Big plant closings get the headlines, but the ripple effect you cite often makes up the bulk of the hit side. A good example is the death of the heavy steel industry in the Pittsburgh-Cleveland-Mahoning Valley region. When those plants went away, the numerous (non-union, family-owned) small businesses, tool makers, machine shops, jobbers for specialty parts, etc., all went under. There are those who say small business is the backbone of America. But often small business is dependent for its lifeblood on big business. It is a symbiosis that is often overlooked by those who say we don't need big manufacturing anymore.
Chrysler, which is now owned by the germans(the ones we fought in ww2) has emphasized that it also wants its suppliers, parts suppliers, tool makers, etc. to be foreign, or to get its material from foreign lands. Frankly, I see nothing pro-american about Chrysler at all anymore, nor should I expect to. They were among the first to want to foreign outsource and lay off american workers after the germans took control. It is easy to see why Chrysler which is controlled by sons and daughters of nazi troops to do this, but why are other american companies so bent on replacing american workers? Is there any company left that is pro-america anymore?
Big plant closings get the headlines, but the ripple effect you cite often makes up the bulk of the hit side. A good example is the death of the heavy steel industry in the Pittsburgh-Cleveland-Mahoning Valley region. When those plants went away, the numerous (non-union, family-owned) small businesses, tool makers, machine shops, jobbers for specialty parts, etc., all went under. There are those who say small business is the backbone of America. But often small business is dependent for its lifeblood on big business. It is a symbiosis that is often overlooked by those who say we don't need big manufacturing anymore.Actually the reports of steel's death in Cleveland have been greatly exaggerated due to IMG, which seems to be doing well in the old LTV East plant. It's run by engineers, not beancounters (like the Japanese steel companies) and that helps.
A big and underrated problem with industry in urban areas is CERCLA. No one wants to buy/lease an old industrial site because you might end up liable for an extensive cleanup if something is found buried....never mind that it was buried legally fifty years ago and isn't bothering anything where it is. Even if one wanted to take the chance the banks won't...they have been held liable too.
The enviro-Dims only want to make things worse. The Clinton era EPA wanted to start charging companies with civil rights violations if they were found to be "disproportionately polluting" in predominantly minority areas. A number of big city mayors gave birth to porcupines (breech presentation) when they heard that idea.
-Eric