Maher asks 'why do we want to bring back manufacturing' as Trump makes jobs argument in tariff war

[iamwhatiseem]

Bill Maher is worth approximately $150,000,000. He has no concept of what life as a middle class person is anymore. He lost that a long time ago.
He is a man who still believes social programs are compassionate

 

[braalian]

Any one of us could quit our careers now and get a factory job before the day is over. So why don’t we?….

We don’t, because we don’t want to make shitty wages.

I kind of get- in theory anyway- how tariffs are supposed to make more manufacturing jobs. I don’t get how they’d make them pay non-shitty wages.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Any one of us could quit our careers now and get a factory job before the day is over. So why don’t we?….

We don’t, because we don’t want to make shitty wages.

I kind of get- in theory anyway- how tariffs are supposed to make more manufacturing jobs. I don’t get how they’d make them pay non-shitty wages.

You do realize that those $20/hour jobs were replaced with $12/hour part time service jobs - right?
I mean - surely you know this.

 

[braalian]

You do realize that those $20/hour jobs were replaced with $12/hour part time service jobs - right?
I mean - surely you know this.

Again, factory jobs are out there. They’re hiring. Any able bodied person can get one anytime they want. Please explain why we need more factory jobs when the industry can’t fill the openings they got now?

What makes you think tariffs will raise how much they pay?

And you surely must know that $20 an hour isn’t impressive at all these days?

In my field of work CNAs make around $20 an hour. $20 an hour is no longer considered good money.

 

[kyzr]

Any one of us could quit our careers now and get a factory job before the day is over. So why don’t we?….

We don’t, because we don’t want to make shitty wages.

I kind of get- in theory anyway- how tariffs are supposed to make more manufacturing jobs. I don’t get how they’d make them pay non-shitty wages.

Because in 2025 the factory jobs are more hi-tech than they were in the 1960's - 2010's.
Its not the manual labor intensive jobs, its the DCS, PLC, robotics, automated jobs with fewer employees.
See what car assembly lines look like today compared to prior years.

 

[braalian]

Because in 2025 the factory jobs are more hi-tech than they were in the 1960's - 2010's.
Its not the manual labor intensive jobs, its the DCS, PLC, robotics, automated jobs with fewer employees.
See what car assembly lines look like today compared to prior years.

Ok… then why do factory jobs pay shit wages here and now in 2025?

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Again, factory jobs are out there. They’re hiring. Any able bodied person can get one anytime they want. Please explain why we need more factory jobs when the industry can’t fill the openings they got now?

What makes you think tariffs will raise how much they pay?

And you surely must know that $20 an hour isn’t impressive at all these days?

In my field of work CNAs make around $20 an hour. $20 an hour is no longer considered good money.

FFS - I was talking about $20/hour jobs when they existed. Not now. Those jobs now pay closer to $30-$35/hour

 

[braalian]

FFS - I was talking about $20/hour jobs when they existed. Not now. Those jobs now pay closer to $30-$35/hour

Still, what makes you think tariffs will make manufacturing suddenly start paying more?

Everyone is acting like there’s a huge group of people who want to work in a factory but can’t because they’re not hiring.

They are hiring. Nobody wants the jobs because the pay is low. How are tariffs going to change that?

 

[kyzr]

Ok… then why do factory jobs pay shit wages here and now in 2025?

Because that is what they pay to keep the product competitive, take it or leave it.
Hopefully you find a job that pays what you'll accept.
Maybe job specific training makes you more valuable?

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Still, what makes you think tariffs will make manufacturing suddenly start paying more?

Everyone is acting like there’s a huge group of people who want to work in a factory but can’t because they’re not hiring.

They are hiring. Nobody wants the jobs because the pay is low. How are tariffs going to change that?

Who on earth is saying they will pay more??
What can happen is more of them, to replace the $12/hr part time jobs

 

[braalian]

Because that is what they pay to keep the product competitive, take it or leave it.
Hopefully you find a job that pays what you'll accept.
Maybe job specific training makes you more valuable?

I’m a nurse and get paid highly for my experience. I have no desire to seek a manufacturing job.

My point is, if factories are paying low and no one is applying for the manufacturing jobs we already have, then what good would creating “more” do anyone?

Who is this imaginary group of people looking for factory jobs and unable to find them?

It’s like the argument that self checkouts take jobs away from people who want to be cashiers. Cashier jobs still exist. Meijer and Walmart are still begging for people to apply for them, and few people apparently want the job….

 

[braalian]

Who on earth is saying they will pay more??
What can happen is more of them, to replace the $12/hr part time jobs

Again, if this were true, why are factories struggling to hire workers today, here and now?

By your logic, there should be throngs of people lining up for what coveted manufacturing jobs remain.

That obviously isn’t the case. There’s a surplus of manufacturing jobs, otherwise why is every factory have giant “hiring” signs out front

 

[Correll]

Any one of us could quit our careers now and get a factory job before the day is over. So why don’t we?….

We don’t, because we don’t want to make shitty wages.

I kind of get- in theory anyway- how tariffs are supposed to make more manufacturing jobs. I don’t get how they’d make them pay non-shitty wages.

