# $15 billion iron smelter proposed for rural southeastern Iowa **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 30, 2026, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-billion-iron-smelter-proposed-for-rural-southeastern-iowa/1033493 "2026-09-30T22:08:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-billion-iron-smelter-proposed-for-rural-southeastern-iowa/1033493/21 "2026-10-02T14:06:28Z")
Not arguing, just pointing out that the people clamoring to bring manufacturing back aren’t going to get some sort of 1950s/1960s style large scale, highly paid blue collar employment out of it like they’re imagining. They think back to the days of a big steel mill that employed 20,000 men in 1960, and don’t really realize the same size steel mill takes ~1800 these days. And largely our higher pay relative to other countries drives automation even harder. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-billion-iron-smelter-proposed-for-rural-southeastern-iowa/1033493/22 "2026-10-02T14:09:05Z")
I was Googling for the largest _single-site_ employers in each state. As you might expect, one of the biggest is Disney World, with tens of thousands of direct employees (and thousands more in related hospitality businesses). But in other states, often the largest employer is a big hospital system. Universities also can be large employers. IOW there are few places where you’re going to see 10,000 people going to work in the same plant. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-billion-iron-smelter-proposed-for-rural-southeastern-iowa/1033493/23 "2026-10-02T16:17:23Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > I mean, even if a steel works were a good idea, having 10,000 people working there would be absurd. True. But all those 10,000 people still need _some_ job. And they vote. They’ve been lied to, and they believe the lies. But they’re sincerely voting that they want to be able to get good paying low education required jobs in the current and future economy. The pol who can dangle that reward in front of those folks w a straight face will get a lot of votes. A lot. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-billion-iron-smelter-proposed-for-rural-southeastern-iowa/1033493/24 "2026-10-02T16:50:58Z")
With increased automation even in steel plants and coal mines, I suspect low-education jobs of the past now require some computer expertise or training. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-billion-iron-smelter-proposed-for-rural-southeastern-iowa/1033493/25 "2026-10-02T19:09:33Z")
I agree. I live in the region, and lots of people, including those in authority, are saying, “wait, what? We never heard about a huge steel plant.” ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-billion-iron-smelter-proposed-for-rural-southeastern-iowa/1033493/26 "2026-10-02T19:45:26Z")
Linking to a CNN article that covers this And the South Korean promised “investments” and shows how _badly_ Trump is overpromising on this: > **[Trump touted big economic projects in two key Senate states this week. Both...](https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/02/politics/economic-announcements-trump-midterms)** > > President Donald Trump has made it abundantly clear that he’s happy to use official government resources in ethically dubious ways to try to win the 2026 midterm elections. > “I think this deal is done. This deal is done,” Lutnick said. “They’ve already worked it out. That’s why we’re all together with the president. The president doesn’t bring people together unless it’s a done deal. You guys know that already.” > > Trump then jumped in, claiming: “They’ve already started building.” > > That’s not true. > > Indeed, just a day later, Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds [called an emergency special session](https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2026/09/29/steel-plant-iowa-special-session-kim-reynolds-lee-county/91987208007/) of the state legislature focused on tax incentives for the project — exactly the issue that Lutnick was asked about when he declared the deal done . > > The same day, local TV station KWQC [reported](https://www.kwqc.com/2026/09/29/trump-calls-iowas-15b-steel-plant-done-deal-records-show-major-hurdles-remain/) that the project still hadn’t acquired land or applied for permits, and Lee County officials said they didn’t have details about the project. For the steel mill specifically. So promise the world (again) before the midterms, and blame Democrats for when it bogs down for years while getting plans built, permits, and everything else imaginable. The article suggests this, and the Alaskan pipeline over-investment are _less blatant_ attempts than the $5000 checks to shore up support in states where the GOP is risking losses they didn’t plan for in the midterms. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-billion-iron-smelter-proposed-for-rural-southeastern-iowa/1033493/27 "2026-10-02T20:19:14Z")
The residents of Lee County, Iowa can talk to the residents of Wisconsin where a massive Foxconn plant was promised. That never happened though millions of public money was spent. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-billion-iron-smelter-proposed-for-rural-southeastern-iowa/1033493/28 "2026-10-02T20:26:27Z")
Just for reference, about a year and a half ago, my billionaire employer promised Trump $20B of investment in US shipping logistics. Port investment, ship building, etc. Hardly any of it has happened. Ships are too expensive to build here, they’re too expensive to operate under a US flag. They’re making some port investment, granted, but the portion I know about they are contractually obligated to make as a condition of their lease extension agreement. Trump stood there and touted his ability to bring investment here, and the only investment being made is what happened before Trump got elected. [Gift Link to the NYT](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/business/trump-shipping-investors.html?unlocked_article_code=1.FlE.ObwE.pKscjOcJSxc8&smid=url-share) ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-billion-iron-smelter-proposed-for-rural-southeastern-iowa/1033493/29 "2026-10-02T21:25:57Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > That never happened though millions of public money was spent. Well, _someone_ made money on that deal. It just wasn’t the little people - the ones whose votes the GOP is seeking. You’ve got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know… ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-billion-iron-smelter-proposed-for-rural-southeastern-iowa/1033493/30 "2026-10-02T21:34:51Z")
Just a little further down the Mississippi, in Granite City, Illinois, there’s a large steel plant just waiting to be brought back to life. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-billion-iron-smelter-proposed-for-rural-southeastern-iowa/1033493/31 "2026-10-02T21:55:56Z")
but he did bring investment here, if by here you mean his wallet ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2026, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-billion-iron-smelter-proposed-for-rural-southeastern-iowa/1033493/32 "2026-10-03T00:28:51Z")
I understand there are some big new public transport projects planned for Brockway, Ogdenville and North Haverbrook. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/15-billion-iron-smelter-proposed-for-rural-southeastern-iowa/1033493.md?page=1)