We were up in St Louis this weekend going to a ball game and visiting with family just oustside of the city. There is a big GM plant there too. Only reason I mention that is my BIL showed me where GM had cleared off a hundred acres or so near where they live and Gm hadsecured it and started parking cars there months ago. He said they number in the thousands. All are ready to go except for the computer modules. Because of a shortage of chips, the whole process is backed up. I guess the news has been out there about it but until now I hadn’t paid much attention. https://www.consumerreports.org/buyi...s-a8160576456/

Big economic hit if it continues until ‘23 like is predicted. Folks, this isn’t the only supply chain that’s in trouble. Hopefully this leads to a more rational discussion about globalization. Nationalism, or Buy America, orwhatever buzzword program you like was never a good enough reason for companies not to chase cheap labor and loose regulation worldwide. Effects of supply disruption on our economy like this automobile one should make us realise that there needs to be a strategery, as Bush II would say. But wouldn’t that be a planned economy? Picking winners and losers again? Man, slippery slope. But is clinging to free market principles in a global economy that isn’t anywhere close to a free market smart?
Like I said, we need a discussion about considering critical supply chains more as national security interests.
God blessthe military industrial complex, eh? I can’t believe I’m even writing this.

BKB