The trade deficit is responsible for manufacturing job loss: U.S. manufacturing employment and manufacturing trade deficit, 1997–2014
| Year | Manufacturing employment (left axis) | Manufacturing trade deficit (right axis) |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 17.419 | 130.628 |
| 1998 | 17.56 | 186.527 |
| 1999 | 17.322 | 259.007 |
| 2000 | 17.263 | 317.237 |
| 2001 | 16.441 | 304.107 |
| 2002 | 15.259 | 362.64 |
| 2003 | 14.509 | 403.093 |
| 2004 | 14.315 | 487.44 |
| 2005 | 14.227 | 541.399 |
| 2006 | 14.155 | 558.533 |
| 2007 | 13.879 | 532.222 |
| 2008 | 13.406 | 456.24 |
| 2009 | 11.847 | 319.471 |
| 2010 | 11.528 | 412.74 |
| 2011 | 11.726 | 440.602 |
| 2012 | 11.927 | 458.667 |
| 2013 | 12.006 | 448.056 |
| 2014 | 12.142 | 514.582 |
Source: Manufacturing Job Loss: Trade, Not Productivity, Is the Culprit by Robert E. Scott