Sunday Numbers: 1 out of 9

This week’s number comes from this article, which sourced a Pa. Department of Labor and Industry study. The number refers to the number of manufacturing jobs remaining in Pennsylvania, compared to the manufacturing jobs that existed in 1969.

There’s been a lot of depressing news about the economy lately, so this Sunday Numbers will feature a possible solution, also from the article.

From a sidebar below the article: “”You can’t create a policy model where foreign powers can export to the U.S. and [at the same time] raise barriers to U.S. imports and expect our companies to compete in those markets,” Wood said, adding that countries like Germany and China have tariffs between 17 and 20 percent while U.S. tariffs range around 5 percent.”

Wood is Lloyd Wood, of the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition. The approach seems to make sense, especially considering how high other country’s tariffs are. What’s the point of competing against other countries’ labor forces when companies can pay those workers less and provide so many fewer benefits? It is cheaper for consumers, but the consumers are going to run out of money if breadwinners have no jobs left.

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