KERA's Think Why it’s hard to make stuff in the U.S.
Sep 1, 2025
In this conversation, journalist Rachel Slade, author of "Making It in America," tackles the daunting challenges of domestic manufacturing. She discusses how small businesses struggle to source American-made products amidst cheaper foreign options. The impact of historical trade policies and labor unions on today's economic landscape is revealed, along with the ethical dilemmas of cheap fashion. Slade also emphasizes the importance of consumer awareness and fair compensation in creating a sustainable and equitable manufacturing future.
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U.S. Heavily Integrated Into Global Supply Chains
- The U.S. imports massive quantities, with California ports handling a third of national imports.
- Rachel Slade explains this reliance makes domestic-only manufacturing difficult due to global supply links.
Hamilton's Three Pillars Still Matter
- Alexander Hamilton used tariffs, a national bank, and laws to support U.S. infrastructure and shipping.
- Rachel Slade argues those pillars still shape modern manufacturing policy debates like the Jones Act.
Worker Protections Raise Domestic Costs
- 20th-century labor organizing produced OSHA, Social Security, and environmental laws that raised production costs.
- Slade links those protections to higher U.S. manufacturing prices compared with low-regulation countries.
