Manufacturing in Georgia

Georgia has been adding manufacturing plants at a faster pace since 2017. The great sucking sound of jobs leaving the US that started in 1993 has stopped. Many more manufacturing operations will be added in the years to come. Some will be US companies and others will be companies from everywhere. We have a company headquartered in Latvia ramping up in Dublin GA.  See below.

'High-tech' Dublin production plant offers training, apprenticeships. Purdue by WGXA staff, 4/18/19.

Valmiera Glass produces glass fibre fabrics that are used for many technical applications and industries worldwide. 

DUBLIN, Ga. -- U.S. Senator David Perdue of Georgia toured Valmiera Glass Group’s production plant in Dublin on Thursday. He also met with employees and says the company is helping out the midstate economy.

"Just last year they hired over 450 people. Brand new jobs here in Dublin. It is a highlight of what I get to do, I am excited about what is going on here, these people are on a growth trajectory. There is new technology, new equipment coming here, new training, new people and it is just a vibrant part of our economy," Purdue said. 

I asked them, 'So why are you here?' and they said, 'Well it is a good job, they train you.' In fact they sent 100 people just over the last year back to Latvia to be trained in this process. It is a very high-tech, very specialized process. You don't find a lot of companies doing that anywhere in the world," he says. "This is the best combination here in Valmiera, of apprenticeships, training, technical school cooperation and training, and follow up here inside with employees."

WGXA spoke with Perdue afterwards. Watch the interview above. Anyone interested in one of Valmiera's apprenticeships can check out the company's website.

https://wgxa.tv/news/local/senator-perdue-tours-dublin-production-plant-meets-with-employees

Valmiera Glass Group is headquartered in Valmieta Latvia.

The British subsidiary of the company, Valmiera Glass UK Ltd., based in Dorset, produces fiberglass products for the aviation industry, thermal insulation and architecture.

Their American subsidiary, P-D Valmiera Glass USA Corp., located in Dublin, Georgia, produces non-woven glass fibre materials or glass fibre mat, which are most commonly used as thermal and acoustic insulation materials in the automotive industry, shipbuilding, power plants, construction, production of household appliances, etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valmiera_Fibreglass

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Auto Sales Down

New car prices are too high and Japanese cars last forever. New car ads stress driver safety with loads of sensors that add to the costs. Airbag failures fuel US consumer skepticism about car safety gadgets. The self-driving hype is ignoring the increase in rent and consumer debt. Car companies got it wrong…again. The article below mentions every illogical reason for lower new car sales except climate change.

Auto Execs are Secretly Worried About 2019 Sales, by Wealth Authority.

This past week marked the return of the annual New York Auto Show, a spring tradition in the “city that never sleeps” where various automakers released 24 new vehicle models to the public. It was the typical pomp and circumstance among the auto industry’s who’s who, with executives touting their company’s abilities, lapping it up with the public and press, and talking about the strength of domestic and global manufacturing.

But there was something else significant that occurred at the New York Auto Show, and it didn’t directly relate to any of the vehicles that were on display for the public to see. No, the thing that arguably cast a black eye on the show is what the industry’s top auto executives expressed in private interviews and off-the-record conversations: they’re worried about 2019.

Yes, auto sales haven’t been lighting the world on fire so far this year. Sales were down in January and February to kick off the new year, but there were a lot of factors at play to help explain the dip. For starters, the beginning of a new year is always a slower time for purchasing, as consumers are still reeling from the holiday spending period. The bad weather, namely the polar vortex that engulfed a large portion of the nation, wasn’t exactly favorable either. And the government shutdown that extended into February certainly didn’t help things. But sales haven’t picked up since then, and it’s led to growing concern among auto executives. As evidenced by behavior at the New York Auto Show, this growing concern is starting to become more and more public.

