They left America for cheap labor overseas.

Technology !

DUH, DID YOU EVER HEAR OF TECHNOLOGY?

You know, like this computer that you’re on. Manufacturing jobs have been declining for 65 years. Get an education.

It’s that giant sucking sound of NAFTA. Perot was right!

Many of those have gone overseas, many to China.

Outsourcing is cheaper for companies because of cheap foreign labor. I have an Asian car that has more American parts on it than my wifes GM model does. Crazy isn’t it?

We DO need to negotiate NAFTA and other agreements and encourage manufacturers to make quality vehicles and other durable goods here. McCain, as you said, does not want to do that. Clinton and Obama do.

assembly is going to automation and the economy is tanking…

throw in some overpaid workers and there you go

The same thing that happened to them in the previous 8 years. First to Mexico, then to China, next to Vietnam.

It’s called cheap labor. Either U.S. companies use it and stay in business, or companies of other countries (which by the way, do as much of it as the U.S.) use it and run the U.S. companies out of business.

Listen, automotive assembly is going to go away. American car manufacturers are in terrible financial shape because they got themselves into unsustainable union contracts. Until UAW wises up, the best and most affordable cars will come from companies based in Europe, Japan and Korea.

Trade policy doesn’t help. I don’t want to pay extra for a good, high mileage vehicle so that Ford can continue to produce gas guzzling trucks without punishment from the marketplace.

You need to go all the way back to the 70’s with this question. By leaving those years out you have lost all credibility.

Bubba signing NAFTA was the death knell for decent paying American manufacturing jobs.
Now we can all enjoy minimum wage “service” jobs-whoopee!
Couple that with the highest corporate taxes in the free world and we are screwed.
How about fair trade instead?