Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent: Fired federal workers could fill factory jobs created under Trump

[Timber Rattler]

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/apr/8/scott-bessent-treasury-secretary-fired-federal-workers-could-fill/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=SocialFlow&fbclid=IwY2xjawJjRQpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHpijkxnlQtiTdbhecvpEul8X8L6z5t6HBFkHk2RUPKifLHNyMLtVoTFZCBIs_aem_dasq302um0ecgOJUwggi_g

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration is planning to boost U.S. manufacturing jobs by filling them with fired federal workers.

In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Mr. Bessent said President Trump’s tariff plan will create thousands of manufacturing jobs and he believes that the U.S. has enough workers to fill those positions through laid-off federal workers.

“So what we are doing: On one side, the president is reordering trade. On the other side, we are shedding excess labor in the federal government and bringing down federal borrowings,” Mr. Bessent said in the interview posted on X. “And then on the other side, that will give us the labor we need for the new manufacturing.”

EXCERPT

Not sure that will work out like they think it will...

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

I've worked in manufacturing before. Didn't care for it myself? 

[The_Reader_David]

Any notion that returning manufacturing to the US is going to produce lots of manufacturing jobs is a delusion, unless the Feds pass Luddite laws to forbid automation.   Relocation of manufacturing to the US in responses to a tariff regime will result in new, modern factories being built, and in new, modern factories robots assemble manufactured goods with minimal human oversight.  Sure, there will some new robot-operator jobs, some new robot maintenance jobs, and some new programming jobs (or maybe not, one thing AI is actually good at is coding, so the "learn to code" advice given by those scornful of the working class was probably bad advice).

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Any notion that returning manufacturing to the US is going to produce lots of manufacturing jobs is a delusion, unless the Feds pass Luddite laws to forbid automation.   Relocation of manufacturing to the US in responses to a tariff regime will result in new, modern factories being built, and in new, modern factories robots assemble manufactured goods with minimal human oversight.  Sure, there will some new robot-operator jobs, some new robot maintenance jobs, and some new programming jobs (or maybe not, one thing AI is actually good at is coding, so the "learn to code" advice given by those scornful of the working class was probably bad advice).

I'm skeptical that AI is good enough at any of these tasks yet to replace anything but the absolutely most menial of jobs. And yes I've worked with ChatGPT and CoPilot a lot, but navigating the real world is another story. I mean, i have long been a (don't laugh) robot vacuum enthusiast, but they fact that nobody I've seen, independent of these humanoid robotic companies, can demonstrate what they're capable of on Youtube or something, makes me very skeptical of a lot of the AI claims. I've actually seen videos on Youtube that said that companies are faking a lot with AI, doing things with it while low paid humans are really doing a lot of the thinking in the background. LLM's regularly hallucinate stuff, including while I've used it, or just plain make stuff up.

[kevindavis007]

Any notion that returning manufacturing to the US is going to produce lots of manufacturing jobs is a delusion, unless the Feds pass Luddite laws to forbid automation.   Relocation of manufacturing to the US in responses to a tariff regime will result in new, modern factories being built, and in new, modern factories robots assemble manufactured goods with minimal human oversight.  Sure, there will some new robot-operator jobs, some new robot maintenance jobs, and some new programming jobs (or maybe not, one thing AI is actually good at is coding, so the "learn to code" advice given by those scornful of the working class was probably bad advice).

 

[Free Vulcan]

Any notion that returning manufacturing to the US is going to produce lots of manufacturing jobs is a delusion, unless the Feds pass Luddite laws to forbid automation.   Relocation of manufacturing to the US in responses to a tariff regime will result in new, modern factories being built, and in new, modern factories robots assemble manufactured goods with minimal human oversight.  Sure, there will some new robot-operator jobs, some new robot maintenance jobs, and some new programming jobs (or maybe not, one thing AI is actually good at is coding, so the "learn to code" advice given by those scornful of the working class was probably bad advice).

Not really. Most new built plants still employ 50 to 200 people making good wage. 50 here, 100 there adds up in a local community, and spawns a great deal of derivative business.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Anyone else want to see someone like Jasmine Crockett getting her hands dirty doing factory work?

[Smokin Joe]

Someone has to stand around drinking coffee and smoking...

[catfish1957]

Anyone else want to see someone like Jasmine Crockett getting her hands dirty doing factory work?

Almost all my working life has been in plants.  I wouldn't want 98% of them within a mile of a control room or an operating unit.  For safety reasons.

[catfish1957]

Just shared on FBN....  Acting IRS commish Melanie Kraus has resigned over clash of giving data of illegals to DHS.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Almost all my working life has been in plants.  I wouldn't want 98% of them within a mile of a control room or an operating unit.  For safety reasons.

But they can still sort the size of pecans on a conveyer belt, can't they?

[DCPatriot]

But they can still sort the size of pecans on a conveyer belt, can't they?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnHiAWlrYQc

[mountaineer]

Anyone else want to see someone like Jasmine Crockett getting her hands dirty doing factory work?

Well, we know she'll refuse to be a field hand.

[berdie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnHiAWlrYQc

One of the funniest episodes ever!!

But people thinking factories will open in a day employing thousands of people are smoking wacky tobakky. Most will be automated. That maybe the only way to bring back manufacturing. People in this country aren't going to work at a depressed wage...or want to work at what they consider menial work. Heck...they all think they can be "influencers".

