[Last Dakotan]

Thanks for posting this. It sums up what I as an American manufacturer have to deal with.

Unless you have worked in the industry for 25 years, you have no idea how hollowed out the American industrial machine has become.

[Sender]

I haven't worked in manufacturing but from what little I know, it seems that China is an inviting prospect. Send your production over there, and you will have an inexhaustible supply of cheap labor who will work long and hard and cannot complain or quit. You'll save money and hey, who can blame you? Other companies are doing it. You have to stay competitive. China will build your widgets and they'll work until they die. You can't compete. Just give in and outsource production. No one will blame you. They will make your product cheap enough so that even unemployed Americans can afford them.

[CitizenUSA]

Last Dakotan wrote: "Unless you have worked in the industry for 25 years, you have no idea how hollowed out the American industrial machine has become."

Agreed! For example, there are plenty of American companies selling electronic components, but few actually manufacture them. Seriously, many key defense parts are now down to one or no domestic suppliers.

I generally support free trade, but this is ridiculous. How can our manufacturers possibly compete against foreign companies who don't have the same taxes, labor costs, or regulations? That some of them do and still survive is truly amazing, but their number grows smaller every day.

[c-b 1]

Thanks for posting this. It sums up what I as an American manufacturer have to deal with.

I think it probably understates what you have to deal with. It doesn't mention the excessive taxation, and regulation you have to overcome.