National Manufacturing Strategy: Is a National Manufacturing Strategy Essential to National Security.

摘要

Congress introduced the National Manufacturing Strategy Act of 2010 on 25 February 2010. The act proposes a quadrennial comprehensive analysis of the manufacturing sector and creation of a national manufacturing strategy. A Congressional Research Service Summary concludes that the goals of the act include the following: the creation of government policies promoting economic growth; increasing productivity, exports, and global competitiveness; and improving national security. Recently, the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff identified the National Debt as our greatest threat to national security. Historically, manufacturing was critical to our sustained economic growth and national security. Will manufacturing losses and continued conversion to a financial, consumer, and service economy sustain the continuum of rising foreign debt and dependency and lead to debasement of the dollar and an irrecoverable economic death spiral. This paper will investigate threats posed by manufacturing atrophy and loss, and examine some trends and risks inherent in globalization, with an emphasis on foreign dependency of the defense industry. The paper will explore whether increased governance and oversight in a national manufacturing strategy is needed to resuscitate a sleeping giant and enhance national security. Case studies of the history of the semiconductor wafer industry, access to rare earth elements, and the National Defense Stockpile are included.