[Alberta's Child]

This article offers some interesting insight into the economic quandary American industries face. All of the comments everyone has made here about competition from foreign labor are good ones, but in this case we're discussing one of the few industries that still maintains a strong presence here in the U.S. and employs large numbers of working-class Americans. The products they make are increasingly unaffordable unless the buyers take on considerable debt.

This is the dilemma we're facing, and bringing industries back here to the U.S. isn't going to change that.

[ilovesarah2012]

We have a huge BMW plant where I live and they are always hiring. A lot of related industries as well. I imagine BMW gets all sorts of tax breaks, though.

[snoringbear]

“This is the dilemma we’re facing, and bringing industries back here to the U.S. isn’t going to change that.”

Umm, maybe. But, if the economic, fiscal and tax polices should bend the cost curve downward in favor of bring back mfg, then due to competition, prices would follow the cost curve. However, the most beneficial event would be the return of good paying jobs that would enable employees to return and/or remain in the middle class. Obviously, these higher wages earned would make various products, including autos, more affordable. That’s the theory anyway :)