Stagnant at best — that seems to be the thinking among executives and auto analysts when it comes to describing 2019 new vehicle sales. But there’s worry that even “stagnant” may be a bit too optimistic. To put the context in perspective, vehicle sales overall were down about 4 percent during the first quarter of 2019. In fact, only four automakers reported increased sales over the first three months of the year. That’s not good news.

So what are some of the factors that may be stifling new sales? How about looking at the prices of cars these days. Only about 30 percent of all vehicles on the market these days have an MSRP of under $30,000. That’s compared to about half of all vehicles that were below the $30,000 price point in 2012.

This increase in vehicle prices has increased the average monthly lease payment to more than $480 per month and the average payment to finance a vehicle to purchase at about $515 per month.

Noting this, more consumers could be opting to hang onto older vehicles longer or buy used. If President Donald Trump moves forward with a 25 percent import tax on foreign metals, that will only go to make vehicles more expensive — with the trickle down effect surely impacting consumer behavior when it comes to new automobiles.

Despite bleak auto sales to mark 2019 so far, there are optimists who believe that better things are ahead this year. For starters, spring is always the busiest period of the year for auto sales. Additionally, many analysts predicted a dip in automotive sales this year after the past several years experienced year-over-year growth. Some even believe that we’ll see numbers that were far better than what were projected when the 2019 quarter four numbers are finalized.

The important thing to note with the auto industry’s slow 2019 is that the industry is far from the poor situation it was in when the economy bottomed out in 2008.

Many automakers, such as General Motors, have been proactive in adjusting to expected market conditions ahead of time, whether it’s involved layoffs or the discontinuing of unpopular models. But new car sales are certainly something worth keeping an eye on moving forward, as any extended lapse in sales could lead to more far-reaching consequences.

Regards, Ethan Warrick, Editor, Wealth Authority

https://www.wealthauthority.com/articles/auto-execs-are-secretly-worried-about-2019-sales/

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

US GDP Grew 3.2% in Q1

US economy grows by 3.2% in the first quarter, topping expectations, by Fred Imbers, 4/26/19.

First-quarter gross domestic product expanded by 3.2%, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said in its initial read of the economy for that period.

Economists polled by Dow Jones expected the U.S. economy increased by 2.5% in the first quarter.

Gross domestic product for the first quarter was the best start to a year since 2015.

First-quarter gross domestic product expanded by 3.2%, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said Friday in its initial read of the economy for that period. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected growth of 2.5%. It was the first time since 2015 that first-quarter GDP topped 3%.

“The upside beat was helped by net trade (exports jumped while imports contracted sharply) and inventories which combined contributed almost 170 bps of the rise,” wrote Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at Bleakley Advisory Group. “Personal spending though, the biggest component was up just 1.2%, two tenths more than expected as an increase in spending on services and nondurable goods offset a decline in spending on durable goods.”

Exports rose 3.7% in the first quarter, while imports decreased by 3.7%. Economic growth also got a lift from strong investments in intellectual property products. Those investments expanded by 8.6%.

Disposable personal income increased by 3%, while prices increased by 1.3% when excluding food and energy. Overall prices climbed by 0.8% in the first quarter.

Friday’s data was the first look at how the economy fared during the longest government shutdown in history. The federal government ceased operations for 35 days between late December and Jan. 25 amid a standoff between the Trump administration and congressional Democrats over funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Investors were closely watching for the report as they looked for more confirmation that a recession may not be in the cards over the short term.

The report “helps offset fears of slowing global growth,” said Alec Young, managing director of global market research at FTSE Russell. “At a time of lingering U.S.-Chinese trade uncertainty and weak economic data everywhere from Germany to Korea to Japan, strong U.S. data acts as an insurance policy against further global economic weakness. And with inflation still subdued, it’s too early to start worrying about Fed rate hikes again.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/26/gdp-q1-2019-first-read.html

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

US Average Household Net Worth

What’s your net worth, and how do you compare to others? By Dayana Yochim, 1/29/19.

Home value, job title, car model, savings account balance. These things merely hint at how wealthy you or your neighbors are. The naked financial truth comes down to just one number: net worth.

