[Outsourcing=Competition]

"The better stuff: R&D and design remains here in the States." Give it time, they will also be sent out of the country.

Well, if the big multinationals send it outside then they will be the losers because the American deisgners will go and create better products that'll knock the socks off the one made by their former company.

[looscnnn]

"Well, if the big multinationals send it outside then they will be the losers because the American deisgners will go and create better products that'll knock the socks off the one made by their former company."

Sure they could. If you look at cars though, there are some American concept cars that are pretty cool, but a majority of the concept cars that catch people's attention are the ones designed out of the country. Unfortunately the R&D and design are slowly moving away. Innovations are happening more overseas than here and it is not just due to the lower salaries. Case in point Sony's Aibo, Honda's Asimo.