Six Ways to Bring Manufacturing Back and Stop Them From Leaving the Country

By JOEL D. JOSEPH

During hia first term in office, President Trump lost U.S. manufacturing jobs. Outlined below is a roadmap to create jobs in the United States and stop them from leaving.

1. Require Army and Navy PXs to Buy American

This is the easiest way to create jobs in the United States. We the people own thousands of Army and Navy stores across the United States. Unfortunately, these stores buy and sell mostly imported products.

The President can require AAFES (Army & Air Force Exchange Service) and NEXCOM, (the Naval Exchange Service Command) to buy American. These stores now import billions of dollars-worth of clothing and other products. During President Trump’s first term, I asked Peter Navarro, Trump’s Made in the USA czar, to do this. Navarro’s reply was that he was unable to do do so. This is the easiest way for Trump to create more than 100,000 manufacturing jobs in U.S.

Walmart creates thousands of manufacturing jobs by buying American-made products. For example, Walmart has worked with American Giant, a large T-shirt and sweatshirt manufacturer, to produce modestly-priced clothing for Walmart stores. If Walmart can do it, so can AAFES and NEXCOM.

The Navy Exchange Service Command reported annual sales of $2.3 billion in 2023, with a profit of $45 million. The Army & Air Force Exchange Service reported $8.5 billion in revenue for the fiscal year 2022.

2. Reduce Income Taxes for Domestic Manufacturers

If a company manufacturers 100% of its products in the USA, it should not have to pay a federal income tax. Very few companies do this, as most products contain some foreign content. We can implement a sliding scale for USA manufacturers, depending on how much of their products are made in the United States. If a company produces one half of its goods in the United States, it would pay income tax at half the rate of other corporations. This would encourage companies to increase the domestic content of their products.

3. Modify the WARN Act to Require Closing Factories to Offer the Factory for Sale to Domestic Entities

The WARN Act (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988) currently requires companies that plan to close factories to give notice. This federal law should be modified to require factories that plan to close to offer the factory for sale to its hometown or to its employees. The law should also provide funding for saving factories. Many factories close in this country without giving their workers and their hometowns the chance to keep the factory in business.

4. Require All Advertising to Include Country of Origin Information

If all advertising, on the Internet, on television and radio and newspapers, required country of origin information, more concerned American consumers would make informed decisions to buy more American-made products. The Made in the USA Foundation hired the Harris Poll to determine if Americans preferred to buy American products. By a large margin, the survey showed that Americans are willing to pay more for a “Made in the USA” label.

For example, an ad for the Ford Mustang Mach-E electric would have to disclose that the vehicle is made in Mexico. Most Americans now think that this electric Mustang is American. Similarly, Harbor Freight would have to disclose that its Pittsburgh, Chicago and Dayton tools are imported.

5. Require Product Displays at Stores to Include Prominent Country of Origin Labeling

While shopping for appliances recently, I noticed that refrigerators, stoves and other household appliances hide their country of origin. This is unfair and deceptive. Products displays should include prominent country of origin markings. Ikea, for example, fails to disclose where its products are made. This is already illegal because the country of origin is required to be placed on all imported products. Nearly all Ikea products are imported. The federal government fails to enforce this law. The new Trump administration should strictly enforce this law.

6. Enforce Product Labeling Laws on the Internet

The Internet is the wild west when it comes to country-of-origin labeling.

Wayfair and Amazon, two of the largest Internet retailers, fail to disclose country of origin on their products and websites. I have filed complaints with the Federal Trade Commission about these violations of law. The FTC is supposed to enforce Made in the USA labeling laws but does not. President Trump should appoint FTC Commissioners, as well as U.S. Customs officials, who are dedicated to enforcing strict Made in the USA and imported product labeling.

These changes would demonstrate that the administration is leading the way and is serious about bringing jobs back to the USA. It would also give consumers the tools to make decisions about buying American products easier. And finally, it would incentivize manufacturers to bring jobs back while lowering their tax rate.

Joel D. Joseph is a lawyer, an economist and author of 15 books, including “Inequality in America: 10 Causes and 10 Cures.” He is founder and chairman of the Made in the USA Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting American-made products.

From The Progressive Populist, February 15, 2025

Populist.com