I'll never tire of blaming the Clinton's, but your point is well taken. Having an R next to your name is no proof of a backbone.
Energy prices on the world market are not coming down in the near term. The Chinese and Indian economies are growing, and with a combined population of nearly 10 times ours, even baby steps are like earthquakes. Its not just fuel, steel and concrete are being vacuumed up like crazy and the prices are through the roof. Its the new reality.
With advances in communications, there is no need to build your factory near your consumer, so you will want to build it where they want you. California doesn't want you, and few other states want you. If you don't have to, you won't build there.
China does want you, and so does India, and so does Mexico. So does Brazil. Why would anyone in their right mind build anything in the US?
And since the Asian market potentially dwarfs ours, the added distance to the US becomes even more a non-issue.
Blaming the Clinton's and getting all excited that Hillary may run for president is fine and all but Repubs have been in power for 4 years going now - uncontested power at that. Use it or lose it.