Net worth is the total of what you own minus what you owe. It’s a mathematical reckoning of assets accumulated (including cars, homes, Roth IRAs and that dish of loose change on the dresser) and debts accrued (such as mortgages, auto loans, student loan debt and credit card IOUs). And the average net worth is …

A household in the U.S. has an average net worth of $692,100, according to the most recent data from the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances.

Shocked by that figure? That’s because the average (aka the “mean”) is skewed by the nation’s super wealthy. The median net worth of the average U.S. household is $97,300. Median is the middle point where half the households have more and half have less.

That means the median figure may be a better indicator of where you stand relative to your friends and neighbors. But the overall figures are just one indicator. There are many other ways to slice net worth figures published in the 2016 survey. Let’s start with age:

Median and average net worth by age

Under 35: Median net worth: $11,100 (average net worth: $76,200).

35-44: $59,800 ($288,700).

45-54: $124,200 ($727,500).

55-64: $187,300 ($1,167,400).

65-74: $224,100 ($1,066,000).

75+: $264,800 ($1,067,000).

The Fed conducts the survey every three years. Looking at how families fared from early 2013 to early 2016 based on the educational attainment of the head of household, 

Americans without a college degree experienced the largest gains in median net worth (up anywhere from 24% to 29%). During that same period, the median net worth of families headed by someone with a college degree increased just 2%.

Median and average net worth by education

No high school diploma: Median net worth: $22,800 (average net worth: $157,200).

High school diploma: $67,100 ($249,600).

Some college: $66,100 ($340,600).

College degree: $292,100 ($1,511,100).

Other noteworthy changes in net worth from 2013 to 2016:

The median net worth of homeowners ($231,400) increased 15%.

Renters or other non-homeowners saw their median net worth fall 5% to $5,200.

The net worth of nonurban households grew to a median of $87,900 from $70,100 in 2013, while city dwellers padded their median net worth by 13% (up about $12,000 to $99,000).

That was a fun exercise, right? But …Does net worth really matter? Yes, but only as a treetop view of your overall financial picture. A bunch of other data points, some of which determine your net worth, give you more telling and actionable information. Some key numbers to know are:

Your credit score tells lenders (and others, like landlords and insurers) how well you handle borrowed money. It changes based on whether you make payments on time and stay within your credit limits, in addition to several other factors.

Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) tells how financially stretched you are. It’s a measurement of how much of your monthly income goes to cover debt and other must-pay expenses, such as your rent or mortgage, credit card, student loan, alimony and other payment obligations. Divide the total of those by your gross monthly income (or use a debt-to-income ratio calculator).

This number is important when you’re applying for a loan. Most lenders set their own debt-to-income ratio requirement. In general, a DTI of 20% or less is considered low. Mortgage lenders like the number to be less than 36%, but may go higher in certain cases, depending on other factors, such as your credit score. A DTI of 50% or more indicates financial stress.

Your retirement savings score reveals what kind of lifestyle you’ll be able to live in the future based on your current age, salary and retirement savings (how much money you’ve got in your workplace plan and any individual retirement accounts, or IRAs).

Get a snapshot of where you stand with a retirement savings calculator, which shows you how close you are, as a percentage, to a savings goal that will sustain the retirement you want. You can play with the numbers saving a few hundred dollars more a month; retiring early; working part time — to see how different factors affect how much money you’ll have to spend each month.

While it’s interesting to calculate your net worth, having a handle on these other financial measures is what really matters when making day-to-day and big-dollar money decisions.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/whats-your-net-worth-and-how-do-you-compare-to-others-2018-09-24

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Federal Land is Unconstitutional

Obama-Appointed Federal Judge Stifles Trump Admin In Opening Land For Coal Mining - Ignores Elephant In The Room, by Suzanne Hamner, 4/23/19.

