Manufacturing Nostalgia: Why Trump's Industrial Revival Is an Economic Illusion

 How do we explain Trump’s push to make America a manufacturing country again when we long planned to be a service economy—and automation is set to take most manufacturing jobs anyway?

Donald Trump Patron Saint of Economic Collapse

Trump’s push to "make America a manufacturing powerhouse again" is based on nostalgia for an era that no longer exists rather than economic reality. Here’s why:

1. The U.S. Shifted to a Service Economy for a Reason

   • Since the late 20th century, the U.S. intentionally transitioned to a service-based economy (finance, tech, healthcare, entertainment) because manufacturing labor is cheaper overseas and services generate more wealth in a developed nation.
   • Manufacturing jobs peaked in the 1970s and have steadily declined, not just because of outsourcing, but also because of automation and efficiency improvements.

2. Manufacturing Jobs Aren't Coming Back in Large Numbers

   • Even when Trump imposed tariffs to bring back U.S. manufacturing, companies didn’t massively rehire workers—instead, they invested in automation to keep costs low.
   • The industries that did return (like steel) saw only short-term gains, and many of those jobs disappeared again due to trade wars and global competition.

3. Robots and AI Are the Future of Manufacturing

   • Even if factories return, they won’t create millions of blue-collar jobs—they’ll use automation, AI, and robotics to cut labor costs.
   • Example: Modern car plants use a fraction of the workers they did decades ago, with robots doing much of the assembly work.

4. The Real Economic Future Is in Innovation, Not Nostalgia

   • The strongest job growth today is in AI, software development, healthcare, and renewable energy, not traditional factory work.
   • If the goal is long-term economic strength, focusing on education, R&D, and advanced technology makes more sense than trying to recreate a 1950s-style industrial economy.

Trump's "manufacturing revival" is mostly a political slogan that appeals to nostalgia but ignores economic reality. The real battle isn’t bringing back old factory jobs—it’s preparing for a future where automation and AI dominate.

Even if President Trump achieves favorable outcomes in his trade disputes, the broader consequences may include increased consumer prices, economic growth challenges, and strained international relations.

While intended to protect domestic industries, tariffs often lead to higher costs for imported goods, which can be passed on to consumers. This results in increased prices for everyday items, affecting household budgets.

PBS

Furthermore, trade tensions can disrupt global supply chains, leading to reduced efficiency and higher production costs for businesses. This economic uncertainty may dampen investment and slow overall economic growth.

Reuters

The imposition of tariffs has also led to retaliatory measures from trading partners, affecting U.S. exports and potentially resulting in job losses in export-dependent industries. Studies have estimated significant job losses due to these trade policies.

Brookings Institution

Even if specific trade disputes are resolved favorably, the broader implications of such protectionist policies may include economic challenges, higher consumer prices, and strained international relationships.

FYI, there have been multiple reports of attacks on Tesla dealerships and vehicles in recent months. These incidents appear to be part of a broader protest movement against Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, particularly in response to his political affiliations and actions within the Trump administration.

America should be moving toward a future-focused economy that prioritizes innovation, adaptability, and workforce development rather than clinging to outdated industrial models. Here’s the ideal direction:

1. Embrace Automation & AI—But Prepare the Workforce

• Instead of resisting automation, we should invest in AI and robotics while ensuring workers are trained for high-tech jobs in maintenance, programming, and oversight.
• Expand vocational training, apprenticeships, and STEM education to help workers transition from traditional manufacturing to advanced tech fields.

2. Strengthen the Service & Knowledge Economy

• The biggest drivers of economic growth are healthcare, software, AI, finance, biotech, and renewable energy—sectors that require skilled labor and continuous innovation.
• Investing in education, R&D, and digital infrastructure will keep America competitive.

3. Reshore Critical Industries, But Smartly

• Instead of forcing mass manufacturing back, focus on reshoring key industries (like semiconductors, green energy, and medical supplies) using automation and high-skilled labor to remain cost-effective.
• Partner with allies and trading partners to ensure supply chain security without unnecessary trade wars.

4. Prioritize Green Energy & Sustainability

• The future economy will be shaped by renewable energy, battery technology, and climate adaptation industries—not coal and oil.
• Investing in solar, wind, and electric vehicles creates sustainable, high-paying jobs and reduces dependence on foreign energy sources.

5. Support Small Businesses & Entrepreneurship

• Rather than just propping up mega-corporations, policies should make it easier for startups and small businesses to thrive through better access to funding, reduced red tape, and fairer tax policies.
• Encourage innovation by incentivizing research, patents, and new tech development.

6. Improve Infrastructure & Digital Connectivity

• A modern economy needs modern infrastructure—high-speed internet, updated transportation systems, and smart cities.
• Expanding broadband to rural areas ensures that economic growth isn’t limited to major metropolitan hubs.

The Bottom Line

America shouldn’t try to recreate a 1950s-style economy but instead prepare for a tech-driven, globally connected future. The focus should be on innovation, adaptability, and workforce development—not outdated nostalgia.

