Whenever there is a loss of jobs, particularly in the manufacturing sector, the cries begin from union leaders and pro-union politicians that we need to protect “our” jobs. What they really mean is we Americans need to keep the status-quo, not deal with the progress of technology, the global economy, and reality.
Cars are made by robots and machines with an assist from humans, automated attendants help callers navigate through phone systems at companies large and small, but there are still jobs here at home – just maybe not the same job your grandfather held decades ago. It is called progress.
Because of the perceived loss of jobs, the word “import” has negative connotations in some areas, but we have to realize it is a balance and that American-made exports are nothing to sneeze at.
Exporting American Intellectual Property
Hollywood movies are played around the world to audiences in hundreds of countries, and Justin Timberlake doesn’t just sell CDs and iTunes downloads in Ohio. Yes, many software development and tennis shoe manufacturing jobs are now in Sri Lanka and Vietnam, but Boeing still builds jets in Washington, not in Bulgaria. In fact, Boeing’s revenue in 2008 included $23.8 billion from outside the United States.
Workers become more specialized as technology advances, and this is the reason why horses are no longer used to plow fields, and why toll takers on bridges are being replaced with electronic devices such as FasTrak which sticks to your windshield and is read by a scanning device.
One sector shrinks and another expands – always has and always will.
Exporting American Products and Intellectual Property
Tuesday, December 8th, 2009Whenever there is a loss of jobs, particularly in the manufacturing sector, the cries begin from union leaders and pro-union politicians that we need to protect “our” jobs. What they really mean is we Americans need to keep the status-quo, not deal with the progress of technology, the global economy, and reality.
Cars are made by robots and machines with an assist from humans, automated attendants help callers navigate through phone systems at companies large and small, but there are still jobs here at home – just maybe not the same job your grandfather held decades ago. It is called progress.
Because of the perceived loss of jobs, the word “import” has negative connotations in some areas, but we have to realize it is a balance and that American-made exports are nothing to sneeze at.
Exporting American Intellectual Property
Hollywood movies are played around the world to audiences in hundreds of countries, and Justin Timberlake doesn’t just sell CDs and iTunes downloads in Ohio. Yes, many software development and tennis shoe manufacturing jobs are now in Sri Lanka and Vietnam, but Boeing still builds jets in Washington, not in Bulgaria. In fact, Boeing’s revenue in 2008 included $23.8 billion from outside the United States.
But looking closer to home, Toyota has built trucks in Texas since 2006, Mercedes builds SUVs in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Hyundai’s factory is in Montgomery, Alabama.
Hyundai Factory in Montgomery, Alabama
Nebraska Exported $5 Billion of Products in 2008
Soybeans are exported around the world to the tune of 15 million metric tons, and the state of Nebraska – yes Nebraska, exported over $5 billion in goods in 2008.
Workers become more specialized as technology advances, and this is the reason why horses are no longer used to plow fields, and why toll takers on bridges are being replaced with electronic devices such as FasTrak which sticks to your windshield and is read by a scanning device.
One sector shrinks and another expands – always has and always will.
Tags: boeing, fastrak, hyundai, intellectual property, itunes, justin timberlake, manufacturing, mercedes benz, nebraska, outsourcing jobs, technology, toyota, u.s. exports, u.s. imports, unemployment, unions
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