It is particularly disturbing to read news articles where an elephant in the room is grossly ignored when covering the particulars of the story.  Too many American citizens are illiterate of the Constitution and ignorant of its tenets.  The media, particularly the alternative media, should be pointing out these elephants while covering the main story in order to demonstrate to the people the extent of the violations against the people the various levels of government commit.

The Daily Caller reported: A federal judge in Montana delayed a Trump administration attempt to open up more federal lands to coal mining Friday, The New York Times reported.

Exactly what "federal lands" does the federal government "own" in Montana?  According to Article I, Section 8, paragraph 16, of the Constitution of the united States of America, "To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such district (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of government of the united States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the State in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dock-yards, and other needful buildings; ...."  Other than land for these purposes, the Constitution prohibits the federal government from owning any land it can open to coal mining, create parks, or hold for any purpose.  Yet, the focus is on the continuing friction between the Obama administration and its appointed federal judges and the Trump administration.

https://freedomoutpost.com/obama-appointed-federal-judge-stifles-trump-admin-in-opening-land-for-coal-mining-ignores-elephant-in-the-room/

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

California Screamin

California Logic: Raise Gas Taxes - Demand Investigation Into Why Gas Prices Are High, by Mac Salvo, 4/25/19.
 

California is home to some of the most power-hungry politicians on Earth. These people actually hiked the gasoline tax, and are now demanding an investigation into why gas prices are higher in California than elsewhere in the United States.  It would be sad if it wasn’t so insane.

California Governor Gavin Newson is demanding an investigation into why the state’s gas prices are so high. But as Reason points out, it’s not all that difficult to see what that California politicians are the culprit.  In fact, the reason the gas prices are high is that Newsom (and other politicians) raised taxes on gasoline.

As lieutenant governor, Gavin Newsom supported a 2017 bill increasing the state’s gas taxes. When running for governor in 2018, he opposed a ballot initiative that would have repealed that same increase, reported Reason. But like all politicians, Newsom is unwilling to admit that he and his comrades in the California government have caused the problem. So begins the finger-pointing.

The governor sent a letter to the California Energy Commission (CEC) on Tuesday demanding that the state agency “investigate” California’s roughly $4.03 per gallon gas prices, which are currently the highest in the country. Those prices are also well above the national average of $2.86 per gallon.

“Independent analysis suggests that an unaccounted-for price differential exists in California’s gas prices and that this price differential may stem in part from inappropriate industry practices,” wrote Newsom in his letter to the CEC. “These are all important reasons for the Commission to help shed light on what’s going on in our gasoline market.”

California currently imposes the second-highest gas taxes in the country. A state excise tax currently adds $.417 per gallon (almost 42 cents per gallon), and that rate that will increase to $.473 (47 cents per gallon) come July. But that’s not all. On top of that tax, the state imposes a 2.25 percent gasoline sales tax. There’s more. California has also added a low-carbon fuel standard and a cap-and-trade scheme for carbon emissions which together already increase the state’s gas prices by $.24 per gallon above the national average, according to a 2017 state government report.

The worst part is that Newsome isn’t the only problem causer asking for blame to shifted to “inappropriate industry practices” as opposed to their gas tax hikes. In January, 19 state legislators (17 of whom had voted in favor of that 2017 gas tax increase, while the other two had only entered office in 2018) sent a letter to State Attorney General Xavier Becerra, in which they demanded that the state’s Department of Justice (DOJ) investigate the “unexplained gasoline surcharge” that was estimated to cost Californian families $1,700 a year.

Yeah. It’s a real head-scratcher. Even someone who understands just the basics of economics knows that high levels of taxation and regulation and a lack of competition in the state’s fuel sector are not mutually exclusive explanations to the high gas prices. 

