If lots of Americans wanted factory jobs, the domestic labor market would look very different.
—
PresidentDonaldTrumppledgedthathewouldmakeAmerica“amanufacturingnationonceagain,”duringhisinaugurationspeech.Sincethen,Trumphasissuedanumberofexecutiveorderstothisend.ButmostAmericanssaythattheywouldnotbebetteroffiftheyworkedinafactory.
That’saccordingtotheCatoInstitute’s2024GlobalizationandTradeSurvey,whichrecentlywentviral.Thereportfoundthat80percentofAmericansthinkthecountrywouldbebetterifmoreAmericansworkedinfactories,butonly25percentthinktheywouldbebetteriftheyworkedinafactory.
RepublicanpollsterFrankLuntzdescribedtheCatopollas“aRorschachtestforpeopleonbothsidesofthefreetradedebate.”Protectionistsconcludethatthecountrycanincreasemanufacturingjobs,whichaccountfor8percentoftotalnonfarmemployment,because25percentofrespondentssaytheirliveswouldbebetterwithafactoryjob.Meanwhile,freetradersseethatmostofthesupportformanufacturingappliestoothersworkingafactoryjob,nott
