How to Create a More Vital Manufacturing Sector

With apologies to Scott Paul at the Alliance for American Manufacturing, I've tweaked his Manufacturing Day policy recommendations just a bit.  I echo Scott's frustration with politicians and candidates who "treat factory workers and their hardhats as political props but fail to deliver on public policies that would help more Americans get these good jobs".  This is bound to occur again this election cycle.  What we need is action on the following key points:

• Infrastructure funding would drive job creation and help spur demand in the economy, one key thing that has been missing from our recovery.  We should also assess the kind of infrastructure we will need to be competitive over the next 50 years.  It won't be your father's infrastructure.
• Support "buy American" policies so our infrastructure investments, including in Clean Energy manufacturing, create a level playing field so that US based producers can compete against other countries' producers who gain advantage due to their government's policies.
• Take the currency manipulators to the mat.  This includes China, Japan, Vietnam and others.  Foreign governments meddle with their currencies to gain export advantage into the US market. We shouldn't stand for this.

There are several other issues that also need attention, which Scott highlights, and with which I agree: build out a national network of manufacturing innovation institutes (Obama has 8 underway), invest in workforce education and training, and put US based manufacturing at the center of tax reform so we recognize the role it plays in creating jobs, driving domestic investment, and creating wealth in the US. Happy Manufacturing Day!

(Pictured above, students, faculty and colleagues tour Cleveland's Voss Industries/Aerospace on Manufacturing Day, 2014).