I'm not too sure about the best policy, and I agree with both approaches from current and previous admins, but I would say that while you do seem to see headcount falling one can argue that's temporary due to the tariffs and that you have to have time to build manufacturing facilities and those things before hiring workers.
So headcount is interesting, but perhaps a more interesting figure to keep watch of would be around new facilities and capacity being built and compare/contrast that over time.
I'm not too sure about the best policy, and I agree with both approaches from current and previous admins, but I would say that while you do seem to see headcount falling one can argue that's temporary due to the tariffs and that you have to have time to build manufacturing facilities and those things before hiring workers.
So headcount is interesting, but perhaps a more interesting figure to keep watch of would be around new facilities and capacity being built and compare/contrast that over time.
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/TLMFGCONS
https://www.morganstanley.com/insights/podcasts/thoughts-on-...
A boom in manufacturing output in the day of automation wouldn't mean increased headcount anyway. More automation instead.