[bert]

Well of course you are right, you have listed several of the factors other than excessive union wages and benefits that contribute to the noncompetitive condition in steel manufacturing .

You failed to note however, that the factors listed are desirable by the American people. That is, Americans have eliminated pollution by eliminating some of the sources. Also, Americans do not dislike and even favor products and commodities like steel that are inexpensive and manufactured elsewhere.

The mills were closed and the jobs ended by consensus of the American people acting through the American political system

[Garth Tater]

"The mills were closed and the jobs ended by consensus of the American people acting through the American political system"

Here, let me fix that for you:

The mills were closed and the jobs ended by a corrupt, bought-and-paid-for political system.

Big business, as epitomized by the Chamber of Commerce, bought the votes they needed to allow this to happen. The American people were too busy working and trying to make ends meet to take the time to educate themselves on this subject - to their detriment.