Bringing Back Made in the USA
The United States used to be the manufacturing superpower of the world. Made in the USA was not just a catchy slogan; it was a mindset in this country that helped build the American Dream for millions of our fellow Americans. Then American manufacturing jobs were shipped overseas to nations like Communist China, which use child labor and pay sweatshop wages. This has destroyed over 5 million good-paying manufacturing jobs just since the year 2000, and along with reckless government spending, it has caused our nation's trade deficit with China to spiral out of control. Here at home in West Virginia, numerous steel mills and coal mines had to close due to the lack of demand for American steel. Job losses devastated families, causing many of our fellow Mountaineers to move out of our state to seek employment. Communities have been forgotten, and West Virginia's population continues its steep decline.
Many will argue that these jobs were eliminated due to improvements in technology and that they have been replaced with IT jobs. However, the majority of the IT jobs that have been created due to the American economy are outside of our country. Countries like China continue to use cheap labor to undercut American workers' ability to compete in an open and free market. It is past time to stand up to career politicians, establishment bureaucrats, and corporate elites who want to continue to allow American jobs to be outsourced and allow the continued erosion of the middle class.
The question is now: how do we bring back Made in the USA? We must create an economic environment where it is more profitable to manufacture products here than in nations like China. The first thing we need to do is lower corporate taxes for companies that invest and build in our country. Corporate tax rates in the United States are currently around 21%. While this is lower than it has been in the past, it is still only around the world average. If we are to pay what the American labor market demands and deserves, then we must get our country's corporate tax rates down to 10%. China has corporate tax rates as low as 12%, and some European countries have rates as low as 9%. We must take the handcuffs off of American companies and allow them to grow and create jobs and prosperity.
The second step in bringing jobs back to the United States is by imposing tariffs on nations that use child labor and pay sweatshop wages. If a company wants to do business in the United States but uses countries like China, which do not pay their citizens a decent wage or uphold basic human rights, it is going to cost them a hefty penalty to do so. This will level the playing field for American workers. The ultimate goal of restoring America's manufacturing independence is to make everything right here in the USA and end our manufacturing dependence on Communist China. In an open, free, and fair market, I will take American workers over those of any other country any day. It is past time that we protect American businesses and workers and revive the American Dream.