U.S. statistical agencies are barred by law from sharing important microdata with one another, and this leads to statistics on the U.S. economy that are badly inaccurate. The remedy is simple—in theory.

On July 12, 2012, the Governance Studies program at Brookings will host a half-day conference focused on fortifying manufacturing to improve the United States’ future economic performance, social mobility and edge in innovation.

Rob Atkison will present on the panel "How Labor and Manufacturers Are Forging Manufacturing’s New Path."

Examining the hearing demonstrating there is bipartisan interest in making U.S. manufacturing more competitive. The Administration must seize on this. Rather than waiting for the Hill to put the meat on the bone with the NNMI, Administration officials draft specific legislation and work with lawmakers in earnest to turn concept into reality.

Too many people will likely read the McKinsey Global Institute report, "Trading Myths," and come to exactly the wrong conclusion, especially about the United States. For it is one thing to compare a large group of developing countries, but the reality is that not all these nations are the same in their performance, particularly the United States.

Much of the debate around U.S. manufacturing is problematic because the core data on manufacturing output and productivity are flawed. The reality is:

• A large share of manufacturing jobs was lost in the last decade because the United States lost its competitive edge for manufacturing. 
• The loss was unprecedented, and it continues to severely impact the overall U.S. economy. 
• Regaining U.S. manufacturing competitiveness to the point where America runs a trade surplus in manufacturing products is critical to restoring U.S. economic vibrancy.
• Regaining manufacturing competitiveness will create millions of higher-than-average-wage manufacturing jobs and an even greater number of jobs from the multiplier effect in other sectors of the economy. 
• The United States can restore manufacturing competitiveness and balance manufacturing goods trade within less than a decade if it adopts the right set of policies in what can be termed the “four T’s” (tax, trade, talent, and technology).