My understanding is that many manufacturing jobs are generally WELL PAID.

 

[SweetTea]

I’m a nurse and get paid highly for my experience. I have no desire to seek a manufacturing job.

My point is, if factories are paying low and no one is applying for the manufacturing jobs we already have, then what good would creating “more” do anyone?

Who is this imaginary group of people looking for factory jobs and unable to find them?

It’s like the argument that self checkouts take jobs away from people who want to be cashiers. Cashier jobs still exist. Meijer and Walmart are still begging for people to apply for them, and few people apparently want the job….

Do you believe we don’t have enough people capable of doing these jobs or not enough people willing to do these jobs. If the latter, which I suspect, then we can fix that by cutting all the freebees. Why would a person take a lower paying job when they can get the same benefits by doing nothing?

 

[kyzr]

I’m a nurse and get paid highly for my experience. I have no desire to seek a manufacturing job.
My point is, if factories are paying low and no one is applying for the manufacturing jobs we already have, then what good would creating “more” do anyone? Who is this imaginary group of people looking for factory jobs and unable to find them?
It’s like the argument that self checkouts take jobs away from people who want to be cashiers. Cashier jobs still exist. Meijer and Walmart are still begging for people to apply for them, and few people apparently want the job….

If you look at the high-profile corporations committing to build new factories here in the US you see names like Hyunai, NVIDIA, TSMC, and many others to the tune of $7T.

International Companies Bet Big On America: A New Wave Of US Jobs

CEOs see a U.S. economy ripe for growth.

www.forbes.com

The number of companies and countries investing in the U.S. as part of President Donald Trump’s push to reshore manufacturing continues to grow. In recent months, a parade of international heavyweights including Japan’s SoftBank, Taiwan’s Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), oil-rich Gulf states, and others has met with U.S. leaders, pledging billions, potentially trillions, to bolster the American economy. As of March 2025, commitments span AI labs, chip factories, steel mills, and real estate ventures, signaling a transformative wave of foreign direct investment (FDI).

The participation rate is still about 65%, so there are people out there, but your point that the unemployment rate is 4.3% is valid.

 

[BluesLegend]

Let's be honest, the asshole Democrats "learn to code" BS went bust now didn't it. We will cease to be a superpower if we do not manufacture.

 

[Hellokitty]

Again, if this were true, why are factories struggling to hire workers today, here and now?

By your logic, there should be throngs of people lining up for what coveted manufacturing jobs remain.

That obviously isn’t the case. There’s a surplus of manufacturing jobs, otherwise why is every factory have giant “hiring” signs out front

Manufacturing struggles to fill skilled labor jobs. The 'hiring" jobs are mostly filled using temp services.

 

[Tumblin Tumbleweed]

I still actually still work in manufacturing myself btw... in a laser cutting shop where we make Stainless Kitchen counters and tables for restaurants mainly.

I used to run a granite fabrication shop. Our steel in the sinks was sourced from China. The granite/quartz is sourced from China and Spain. Cut on CNC machines from Italy. Only human interaction was final fab work, and g-code programming the CNC machines. Only about 4 humans necessary, and this was during disaster administration 1.0. Some of our supply chains dried up during the first stupid tariff war.

People like Maher and his ilk have no pride in his fellow citizens.

Is it pride, or just a monumental misunderstanding of reality?

 

[jc456]

The fake hippy reminds the world of what a pretentious pr*ck he is.
Perhaps some people want to contribute something tangible in their work rather than providing zero tangible value to their country other than riling up the Crazy Ones.

This fools says "we've moved into another era". As if his weak talk show is going to build tanks, jets and submarines in times of war.

I've always been cautious of this guy when he tries to pretend he is a moderate. I despise cowards and I wouldn't want to share a foxhole with him or be on part of the Resistance and hoping he wouldn't rat out my whereabouts to the enemy under questioning.

Maher asks 'why do we want to bring back manufacturing' as Trump makes jobs argument in tariff war

HBO's Bill Maher took President Trump to task over his goal to bring back manufacturing to the US as a result of his trade war, arguing it's "so 70s" and that such jobs are obsolete.

www.foxnews.com

"Real Time" host Bill Maher challenged one of President Trump's central arguments as he wages a tariff war among several countries.

"I have one basic question: Why do we want to bring back manufacturing?" Maher asked his panel on Friday. "It's so 70s, you know? I mean, that ship has sailed. You know, there are countries that make jeans for $11. We're never going to be that country again."

"China's moving into the AI age, and he wants to go back to manufacturing, which, by the way, if you create new jobs, who's gonna take them? Robots," Maher continued. "That's who's gonna take them anyway! He acts like progress itself is woke. And nobody spoke more against woke bulls--- than me, but progress itself is not woke. We've moved into a different era."

why would he, the fk has never accomplished one days worth of physical labor. has no idea on the feeling of accomplishment.

 

[eagle1462010]

FFS - I was talking about $20/hour jobs when they existed. Not now. Those jobs now pay closer to $30-$35/hour

We pay Spotters and Fire watches $22 an hour.

The $20 is BS