Government fees and red tape often have the effect of squeezing out marginal producers and retailers (eliminating competition) giving remaining firms greater ability to raise prices.  It’s called supply and demand. The demand remains but much of the supply is gone. Once the competition (supply) is gone by way of taxation and regulation, the companies that remain can jack the prices up as high as they want. California’s government is not doing its residents any favors when it comes to their policies.

https://freedomoutpost.com/california-logic-raise-gas-taxes-demand-investigation-into-why-gas-prices-are-high/

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Senators Funding Terror

Democrat Senators need to be replaced. They are Diane Feinstein CA, Patrick Leahy VT, Chris Coons DE, Chris Van Hollen MD, Catherine Masto NV and Jeff Merkley OR.

These 6 Democrat Senators Sold Out Jewish Terror Victims To Restore Cash To Islamic Jihadis, by Daniel Greenfield, 4/24/19.

In 2002, Shmuel Waldman, an American from New Jersey, was shot while boarding a bus in Israel. The terrorist attack killed 2 people and left 40 injured. Among that 40 was Shmuel whose leg was blown apart, forcing him to undergo multiple surgical procedures, and leaving him suffering from PTSD.

The terrorist who shot him was Said Ramadan, a “police officer” working for the terrorists who run the Palestinian Authority. The attack had been planned by senior Palestinian Authority officials and the Palestinian Authority viewed Ramadan as a hero. Waldman joined other victims of terrorism in a lawsuit against the terrorist group, which is funded by American taxpayers, under the Antiterrorism Act.

Waldman v. PLO resulted in a record award of $655 million in damages against the Palestinian Authority terror network. But the verdict was thrown out because an American court lacked jurisdiction over the terrorist group even though the United States provides much of the cash flow that its terrorists rely on.

The Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act was introduced and approved to make it clear that accepting security assistance for its "police force" would place the Palestinian Authority under judicial jurisdiction for lawsuits such as these. The PA could stop funding terrorism or face lawsuits from its victims.

A ruthless battle was waged against ATCA by a variety of groups which understood that the Palestinian Authority would not stop funding and promoting terrorism under any circumstances. These groups falsely claimed that ATCA would undermine American and Israeli security. That was a blatant lie. The only thing that ATCA would undermine was the flow of tax dollars to Islamic terrorists.

Last year, the Palestinian Authority informed the United States that the terror group would no longer accept any aid from the United States that would expose it to ATCA lawsuits. The terror group’s letter suggested that it might revisit its refusal if the law were changed. That’s just what 6 Democrat senators, led by Senator Dianne Feinstein have set out to do, using the false claim of a humanitarian disaster.

“President Trump’s refusal to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people is a strategic mistake,” Senator Feinstein claimed, accusing him of "denying funding for clean water, health care and schools in the West Bank and Gaza."

Senator Chris Coons urged, “It is critical that we restore lifesaving aid to the West Bank and Gaza.” Senator Jeff Merkley insisted that, “Aid to innocent civilians should not be caught up in broader geopolitical battles. We can and should restore aid to children and other vulnerable populations at the same time as we stand steadfastly by Israel’s security.”

But the real agenda revealed by their resolution shows that it’s not about humanitarian aid, but about restoring funding to the Islamic terrorists of the Palestinian Authority.

While Feinstein claims that Trump is preventing “clean water” and “health care” aid, her own resolution actually begins by admitting that, “the Palestinian Authority’s interpretation of the Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act… led the Palestinian Authority to reject all forms of United States assistance.” The problem isn’t Trump. It isn’t the United States. It’s that the Palestinian Authority is a terror group.

The Palestinian Authority, on whose behalf Senator Feinstein is advocating, rejected the money that Dianne wants to give the terror group, because it doesn’t want to face American terror victims in court.

Rather than telling the truth about that, Senator Feinstein and her five accomplices start out by lying about the problem, and about what they want to accomplish, while assuming that the media will never report the truth. They are almost certainly right about that. But wrong about everything else.

The resolution, “Expressing the sense of Congress regarding restoring United States bilateral assistance to the West Bank and Gaza”, specifically demands $196 million for the Economic Support Fund, $60 million for International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement; and another million for anti-terrorism.

