Comment by blindriver
11 days ago
The amount of pooh-poohing of this idea is even more than I would have expected from HN, despite tech’s love of belittling others ideas.
The reason we need manufacturing is because the middle class is decimated. None of us tech workers feel it because we don’t live in neighborhoods that have been decimated by it. We have all benefitted from globalization immensely but we don’t have neighbors, families or friends that have been destroyed by it.
Too many people say it will take “years” to get factories operational. That’s why Elon is there. He knows and has done this, to point out which regulations need to be axed in order to improve the time to market for new factories. Trump will listen to him and get rid of any regulation that doesn’t make sense, or even regulations that do make sense but take too much time. For better or worse factory building will be faster over the next 3 years.
Now that we have these greenfields for new manufacturing opportunities, instead of standing there with your arms crossed, shaking your head why the idea won’t work, how can you take advantage of this new opportunity to get rich?
> We have all benefitted from globalization immensely but we don’t have neighbors, families or friends that have been destroyed by it.
Blue collar workers were the first to push for globalization, because they suddenly could afford a lifestyle that used to require the salary corresponding to a couple of steps upper in the corporate ladder. A blue collar salary suddenly could provide for many more amenities... til the salary was no more!
Everyone wants manufacturing back, but only for the products they can produce, because everyone still wants to buy at Chinese prices.
Furthermore, the regulations that most stand in the way of cheap manufacturing are environmental regulations, and good luck with that! We have got used to breathe clean air, and I feel most people still love clean air more than they hate globalization.
Blue collar workers never pushed for globalization because they knew exactly what would happen, they would lose their jobs and they did.
The irony now about Chinese goods is that those of us that can afford it avoid them as much as possible. I check every product that I buy on Amazon to make sure they aren’t made in China because they could be sending me poisoned goods.
> Blue collar workers never pushed for globalization
Maybe they didn't with their words, but they surely did with their money!
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