The DMSC has always maintained that in order for the American economy to get back on track we would need to give our citizens not only a reason to buy domestic but to get our great American minds wrapped back around how important manufacturing is to our recovery and our continued success. The fact of the matter is, many of our states are on the brink of bankruptcy, much of it linked to the lack of manufacturing .
Today in America, there are nearly twice as many people working for the government (22.5 million) than in all of manufacturing (11.5). This is an opposing trend compared to the boom times of the 60’s, where there were 15 million workers in manufacturing and 8.7 million collecting paychecks from government jobs. According to statistics, more Americans work for the government then work in construction, farming, fishing, forestry, manufacturing, mining and utilities combined. According to Stephen Moore of the Wall Street Journal, ” we have moved decisively from a nation of makers to a nation of takers. Nearly half of the $2.2 trillion cost of state and local governments is the $1 Trillion-a-year tab for pay and benefits of state and local employees”.
It has been noted that every state in America except for two- Indiana and Wisconsin- has more government workers on payroll then people manufacturing industrial goods. California which has the highest budget deficit in the history of the states has 2.4 million government employees-twice as many as people then those working in the business of manufacturing. Even Michigan, (home of the D.M.S.C) at one time the auto capital of the world and Pennsylvania, once the steel capital, have more government bureaucrats then people making things…… the question you need to start asking- where are the productivity gains in government?
The DMSC believes that the government serves a very necessary function and we are in no way suggesting otherwise, but in order to support the needs of our government, manufacturing and R & D must have a very strong presence. We at the DMSC have provided a much needed arena for domestic manufacturing and it’s support businesses to showcase their goods and services- ultimately creating a tax base that is fiscally responsible, because, “we believe it’s the right thing to do”.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704050204576219073867182108.html
