.  Again, people don't buy furniture to last anymore. 

I think Unions served a very important part of the manufacturing industry at a point in time.  Before them, workers only made a pittance and had no one to protect them from owners whims and mistreatment.  But somewhere, they took a wrong turn and it instead of working with manufacturers in the employees interest, they got ridiculous in their demands for higher salaries and more benefits.  And they would shut down an industry if the manufactuers refused to meet their demands.  Additionally robotics took over on the manufacturing lines and they didn't need as many people - instead of the grade school educated worker, they needed scientist sna engineers to run the computers and the robots. 

If we stopped demanding cheap, forgeign made goods, then perhaps manufacturing could gain a toehold again.  But until workers are willing to work for a reasonable wage and average benefits, manufacturing will not be back to the US.  And I have to say that I'm skeptical of anything that Trump can do, is goign to make a radical difference.