Positive Labor News.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ("BLS") (www.bls.gov) tracks labor engaged in manufacturing activities and the data indicates that more manufacturing is returning. In Katelynn Harris' online BLS article "Forty Years of Falling Manufacturing Employment" there are nuggets to feel positive about. (Yep, best to look past the title of the article!)
While Ms Harris is correct about the 40 year view, the charts also show a steady increase in labor engaged in Durable and Non-Durable Goods manufacturing.
Heading Out of the Pandemic and into US Inflation Rates Not Seen for 40 Years
In 2022 we have major external forces pulling and pushing on America. Some of those external forces are actively working with internal bad actors to tear down American values and the American way of life.
Some of the worst of the internal bad actors work harder for overseas factories while pretending to be patriots. They do so only after standing on the backs of US businesses and stealing American innovations, intellectual property and ultimately impacting our crucial manufacturing jobs. They then hide behind the skirts of institutions or retail behemoths so large that they are quite literally too big to sue.
These are deeply thoughtful times for every US manufacturer facing 20%+ rises in input costs in 2022 alone. News headlines and economic facts from Washington, DC force us all to acknowledge that we are all in an age of good vs evil when it comes to business model execution.
Enter Peter Zeihen and his amazing new book, "The End of the World is Just the Beginning".
As anyone who has met me knows, I am passionate about the United States of America as well as the importance of training a new generation of people to love and have an income and dignity from manufacturing. I am passionate about geopolitics and the impact on jobs of capital flight, intellectual property protection, the role of institutions and what President Ronald Reagan described in my youth as the America that offered "the shining light on the hill".
I have interviewed literally thousands of people and what seems clear is that not only we are divided like never before, but that so many under 40's lack hope. More than a few believe that American manufacturing is somehow in terminal and unavoidable decline. Many think that America must follow Europe into socialism on a massive scale breaking from every value that American's should hold close of self-determination, self-reliance and self-sacrifice.
I am a huge fan of Peter Zeihen's previous books (The Absent Superpower: The Shale Revolution and a World Without America, Disunited Nations: The Scramble for Power in an Ungoverned World) and this new book is a must read for every American this 4th July.
Peter makes the case that we are through the 'golden years' of globalization. It tells the truth about why the world is moving from 'more, more and more' to a period in which nations are facing demographic realities that will upend every economy and every region in the world. He lays out with facts why you should be thankful you live in the greatest country blessed with awesome geography, stunning climate and natural resources in abundance.
I believe in the future of America. It is why I started 67 Designs and I am fighting hard for every opportunity to create US semi-skilled and skilled employment opportunities. I believe in the importance of those with capital to invest in America and in our communities by increasing re-shoring manufacturing of consumer goods. Sure, we have a very rocky and rough road against external and internal enemies that will work to undermine those of us that deploy capital in the US. However, the reality is that our nation needs to employ a new generation or factory workers in our growing population - or there will be mass civil unrest on a scale that will make the riots in the summer of 2020 look like a walk in the park.
It's all in Peter's book and I hope you will continue to join me and the entire team at 67 Designs in supporting your fellow Americans by taking every opportunity to avoid ever buying counterfeit goods on places like Amazon and instead buy from the original designers and manufacturers.
Thank you for taking the time to read this message.