This is the best

the best to be a world. I'm John Bachelor. Jim McTagan, Lancaster County, the best county in the keystone state which is the best State of the Union to watch the

election. However, Americans vote their pocketbooks and inflation has

dominated the conversation for more than a year, raising the rates to the highest in 23 years.

At the same time, there is business.

More than 3% GDP growth in the fourth quarter, we're now told. 3.4%, very strong, with strong

inflation. What does that mean for manufacturing?

Jim, a very good evening to you.

You have news from the Philly Fed, which is especially keen on watching manufacturing in your area and in Lancaster.

What does it tell us about the economy? Good evening,

Jim. Good evening, John. The Philly Fed, it looks at Pennsylvania, it looks at

New Jersey, and it looks at Delaware, but Pennsylvania is where most of the manufacturing is.

And manufacturing activity is expanding here.

It's improving so much that the manufacturers are optimistic about the next quarter as well.

And they say they say the only thing holding them back from reaching full capacity is human labor.

They can't get enough labor.

And the reason, according to the local press,

is that housing prices are so high that it discourages blue-collar workers from moving here.

So you have the same problem in Lancaster in Philadelphia that we had all during 22 and 23 which is a

shortage of skilled labor is that what they need? Yes I need very skilled labor

wellers for example who will probably end up on the bridge in Baltimore, industrial painters.

They need people who can pass two simple tests, an algebra test, and a urine test, and

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