[Mr. Bird]

Perhaps. Your question goes to the heart of the matter: why is anyone still doing business in America? Whatever is keeping them here needs to be strengthened, and whatever is pushing them overseas needs to be weakened.

[BushCountry]

You win a prize in my book. Our educational system, tax laws etc... Definately need improving.

[lelio]

why is anyone still doing business in America

I believe that part of it is

• that their business won't get nationalized ala Venezula
• Intellectual Property is respected here and they can use the US / WTO to go after pirates more easily
• Private property rights are more enforced -- witness what happens in Russia if you're on Putin's bad side
• The government provides a lot of police protection that you would have to pay for yourself if living in Mexico
• People are used to living here and like it

[rit]

I agree. For technology, we are at the heading towards the end in the first generation where old-line manufacturing is offshored in both hardware and software. The next generation is still being defined, and it is in this confusion that thousands of US based tech workers are losing their jobs. The savy will accurately guide their companies, and their employees toward that next generation as hardliners such as HP will still be lost in their confusion.

[oceanview]

why do they do business here in america? well, who else has a market for their products? who has the protections of the legal, intellectual property, and patent systems? who has such a relatively low marginal tax rate for the upper income corporate elites? where else can they live a life of luxury, flying on private jets to aspen and palm beach? do you think you could have that lifestyle in bangalore, or in china?