Instead of largely ineffective "trickle-down incentives," enable people to "trickle-up" their own manufacturing businesses. One example of this would be my "General Stores" concept. Through micro-loans and micro-grants, we can facilitate setting up "General Stores" in communities and neighborhoods. Home based businesses would have central places (such as vacant storefronts) to offer goods and services on a cooperative basis—that is, participants would take turns staffing them for everyone else. Some examples of these goods include, antiques, jewelry, house plants, clothing, books, arts and crafts, and soaps and cosmetics. Services could include bicycle repair, small appliance repair, shoe and clothing repair. These goods and services could be provided occasionally by people who would travel from store to store. As an incentive, states (as opposed to the federal government) could waive sales taxes. Through the power of the internet, fledgling businesses founded through "General Stores" also can step up to marketing regionally, nationally, and even around the world.
Expand "trickle-up" opportunities in manufacturing through greater use of Employee Stock Ownership Programs (ESOPs), B-corporations and co-operatives. These methods of organizing empower and incentivize workers and small business owners. Hy-vee Foods, a regional supermarket chain (with stores in and near the 16th district communities of Bloomington, Galesburg, and Genesco, is an example of an ESOP, when workers/owners stand to benefit if the stock price increases.Widely found throughout the 16th district, credit unions are member-owned financial cooperatives. Dairyland Power, also in the 16th district, is a co-op for utilities. Benefit or "B-corporations"balance profit and purpose: they are dedicated to environmental and social pursuits.
"Re-shore" some of our manufacturing by bringing processes back to the United States in order to minimize carbon impacts. For example, U.S. Medical Glove imported much of its product until it established its headquarters in the 16th district community of Harvard. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, showed that this can be a risky sourcing strategy. Accordingly, the company now manufactures gloves and other equipment in several stateside locations. Another industry that is a good candidate for re-shoring is ingredients in pharmaceuticals. According to the Food and Drug Administration, only 28% of them are manufactured in the United States
