The Case for a National Manufacturing Policy, Part 1

Last week, I wrote five blogs and all five times I wrote on manufacturing.  That was a lead-up to Labor Day, celebrated today.

The conclusion of my manufacturing spotlight series was on making the case for a national manufacturing policy. There are key areas which I think need attention and focus.

It's time to focus on embracing manufacturing, investing in skills training, removing uncertainty about public infrastructure's future, achieving energy independence, and reducing regulations.

I'm going to take the next five days to explain these, starting with the first one today.



Embracing manufacturing. 

We have to end the idea that America can have an economy based solely on intangible goods and services.  Joel Kotkin's demographics show us that the World needs us to get more and more back into the business of making things. 

One of the columnists' I cited recently had a great line which I'll repeat:  "Can America make it without making it?"  There was a time when some believed we could.  That time has passed. 

A national policy on manufacturing starts with a national campaign to embrace manufacturing again. 

Manufacturing is alive!  We just need more people, especially policymakers, to embrace that way of thinking.