We’ve all heard the promise by now: “We’re bringing manufacturing back to America!”
It’s a strong line for campaign rallies. Makes for a great soundbite. But let’s be real—it’s not that simple. Especially not for working families, small businesses, or anyone in TX-3 trying to stretch a dollar.
Here’s the truth that even our own Rep. Keith Self doesn’t seem willing to say out loud: bringing all those jobs back? It’s not just hard—it’s expensive. And in the short term, it could actually hurt the very people it’s supposed to help.
🛠️ Why Did Manufacturing Leave in the First Place? It Was Cheaper
We can’t ignore the reason these jobs left to begin with. The cold reality isn’t that companies packed up and left the U.S. because they hate America—they left because it was cheaper to make stuff elsewhere. Period. Lower wages. Fewer regulations. Cheaper land, cheaper energy.
If we’re talking about bringing that work back, we also need to be honest: we’re bringing back the higher costs, too. Higher wages, higher taxes, stricter standards. And those costs don’t disappear—they show up at the register when you buy groceries, appliances, cars, or clothes.
💸 We’re Talking Higher Wages, Stricter Rules, and Bigger Bills
We all want fair wages, clean air, and safe working conditions—and we should. But none of that comes free. Running a factory in Texas costs a lot more than in Vietnam or Mexico.
That $10 toaster you’re used to buying at Walmart? If we build it here, it might cost $30. Not because anyone’s trying to gouge you—it’s just basic economics. The more it costs to produce something, the more you’re going to pay for it.
👷 We’re Not Ready Yet Anyway
Even if we could bring all the manufacturing back—where are the factories? The machines? The workers?
We’ve spent decades offshoring. A lot of that infrastructure is gone. Just drive down S. McDonald Street in McKinney and you’ll see the Old McKinney Cotton Mill—now on the National Register of Historic Places. Once a beacon of industry, now just part of history.
Let’s be honest—we can’t just snap our fingers and rebuild that overnight. Anyone who tells you otherwise is probably sipping from the same Kool-Aid as the folks who say tariffs will make us rich. Really? They won’t.
It’s going to take years to train people, retool facilities, and scale up production.
🌍 Most Products Are Global Anyway
Here’s another truth that’s hard to swallow: even when you buy something labeled “Made in the USA,” chances are some part of it—a chip, a motor, a circuit board—came from somewhere else.
That’s just how modern supply chains work. Rebuilding all of that here? It’s not just expensive—it’s massively complicated, and it would take serious coordination, planning, and time.
📈 So What Does This Mean for TX-3?
It means that if we rush into this without a real plan, prices will go up—and fast. Families will feel it. So will small business owners already juggling inflation, tight margins, and high rents.
Now don’t get us wrong—we absolutely should bring back critical manufacturing. We should protect vital supply chains. But let’s stop pretending it can happen overnight—or without real trade-offs.
