Manufacturing group calls for U.S. citizens to resist isolationist politics

A major manufacturing organization has targeted the growing isolationist rhetoric within the U.S. in the wake of the U.K.’s decision to leave the European Union.

National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President and CEO Jay Timmons said that the isolationist mentality will do nothing to help grow manufacturing jobs.

“While numbers continue to improve, the fact is that our economy remains nowhere near its full potential,” Timmons said. “To grow jobs in America, manufacturers need their products sold to more markets. Isolationist rhetoric will not help grow manufacturing jobs in the United States, but the right policies will.”

Timmons called the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) one such a “market-opening” free trade agreement and said the U.S. manufacturing industry needed more such deals to create job growth and higher-paying jobs.

“Whether it’s because of misguided analysis or political expediency, both major party candidates in this presidential election continue to do manufacturing a disservice by perpetuating myths about free trade,” Timmons said. “It’s time to stop undermining the ability of manufacturers in the United States to compete and win through trade and embrace policies like TPP that are going to put our nation back in the driver’s seat and ensure success for our economy.”

NAM has released an outline for what it deems will bring economic growth and “American Exceptionalism,” which can be found at this link.