By Ya Libnan editor
As a retired engineer who spent a career in American manufacturing, I refuse to accept the idea that we can’t build things in this country anymore. I recently read that it takes about 20 hours of labor to assemble an iPhone in China. Back in the 1970s, my team built sophisticated compressors with just 15 minutes of labor, and that was only for final testing. We did it without today’s AI, and without the advanced and sophisticated automation tools we now take for granted.
So why are we outsourcing everything?
Let’s be clear: the problem isn’t labor. The problem is mindset—and the greed of corporations obsessed with their bottom lines. We have the tools. We have the talent. What we lack is vision, leadership, and the will to act.
It’s time for a national awakening.
Corporate America must stop chasing cheap labor and tax loopholes abroad while ignoring the long-term consequences at home. But this responsibility doesn’t fall on business leaders alone. The American people must also wake up. We must demand better. We must support local industries and insist that “Made in USA” is not just a label, but a national priority. Our global competitors already do this. They protect and promote their industries—why shouldn’t we?
And let’s talk about tariffs. Whoever decided that tariffs were the answer is on the wrong side of history—especially American history. Trade wars don’t rebuild economies; they wreck them. In fact, the trade war started even before the tariffs were fully implemented. What we need is not economic isolationism but smart diplomacy. It’s time to reverse the tariffs and negotiate strategically with our trading partners. If Trump continues to double down on tariffs, he’s leading us down the wrong path.
This is not a partisan issue. It’s a matter of economic survival. Rebuilding American manufacturing requires more than slogans and threats. It demands planning, public-private cooperation, and real government incentives to bring industry back.
We don’t need a fist—we need a framework. The right way to bring jobs home is by rallying the nation behind a common goal: Build here. Buy here. Hire here. That’s how we secure our future.
Let’s stop being lazy and complacent. Let’s stop outsourcing not just our products, but our pride. America can make anything—but only if we choose to.
It’s time to choose.