A loss of 24,000 mfg jobs. And the loss of manufacturing "plants"??
That's a huge point.
To read govt stats, our factories (in 2001) were at 70% capacity. If HALF of those plants closed, and the remaining plants experienced zero change, and we fast-forwarded to the present.... then we would (again) read govt reports stating we are at 70% capacity. They will NOT report that half of the pool they USED to count 'completely disappeared' from the report. Accordingly, they will NOT admit that due to the reporting pool size, the two reports are NOT comparable.
Now then... with this SEVERELY reduced manufacturing base in our country, we read that production 'increased' 4%. La Dee Dah...that's pretty 'neat', but... ummmmmmmm.... it should truly read "the last guys standing that DIDN'T close down actually managed to increase production 4% ". That's a totally different perspective.... and will have a totally different economic ripple effect going forward.
I do not see factory output making any more than "marginal increases" in production from August through October in our region. November? A drop. Commodity prices continue to escalate and, again, this is NOT sustainable.
Did you see Eric's CRB graph a heepy-bunch of posts back? Did you notice the graph confirmation of my statement that when prices escalate like this, we come down hard? Trust me... my fingers are crossed that "this time will be different", but the 'practical gal' in me says that I may very well be dancin' with false hope.
Bye the bye, Court... your increases are in medical #$%^&@$%! (<-- fill in at-will ) are HORRID! Are you going to self-fund? Beat down insurance competition doors?? Increases move to employees???
AI
