Why is 'making things' tied to income or wealth? In the mid-20th century it was, but those are the 'good old days'. We don't want a mid-20th century economy.
The US has the most productive, wealthiest economy in the history of the world, and a very strong one at the moment, without so much of the 'making things'. Why change?
(And why do American taxpayers have to subsidize someone else's uncompetitive, unproductive business? Perhaps they are better off letting the free market allocate the revenue.)
Outcomes of major wars were directly tied to domestic manufacturing ability. By not having manufacturing ability, the U.S. exposes itself to great risk.
The US has by far the most powerful military in the world, with its current domestic manufacturing capability. The idea that the US will be self-sufficient - a path followed only by North Korea - isn't realistic or desireable. They'd give up all the enormous advantages, including manufacturing capability, of all those allies, including S Korea, Japan, Germany, etc etc.
The US has the most productive, wealthiest economy in the history of the world, and a very strong one at the moment, without so much of the 'making things'. Why change?
(And why do American taxpayers have to subsidize someone else's uncompetitive, unproductive business? Perhaps they are better off letting the free market allocate the revenue.)