America underestimates the difficulty of bringing manufacturing back

Tariffs, Markets, and Industrial Policy

• Many see broad, sudden tariffs as chaotic “policy by tweet” rather than a coherent industrial strategy. They raise uncertainty, deter long‑term factory investment, and may be reversed by the next administration.
• Others argue tariffs are one of the few blunt tools available to counter decades of offshoring and unfair foreign subsidies, and that some level of protectionism is necessary for strategic industries.
• There’s substantial support for targeted industrial policy (e.g. CHIPS Act, EV and battery incentives) and for distinguishing between critical sectors (chips, energy, defense, some materials) and low‑value goods (t‑shirts, toys).

Economics and Feasibility of “Bringing Manufacturing Back”

• Rebuilding a competitive ecosystem is seen as a 10–20 year project requiring whole supply chains, not just final assembly. China’s strength is systemic: dense supplier networks, logistics, and cheap, increasingly low‑carbon energy.
• Several commenters stress that the US is still the world’s #2 manufacturer; what’s missing are many mid‑ and low‑value segments and critical components, not “manufacturing” in general.
• Skeptics argue that even if production returns, it will be heavily automated—creating relatively few jobs—and that high US wages and costs mean most products will remain uncompetitive globally without permanent protection or subsidies.

Labor, Jobs, and Social Outcomes

• A recurring theme: voters are nostalgic for an era when a high‑school graduate could support a family on a factory wage. Many equate “bringing back manufacturing” with restoring middle‑class stability and dignity, not a love of factory work itself.
• Others push back: not everyone can or wants to do knowledge work, but many Americans also don’t want repetitive or physically demanding factory jobs, especially at current pay levels and cost of living.
• There’s broader criticism of US business culture: short‑termism, shareholder primacy, underinvestment in training, and reliance on offshoring and low‑wage or prison labor instead of building domestic skills.

China, Geopolitics, and Security

• Commenters highlight China’s integrated industrial base, aggressive state planning, and rapidly expanding cheap electricity as enormous advantages that can’t be matched quickly.
• National‑security‑oriented voices argue that dependence on an adversarial China for critical goods (chips, batteries, materials, munitions inputs) is untenable, especially in a Taiwan crisis. Others warn that trying to re‑create China’s model in the US is unrealistic and risks economic self‑harm.

Politics and Governance Constraints

• A fundamental obstacle identified across the thread is political: US policy swings every 4–8 years, making long‑horizon industrial planning difficult.
• Many see current tariffs as more about domestic politics, populist symbolism, and enriching insiders than about a serious, durable reindustrialization plan.