[Nowhere Man]

Your right and the real scary implication here is this: Our ability to provide for our own National Security is being sold out, and in the hypothetical event of major world conflict, we would have to re-tool all of our old manufacturing capabilities to sustain a protracted effort. One hopes that this could be achieved in time.

My grandmother said this way back in the 1970's. I don't know if I can vouch for Pittsburgh's abilities anymore, a lot of our steel plants and other industries have fallen to the wrecking ball. Maybe we still have some abilities in the South and Midwest, I dunno.

[ninenot]

You'd have to look damn hard to find heavy-industrial capacity remaining in the Midwest. Most metal-fabricating and machining has moved out--with more scheduled for departure in the next 5 years.

Even finding 50-ton overhead cranes (or 20-ton) is becoming a challenge.