As noted yesterday, President Trump has announced his full support for the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) trade union position in defense of their members. [SEE HERE]
Today, ILA Executive Vice-President Dennis Daggett releases a statement following his meeting with President Donald Trump.
To many people this confrontation over foreign ownership of critical port infrastructure seems detached and complicated when contrast against efficiency, lower prices for transportation and, essentially, a vital national interest. However, in the bigger picture President Trump has been consistent with a position that U.S. companies and labor organizations must look out for American interests first and foremost.
The chase for price, cost and Total Cost of Production (TCP) has led to our nation losing jobs, losing wealth, losing manufacturing capability and ultimately losing control over our own vital interests. The prior chase for less costly goods was a road paved with intentions that ultimately created negative outcomes for the American people (ex. The Rustbelt).
President Trump represents a new era of political leadership where the priority of the American economic system must be balanced with pragmatic economic principles extending beyond the singular issue of price. This is best understood in the phrase “economic security is national security.”
Decades of traveling down the path of lower product prices has led to this well-known destination, a service driven economy. President Trump represents a moment in our economic lifecycle where we finally revisit the consequences of this path.
Yes, a “service driven economy” it is sustainable in the short-term and provides benefits to both companies and consumers in lower priced goods. However, we eventually realize the absence of vital products creates a dependency model that can have major negative consequences.
The shortage of products following the COVID-19 pandemic should have taught us lessons about the dangers within our dependency supply chain. Alas, we escaped the worst outcome due to some quick thinking and reorganization of the limited production capabilities that remain in our national control.
The larger MAGA movement understands that we must ensure America-First is applicable to all aspects of our economic supply chain, and that includes both manufacturing capability and unilateral control of the transportation system therein.
We have discussed these issues on these pages for decades, and quite frankly I am thrilled to see a public debate now taking place thanks to President Trump and key figures within labor and logistics.
Within the role of organized labor, the leadership must turn away from the corrupting influence always made possible with enhanced power.
A transformative President Trump represents a very unique and altruistic support arm of government, a servant leader. Now the issue of altruism must also manifest in the intents and obligations of union leadership. Altruism, moral behavior that benefits our great American economic enterprise, is the core element of a partnership that can change the direction of our economic priority for generations.
Make America Great Again!
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