The landscape of American defense manufacturing has transformed dramatically since World War II—and not for the better. What happens when a nation with the world's most advanced military technology can't produce enough conventional artillery shells to supply Ukraine while maintaining its own reserves?
This episode brings together three exceptional voices to examine America's critical vulnerability: our diminished industrial capacity. Arthur Herman, author of "Freedom's Forge," provides historical context on how America became the "arsenal of democracy" during WWII, when two-thirds of all Allied war materials came from American factories. Rand Simberg offers insights on how this manufacturing crisis affects the space industry, where China is rapidly closing the gap with American capabilities. Cameron Schiller, CEO of Rangeview, shares frontline experience trying to rebuild American manufacturing through advanced robotics.
Their conversation reveals how decades of globalization created a nation with "a surplus of designers and a deficit in people who actually make real stuff." While America once had abundant workers with mechanical aptitude, today's workforce requires different approaches—highlighting SpaceX's role as an industrial "graduate school" teaching engineers how to build physical systems. The panel examines how vulnerable supply chains, dependent on foreign sources for critical components, create national security risks.
The solution? A return to the "founder mentality" that prioritizes innovation over efficiency, rebuilding domestic supply chains, leveraging new technologies like AI and robotics, and cultivating a workforce skilled in modern manufacturing techniques. This isn't just about economics—it's about America's ability to project power and protect itself in an increasingly competitive world.
Listen now to understand why, as Schiller puts it, "a nation that can't produce is a nation that can't project power."
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This show is presented by the Chapman Center for Demographics and Policy, which focuses on research and analysis of global, national and regional demographic trends and explores policies that might produce favorable demographic results over time.
