Will our next President stand up for American jobs?
Manufacturing has traditionally, and continues to be, big business for our state.
According to the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance, manufacturing represents the largest industry in our state’s economy. Its impact totals over $141 billion a year and is responsible for one in every four South Carolina jobs. Even our recovery from “The Great Recession” has been driven by manufacturing.
Our state’s workforce has shown it has the capability to adapt and take on the challenges of high-tech manufacturing – drawing in significant investments from companies like Boeing, BMW, Volvo and Continental Tire.
However, American manufacturing is at risk and more job losses could be on the horizon.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, manufacturing jobs represented only 30,000 of the 2.7 million total new U.S. jobs created in 2015. Certain sectors of this industry are in danger of sliding back into recession due, in large part, to harmful government policies of China, whose surge of exports have created global industrial overcapacity.
The Georgetown Steel Mill has been an economic fixture of the Lowcountry for decades. Now it serves as a tangible example of the harmful impact unfair trade practices can have on a community. After its opening in 1969, generations of steel workers have been employed at the Georgetown Mill. At its height, the mill employed more than 1,500 workers.
But its history over the last 15 years has been marred by shutdowns and forced layoffs. And finally, this past May, it was announced that the mill would be permanently shut down.
Key manufacturing sectors all over our country face the threat of idle factories and forced layoffs. More than 12,000 direct layoffs in the steel industry alone have recently happened in Ohio, Alabama, Texas, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Minnesota and Michigan.
China’s industrial overcapacity is crushing these American factories. Ramping up production of select products, China has well surpassed the demands of the world market – an unsustainable business model in any capitalist society. But, since industry in China is controlled by the government instead of the market, they are able to overproduce and then undersell those products at a loss as part of their government’s strategy to unfairly capture market share.
Our nation’s trade deficit with China has surged from $83 billion in 2001 to a record $343 billion in 2014. Their government’s overcapacity trade policy is gaming the global marketplace, allowing foreign imports to take over more and more of the U.S. market. Just last year, finished steel imports captured 30 percent of the U.S. market – an all-time record.
China is manipulating the world market, all to the detriment of American jobs. Our country needs stronger trade enforcement and aggressive policy solutions to protect our overall economy.
In this year’s Presidential election, Americans will be looking to elect a leader who will prioritize American jobs and take a firm stance against these types of unfair trade policies. Candidates looking to win the White House in 2016 must let voters know that saving American manufacturing jobs is a top priority.
In South Carolina, because of our First in the South Presidential Primary, our small state has a very big voice in deciding that outcome. We act as the firewall that can make or break a candidate’s Oval Office dreams.
So, the next time you have an opportunity to do so, please ask your candidate – or any candidate – where he or she stands on protecting South Carolina manufacturing jobs. This election is about our country’s future, let’s find out where our next leader stands.
Kimbrough is a member of Georgetown City Council and community activist. He is also a Realtor promoting the economic development of the city of Georgetown.
This story was originally published January 25, 2016 at 9:25 AM with the headline "Will our next President stand up for American jobs?."