Compiled with aid of ChatGPT

American Ideals: Tobacco companies, Congress, Robotics and a thing called Ethics

I love his show and John Oliver is doing a great job on "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver", poking fun at idiot South American leaders who are poking back, and at Tobacco companies, the scourge of our world.
#JeffWeCan

Now all that being said, a word about Tobacco companies, American corporations in general and the state of the world. You see, America isn't the only country being abused. A quick word about Russia who has been absconded with by an ex KGB thug in Putin.

Putin, in trying to support the Russian people's ideals as he sees them, is failing to be a true leader who could lead his proud nation into the future. He has twisted things about so that he seems like a good thing for many, but is only a good thing for the elite few and is bringing down the disdain of an entire planet on his people.

There are many being misled world wide. The Russian people. The American people, Many of the Muslim community being charmed into absolute absurdity by ISIL.

We can thank those responsible for many of the world's problems today in various entities mimicking the Tobacco industry debacle over past decades for so much of the nonsense that is now happening all though our lives, in our American Congress and among our citizenry.

Tobacco years ago was having an image issue. They were selling an addictive drug in a form that literally killed hundreds of thousands of people world wide. How does one get over that kind of brand suicide? You confuse the issue, distract, redirect and more importantly, misdirect. Twist reality to the point that Satan smiles upon you.

Also note that many of these tactics were old KGB tactics of disinformation, and there's your American patriotism for you. Years of watching the KGB by Britain's MI6 taught them a great deal about how to alter reality to their desires and agendas.

The American CIA learned from MI6, the Tobacco industry learned from them, as did others. Because what happens in prisons, in the military, in the clandestine services, eventually always trickles down into civilian organisations, companies and lives.

And that's what the people did who the tobacco industry hired to fix their image and therefore their profits and so for many years, fixed their bottom lines. When it failed in America, they moved to other countries, now killing many overseas at younger and younger ages.

No matter anymore that their products kill people. Right? Because all that is important, is what the profit making entity does to preserve themselves their profits, their power. As was with them, so it is with others, even those who hold the public interest as their charter, even though they could really care less.

There is actually more to all this, an even darker side, as recently pointed out in a Salon magazine article, "Republicans’ deadly political strategy: Ruining our country hurts the Democratic Party".

Nothing seems to matter for Republicans in viewing their actions of twisting elections, facts, Gerrymandering, etc., except Republicans. Their remaining is power is far more important to them than doing the right thing for America.

If it could be proved to them that Democrats (or any other party) were a better thing for America and that they were damaging our country, they would still fight to remain in power being the zombie party that they have become.

That alone is reason to kill off the GOP if you ask me. Grand Old Party, my backside. They have become a party to sit on and not look up to.

Years ago some moron decided that corporations are people. Laws were passed to protect the stock holders over that of the citizenry. Stock holders, are therefore more important than the people who are being sold products and services to.

Think about that for a moment.

Who would make such laws? On the surface it sounds wise, that a for profit company who is there to make profit, should make profits their business.

But at what cost? And to whom? If corporations are anything, they are robotic or cybernetic, not human. They are an extension of humanity not a part of it.

At what point does a company stop and say, "Wait, are we stepping over the line?" But now they just have to respond, "Naw, we just have to make profits and we are considered a person too even though we are a corporation and so our only goal is to make our stock holders more rich, within the structure of the laws we can circumvent." Great, lucky us.

I would like to make a suggestion....

Issac Asimov many years ago came up with the three basic rules for robotics in order to protect humankind. They have since been refined by others, but I would like to suggest we use that now for corporations. Just as a place to start.

If an American company sells a product in America, or MORE especially, if it exports it or sells that product (made in America or in the local country), then it also has a moral, ethical and legal requirement to follow certain rules and these rules can start with and then be honed to be more appropriate, from these following self evident laws:

1) A robot (that is, a corporation) may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2) A robot (yes, yes, a corporation, you're getting it now) must obey the orders given it by human beings (now this is here actually referring to the ideal of humanity and not just its leaders), except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3) A corporation (originally a robot) must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

And in that last one lay the problem most of the time lately. Corporations will do anything to maintain their bottom line and existence and in some cases, a corporation should be allowed to die. To say that the bottom line is existence and profit at any cost, is to beg for horrors to happen, sooner or later, here or there, in sight or behind closed doors or in foreign and poor countries.

It is something to consider, to act on, to make an America ideal.

It is a concept, an entity that could be respected around the world, and not too far in the distant future, in the off world(s), when and as that will become a thing.

We need to stop being fools (including myself) in not paying any of this any attention. We also need to consider that this may very well already be "a thing". A thing we need to address now before we are already in off world endeavors as it's approaching fast and once established, it may be too late to do anything about it.

We need to act on all this before it's too late. If it's not too late already.

I'm not the only one feeling like this, John Oliver has his own take on the infrastructure side of things as also mentioned in this Salon article..It's really all about the same things though.