[DCPatriot]

One of the funniest episodes ever!!

But people thinking factories will open in a day employing thousands of people are smoking wacky tobakky. Most will be automated. That maybe the only way to bring back manufacturing. People in this country aren't going to work at a depressed wage...or want to work at what they consider menial work. Heck...they all think they can be "influencers".

LOL!  I hadn't seen that episode in decades...yet I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes!   

[Smokin Joe]

One of the funniest episodes ever!!

But people thinking factories will open in a day employing thousands of people are smoking wacky tobakky. Most will be automated. That maybe the only way to bring back manufacturing. People in this country aren't going to work at a depressed wage...or want to work at what they consider menial work. Heck...they all think they can be "influencers".

Things about 'menial work'.
You can generally see you did something.
It is relatively low stress, often relaxing compared to a more high strung white collar untermenschen position. (low worry factors)
The work is basic, which allows for the ability to listen to podcasts, music, etc. as long as that does not interfere with safety.
Movement can keep you in shape, compared to sedentary jobs.
I have done stoop labor (working in tobacco fields, from planting to harvest, baling hay, and construction jobs) and came home tired, slept well, and was well compensated for my labor.
Granted, it tends to be a young person's game, but can develop a work ethic and appreciation for job less physically demanding.

[Kamaji]

Things about 'menial work'.
You can generally see you did something.
It is relatively low stress, often relaxing compared to a more high strung white collar untermenschen position. (low worry factors)
The work is basic, which allows for the ability to listen to podcasts, music, etc. as long as that does not interfere with safety.
Movement can keep you in shape, compared to sedentary jobs.
I have done stoop labor (working in tobacco fields, from planting to harvest, baling hay, and construction jobs) and came home tired, slept well, and was well compensated for my labor.
Granted, it tends to be a young person's game, but can develop a work ethic and appreciation for job less physically demanding.

There is no such thing as a menial job, just menial attitudes.

[Smokin Joe]

There is no such thing as a menial job, just menial attitudes.

Any job worth paying someone to do is worth doing well, and those who do it (especially those who do it well) are worthy of respect.

Those floors and bathrooms didn't shine themselves.

[Wingnut]

Any job worth paying someone to do is worth doing well, and those who do it (especially those who do it well) are worthy of respect.

Those floors and bathrooms didn't shine themselves.

And ditches don't dig themselves.

[Smokin Joe]

And ditches don't dig themselves.

They have machines for most of that.

[LMAO]

lol

The US is currently experiencing a labor shortage. Many fields already cannot find enough workers.

But what else can you expect from an administration that tariff's penguins?

Look, this is the same guy who crashed the economy and market the last time he was in over his mismanagement of a virus while his base cheered it on. So him going back to were he left off doesn’t surprise me

Trump will handle the economy like he handled Trump Steaks, Trump University, Trump airlines, ect ect

[DefiantMassRINO]

They can learn to code or to pick cotton for Jasmine Crockett.

US might be able to find more workers if education and skills better matched labor market demand, and if working for a paycheck was a more positive value proposition.

Commuting to work ... expenses not tax deductable for wage earners ... and not compensated for lost time commuting.

American tax code favors capital gains over wages.  It's more tax efficient to be a day trader than working for a paycheck.

[Bigun]

lol

The US is currently experiencing a labor shortage. Many fields already cannot find enough workers.

But what else can you expect from an administration that tariff's penguins?

Look, this is the same guy who crashed the economy and market the last time he was in over his mismanagement of a virus while his base cheered it on. So him going back to were he left off doesn’t surprise me

Trump will handle the economy like he handled Trump Steaks, Trump University, Trump airlines, ect ect

There wouldn't be any labor shortage if all the welfare queens had to go to work.

[berdie]

Things about 'menial work'.
You can generally see you did something.
It is relatively low stress, often relaxing compared to a more high strung white collar untermenschen position. (low worry factors)
The work is basic, which allows for the ability to listen to podcasts, music, etc. as long as that does not interfere with safety.
Movement can keep you in shape, compared to sedentary jobs.
I have done stoop labor (working in tobacco fields, from planting to harvest, baling hay, and construction jobs) and came home tired, slept well, and was well compensated for my labor.
Granted, it tends to be a young person's game, but can develop a work ethic and appreciation for job less physically demanding.

I couldn't agree more. You, I and most people on this site are of that mind set. I fear that the younger folks (not all) just aren't of that mindset. There truly are no menial jobs. Take pride in doing whatever you do and do it well. That is becoming a lost art. I have had problems lately and needed help with housekeeping. Finding someone was almost impossible. And when I did, they sure weren't cheap.

Sort of like the numerous threads I've read about the shortage of plumbers, HVAC, electricians, etc.

[berdie]

lol

The US is currently experiencing a labor shortage. Many fields already cannot find enough workers.

But what else can you expect from an administration that tariff's penguins?

Look, this is the same guy who crashed the economy and market the last time he was in over his mismanagement of a virus while his base cheered it on. So him going back to were he left off doesn’t surprise me

Trump will handle the economy like he handled Trump Steaks, Trump University, Trump airlines, ect ect

I don't know if this is true and have no way to check it out, but I read that the reason those areas were tarriffed is because, in the past, countries would route their exports thru these areas to avoid the tarriffs.