Why are we so obsessed with manufacturing?

Planet Money

NPR

Business, News

4.6 • 29.8K Ratings

🗓️ 18 July 2025

⏱️ 23 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

It seems like politicians cannot agree on a lot. But many seem to agree on... manufacturing. Leaders of both political parties have been working to try and make the U.S. a manufacturing powerhouse again.

On today's show, what is so special about manufacturing? Is it particularly important for the economy? And if manufacturing jobs are so great, then why have companies been struggling to fill the manufacturing jobs we already have?

For more on manufacturing in the U.S:

- Made in America, an episode about what manufacturing work in the U.S. can be like for garment workers and how much they're paid to make each piece of clothing "made in the U.S."
- Why aren't Americans filling the manufacturing jobs we already have?
- What makes manufacturing jobs special? The answer could help rebuild the middle class
- Can bringing back manufacturing help the heartland catch up with 'superstar' cities?
- And, for more, check out the Planet Money newsletter's manufacturing series at npr.org/manufacturing

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This is Planet Money from NPR.
0:06.1	Both Democratic and Republican politicians and presidents certainly seem to think there's something special about manufacturing.
0:15.5	Bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States is one of the big motivations behind President Trump's tariffs.
0:22.2	And even before Trump took office, President Biden also aimed at dramatically boosting domestic
0:28.2	manufacturing through things like the Inflation Reduction Act, the Chips and Science Act.
0:33.3	America is now actually building a ton of new factories.
0:38.0	Spending on manufacturing construction has nearly tripled in the U.S. since 2021.
0:43.0	The manufacturing industry is expected to need 3.8 million additional workers by 2033.
0:50.2	But will people want these jobs?
0:54.4	Just recently, there were almost half a million unfilled manufacturing jobs.
0:59.4	So...
1:00.4	Hello and welcome to Planet Money. I'm Greg Rosalski.
1:06.0	And I'm Sarah Gonzalez.
1:07.4	Some people want more made in America, but is it just because of nostalgia and political pandering, or is there a strong economic reason for this?
1:16.2	Today in the show, are manufacturing jobs actually good jobs? And if so, why are there so many vacancies?
1:23.9	Also, is having a factory in your town particularly good for the economy?
1:28.3	Is it better than other industries?
1:30.2	Like, why are we all in on manufacturing?
1:35.8	Okay, Greg, our wonderful Planet Money newsletter writer, you have been...
1:42.3	Oh, Sarah. No, you're wonderful.
1:44.0	We're both wonderful, and we've both been covering manufacturing a lot recently.
1:49.1	But you in particular kind of wanted to figure out, like, what all the fuss is about when it comes to manufacturing jobs.
	...

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