Greetings!
When a monkey wrench falls into the gears of a machine, it stops. No matter if the wrench is deliberately or accidently dropped in, it jams up in the gears.
The first thing you do is to remove the monkey wrench so the gears can once again start turning. Then you analyze how the monkey wrench got there in the first place and develop procedures to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
At this moment, the supply chain is as complicated as a Swiss watch; its gears are being jammed by multiple monkey wrenches that are obviously being thrown into the gears by our, state and federal governments.
Let’s look at the log jam of ships at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, California. Foreign goods are having no problem reaching our shores. Getting the cargo off the ships and out of the ports is the problem.
In California, undue regulation is jamming up the supply chain gears. The culprit is legislation called Assembly Bill 5.
Basically, trucks with engines built before 2011 are now prohibited from entering the ports. Drivers must now be 21 years of age, an increase from 18. Owner operated vehicles are no longer allowed, banning non-union drivers. Half the nation’s trucks are now ineligible from entering and loading cargo from our 2 major ports.
Yes, there are many other major factors involved in the supply chain debacle. Leadership from our federal government seems to be lacking. While proverbial Rome is burning, the United States Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, takes a 2 month paternity leave. Paying people not to work doesn’t just apply to our Transportation Secretary. The policy of federally enhanced unemployment benefits has helped many families but now is enabling some from taking available jobs.
Good leadership must be able to solve problems by analyzing the root cause and take decisive action. Both these characteristics are lacking at all levels of government.
One solution being offered is to start your Christmas shopping early. Thank God Christmas is not being delayed.
Paul Parisi
Director-Government Domain
520-869-1679
Paul@4Tucson.com
