We’re in an era where politicians—who’ve always lied to us—are saying things like:
We need tariffs to fix our trade deficits with other countries.
We need to bring back manufacturing to America.
We need to reshore supply chains from overseas.
We need to stop relying on cheap immigrant workers for labor.
These are fake solutions that avoid confronting the real problems that capitalism causes. People need to know who their enemy is, and to inoculate themselves against demagogues who are spewing high-stakes nonsense 24/7. Above all, they need to understand 1) the reasons manufacturing in America has declined and that 2) we’re in a global economy where the fates of workers from rich and poor nations hangs together.
So with a little research and a lot of editing work, I thought I’d pull together something that helps make sense of what’s wrong with the economy—for normal working people. In three simple charts, I try to break down (almost) everything that’s wrong with the economy today, and what needs to happen to un-f*ck our situation.
Worth your time! ✌️