Tomorrow is election day. Whether you’re a die-hard Democrat, a straight-ticket Republican, or you’re supporting a third party candidate this year, tomorrow is your chance to have a say in who our president will be for the next 4 years. This has arguably been the strangest and most interesting election cycle in the history of the United States. The spectacle that’s unfolded over the past few months has been unconventional to say the least. And while it seems like there’s very little that Democrats and Republicans can agree on at the moment, the candidate for both parties seem to agree that manufacturing is very important to the U.S. economy.
We’ve seen in televised debates that the candidates don’t mind disagreeing with each other, yet when it comes to manufacturing the two see eye to eye. In fact, it’s pretty standard for politicians to emphasize the importance of manufacturing. So why is manufacturing so important to politicians?
Why is manufacturing important to politicians?
Investments in manufacturing have a high return
According to the National Association of Manufacturers, $1.81 is contributed to the economy for every $1.00 invested. This is the greatest return on investment of any economic sector in the U.S. Clearly, manufacturing is important to our economy, so it follows that manufacturing is important to politicians.
Manufacturing bolsters the economy
Historically, manufacturing provided a large number of jobs for Americans, but this is no longer the case. While the manufacturing sector still needs human laborers, industrial automation reduces the number of manufacturing jobs available to people. So even though manufacturing is growing in the United States, the number of manufacturing jobs is dwindling. The value of American made goods reached a record high this year, making this one of the most productive times in our country’s history.
Manufacturing and patriotism
There’s nothing like a good coal mine or steel mill allegory to make you swell with national pride. Manufacturing is entwined with grit, hard work, determination, and perseverance in the American psyche. After all, the United States has proud history of – and fondness for – manufacturing. It’s because of this industrious history that many view rolling up our sleeves and pulling ourselves up by our boot straps as a source of pride, and an accurate representation of our culture rather than colorful cliche. When politicians support manufacturing, we understand that as supporting America.
Manufacturing matters to politicians because manufacturing is important to our economy and our cultural identity. Manufacturing is how we stay competitive with the rest of the world, and it’s how we identify ourselves. Make sure you get out and vote tomorrow. It’s your right and also your responsibility as a U.S. citizen to cast your vote.