I work for a manufacturer and call on the manufacturing industry. We hear about all the jobs lost in the auto industry and supporting industries. John McCain actually told the truth during the campaign and said that most of these jobs will not be coming back. What he did not elaborate on was this is due to technology and automation. There is just not a need in this day and age for the amount of workers that performed tasks on the plant floor. To get ahead today is to upgrade those skill, blend with tech savvy and integrate those posts. Most do not want to hear or take advantage of the opportunity.
Also, this links to the discussion of the decrease of union membership. Why the fervent push from the Union leaders to get rid of the secret ballot?
Unfortunately, we have gotten ourselves in the position where if the government/union/education complex doesn't create lots of simple, good-paying jobs for people who are too stupid and miseducated to do work more advanced than filling in a circle for Democrats every two years, the whole country in going to collapse into civil unrest and criminal overload.