But the Palestinian Authority is a terrorist coalition. Some of its components, such as the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, are even officially listed as terrorist groups by the United States. 

Palestinian Authority “police” deserve the name the same way that ISIS cops did. They’re armed members of a terrorist network with a history of participating in terrorist attacks. This network was set up with United States aid in the Clinton era. Senator Feinstein is vocally insisting that we continue funding terrorists.

If Feinstein, Coons and Merkley were really just concerned about humanitarian assistance, they would not have pushed for funds for the armed components of a terrorist network. This is not about “clean water”, it’s about dirty cash flowing to the enforcers for a terrorist group while leaving their victims out in the cold.

The six senators want the PA’s thugs to get paid, while their victims are left unable to sue them.

Feinstein is joined in this charade by Senator Patrick Leahy, Senator Chris Coons, Senator Chris Van Hollen, and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, and Senator Jeff Merkely. 

Senator Van Hollen claims that he wants to help “millions of children” with this resolution. “There are thousands of children and families in the West Bank and Gaza who need the aid the United States has historically provided," Cortez Masto appealed. Is it thousands or millions? Since it’s not about the children, the fake numbers don’t actually matter.

If the senators read their own resolution, they would see that it frees terrorists from being sued for the foreign aid they receive from American taxpayers by their American victims in United States courts.

No wonder that Feinstein, Coons, Van Hollen, Cortez Masto and Merkely keep talking about children. Caring about children sounds a lot better than trying to help terrorists defraud terror victims.

A number of the Dem senators invoke Trump, attacking and blaming him, but as their own resolution concedes, it was the Palestinian Authority that turned down ATCA aid. How is that Trump’s fault? Why blame President Trump when your own terrorists would rather kill Jews than take your money?

Senator Feinstein is broadcasting support for her resolution from a variety of “humanitarian” groups. A number of these groups, such as Churches for Middle East Peace, are involved in BDS and other anti-Israel activities. Islamic Relief has been accused of supporting Hamas. As has another NGO on the list.

Feinstein, Van Hollen, Merkley, Coons and Cortez Masto are touting support for their “humanitarian” effort that respects “Israeli security” from Islamic USA whose chair, Khaled Lamada, has allegedly praised Hamas, and distributed conspiracy theories which claim that the Jews are causing Egyptian Muslims to have sex, plan to invade the Nile Valley and that the Egyptian president is a secret Jew.

Democrats are using support from BDS, anti-Israel and anti-Semitic groups to back this resolution. And they are doing so while lying and misleading about the resolution, its aims and its purpose.

Senator Feinstein and her allies have failed to explain what ATCA is or what “legal liabilities” the Palestinian Authority is attempting to evade. That’s because the plain truth is that the six Senate Democrats are trying to defraud terror victims like Shmuel Waldman under the guise of helping children. But the “children” they’re helping are grown men who need our money for their guns.

Officially, the United States doesn’t buy guns or bullets for the terrorist police forces. But money is obviously fungible. The funds that the United States puts into terror groups frees them to buy weapons.

It is ironic that Senator Dianne Feinstein, who has been known for her militant opposition to Americans owning firearms, and for holding firearms manufacturers liable for gun violence, wants to force those same Americans to pay for guns for terrorists while exempting those same terrorists from liability.

Palestinian “security officials” don’t just carry pistols, but Kalashnikov rifles. Those aren’t the weapons of law enforcement, but of a terrorist and guerrilla organization. They’re not meant to police, but to war.

Senator Feinstein hates “assault rifles” when Americans have them, not when Islamic terrorists do.

The resolution isn’t really about humanitarian aid. It’s about allowing terrorists to get away with murder. It’s about stealing money from their victims. And about weakening America’s negotiating position with a terrorist group by exempting it from accountability to the courts, to its victims and to our government.

https://freedomoutpost.com/these-6-democrat-senators-sold-out-jewish-terror-victims-to-restore-cash-to-islamic-jihadis/

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader