10 Questions for Josh Miller, Producer of the Documentary Film Made in the USA: The 30 Day Journey
Josh, I’ve read many articles lately about your “millennial” generation and what is important to them. Because you are part of it and have spoken out on the Made in America movement in your documentary film, I’d like to ask you a few questions:
How can we help millennials understand the importance of Made in America: for them and for their children?
Josh: Unfortunately I believe my generation is lost. The only reason I understand the impact is because I watched things fall apart in my hometown after a major aluminum facility shut down. I think my generation is going to have to feel that pain and with the TPP coming down the pipeline I assure you we will.
If you look at our 10 Reasons to Buy American, which resonate most with you?
Josh: No. 7 (Human Rights) resonates with me most because I believe we’ve turned our heads to modern-day slavery around the world. This has been going on for quite some time, but at the end of the day people turn their heads away from the issue because they like their $5 T-shirts.
A recent Gallup Poll shows baby boomers generally have high interest in Made in America, while millennials generally have low interest. Any idea why your generation has low interest?
Josh: It’s ironic that baby boomers have such interest in “Made in America” because the boomer generation adopted NAFTA and is now adopting the TPP. I think the baby boomers parents’ are the individuals to thank to their interest. How can anyone expect my generation to know anything about this issue when our business schools teach us to offshore to maximize profit? That’s like teaching my 4 month old daughter how to use a rotary phone when she gets older. My generation sees the world as a global economy, as do I, but I would rather America be in a position to supply the world with what it needs, than to depend on the rest of the world for what we need. Our quest for a globalized economy is justifiable, but we’re not putting ourselves in a leadership position for the future. We’re placing a big gamble on the service sector industry and I think that could be disastrous.
Tell us more about the impact that NAFTA has had on America and your view of what TPP’s impact will be.
Josh: NAFTA (North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement) was a dagger in the heart of American manufacturing and the American worker. The idea behind this agreement in my opinion was to cut out the middle class worker. In the minds of our government and corporate America, labors costs, healthcare, and environmental regulations were getting out of hand. I believe this agreement was meant to destroy American manufacturing and focus on the service sector industry and research and development (R&D). I also believe our government didn’t really think long-term with the agreement. The notion of opening up America to foreign markets sugar coats the American public and makes them think they are getting a good deal. Salesmanship in government is just as important as in the private sector. In this case, the American people bought the sales pitch and millions of well-paying jobs that included benefits/insurance quickly disappeared from our shores and went to low-wage countries with no rules or regulation.
From a profit margin standpoint NAFTA was the best thing to ever happen for corporate America. I’ve always believed this nation would crumble from the inside out and I believe this agreement started a chain of events that will lead to our downfall. Destroying a confident middle class consumer economy has left our economy extremely unstable. I want the reader to understand I don’t believe this is a big conspiracy to destroy America, I just think the so-called “experts” didn’t anticipate how much this would hurt working class America and small business America. I don’t think America anticipated the quick rise of China either, but that’s a completely different story. Many praise what President Clinton was able to accomplish in regards to budget surplus, etc., but I believe NAFTA was one of the worst things ever to happen to our nation since we were formed. However, we have an even worse mistake looming: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
TPP is a massive trade agreement that involves many of the Pacific Rim nations. I would love to write more about this, but a trade deal being put together in secret is difficult to comment on. I just know that it will be far worse than NAFTA. You’re going to see many more factories shutting down and moving to the Pacific Rim. If we’ve learned anything, it’s that history will repeat itself time and time again. Taking the negative road all the time is getting exhausting for me, so I’m trying to find some good things in this agreement that might help America. I’ll let you know when I find them once the secret meetings have subsided. I just get frustrated at our blatant disregard for manufacturing in our country. I love technology, R&D, and so on. . .but I believe manufacturing in our nation gives us a much better position as an economic leader in the world than focusing on the service sector. Only time will tell if I’m correct.
We’ve also read lately about an abundance of unfilled jobs for skilled trades such as electricians, factory technicians, etc. Why do you think these jobs do not have a greater appeal to your generation, even though they pay well?
Josh: Our education system has not geared us towards these types of jobs. My generation sees them as “dirty jobs” and for the most part I’m certain many think these jobs don’t pay much. I’m talking about my generation’s perception of those jobs. Not the reality.
We made a point to include the word PROUDLY in our logo because American workers take pride in the quality of their products. This was a common response from the American workers you interviewed in your film. In general, is your generation willing to pay a bit more for higher quality or does it depend on the type of product?
Josh: This is where people tend to scratch their heads because I don’t recommend buying American-made at all time. Yes, I will pay a little more for quality if I know it will truly last longer. I WILL NOT buy something just because it says Made in USA, I have to like it and it has to meet my needs.
Some people support Made in America because it reduces the risk of the high tech knowledge in our products being stolen by the foreign countries we could outsource to. Sounds like a great reason, but is protection of this knowledge really possible in today’s world where countries play by different rules?
Josh: I’ve heard many stories about China and other countries ripping into people’s patents. Once again, countries that don’t play by the rules should be banned from trading with the United States. If we’re to embrace global trade, we must have a set of rules all can play by. My best example would be to compare this to Major League Baseball. If one team (America) wasn’t allowed to use steroids and the opposing team (China) was allowed to use steroids how is that a fair deal? I know this comparison can be picked apart, but for the sake of what I’m trying to explain please understand the message I’m trying to deliver. If another country can allow modern-day slavery and zero environment regulation how can anyone compete with that? We allow products to come into our country in which workers are treated as modern-day slaves in some parts of the world. We turn a blind eye because we want our $5 T-shirt. Most of these things are out of sight out of mind. How many people out there would bite into a juicy hamburger if they had to watch the cow get slaughtered in front of their eyes? I’ve actually discussed with several filmmakers about creating a show in which I visited countries notorious for human rights abuses and environmental abuses, but no one wants to touch it. We’ve been talking about issues like this for decades, the only way it’s going to change is if the mindset of the global community changes.
We do need to keep positive relationships with our trade responsible trade partners that play by the rules. However, I believe over the past 30–40 years we’ve gotten the short end of the stick and most of the world is laughing at us. We need to change policy to put ourselves back in a position where we’re less dependent on the rest of the world for our products. That may sound like I’m contradicting myself, but exporting will be the key to our financial future and sustainability. We need to make an effort to purchase more Made in America products, but we don’t need to become isolationists. The problem is as middle class America shrinks and suffers, so do our wallets. This impacts our purchasing power. In this global economy, everything we do is now connected in some way. It’s time we step up to the plate and be a world leader again. I believe we’re losing an economic war we don’t even realize we’re fighting. If we continue to let other countries manipulate currency, abuse their workers, and treat the environment like a dumpsite, the future is not going to go well and this conversation will not even matter. Accountability and responsibility is key.
The “Maker Movement” seems to be going strong in your generation. Can you tell our baby boomer audience what it is and why it is important to you? Do you see this as a fad or something that is sustainable and will create jobs?
Josh: I certainly believe the Maker Movement is something that can be sustained and create jobs. I enjoy reading articles about it and our creative talent. There is power in artistry and in my opinion the Maker Movement is something that should continue to gain quite a bit of attention for the foreseeable future. Once again I don’t think my generation cares as much about where things are made. I just don’t know if we ever will for the most part. My generation thinks on a global scale because we grew up with access the world at our fingertips. You have to get my generation’s attention by making us feel like we’re important. We want to feel like we’re in control. I don’t know how you reach a generation like this in regards to “Made in USA”. I believe helping my generation to understand that they can lead and empower the world on a global scale is a good strategy to reach us. The Maker Movement is appealing because we’re creating something with our own hands; it makes us feel important and gives us something to share with the world.
Some people believe another solution to the loss of American jobs is to encourage more entrepreneurship: the creation of new ideas, products and prototypes. Do you think this can make a difference? Not everyone has entrepreneurial skills.
Josh: Entrepreneurship is the only thing that will turn the tides of America’s future. The creation of new ideas, products, and prototypes will move our country forward. still believe we have some of the best minds in the world and we’ll figure out a solution to our problems eventually. I disagree that everyone doesn’t have entrepreneurial skills. They may lack certain attributes, but we’re all entrepreneurs at heart. I firmly believe that. I would recommend the viewer listen to my interview with Tulane Professor Peter Ricchutti about how entrepreneurship is key to our economic future. I think to move in this direction our education system needs an overhaul as well. If our country continues to change we must change the way we educate our upcoming generations. Education and Entrepreneurship goes hand in hand. However, it may not be the typical education we’re used to seeing in today’s world. I’m a supporter of a huge overhaul of the education system as we know it today.
Voter turnout in our country is low because people do not believe their vote really makes a difference in our political system, where big business seems to have so much influence. It seems to me the one way everyone can make a difference in the number of jobs we have would be to ‘vote’ with their wallets and Buy American. Every time we Buy American we can help save or create a job here, and send a message to competitors who continue to outsource to other countries. Does our own purchasing power have as much influence in creating jobs as our government and its policies?
Josh: We have to help consumers better understand how a business works. A business forms to meet a demand, often specific demands. If your sink gets clogged, you call a plumber. If you need food you go to the grocery store, and the grocery store stocks what consumers buy often. The consumer has and always will have the power. The government can influence behavior, but at the end of the day the consumer has the ultimate power, just as the voter does. It’s all a matter of perception. Walmart didn’t announce they wanted to support more domestic production for no reason or because it made them “feel good”. Walmart made that change because they noticed a change in consumer habits. The purchasing power of the consumer is the most important factor in the Made in America movement.
Thank you Josh. To download and watch the documentary film Made in the USA: The 30 Day Journey click here.
RM
