Chris-PA
Where the Wild Things Are
“Hollowing Out” in U.S. Manufacturing: Analysis and Issues for Congress http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R41712.pdf
It's not regulations, it's energy.
Basically the US peaked in oil production (and per capita income) in the early 1970's. The industrial system of manufacturing and selling products no longer provides enough return on investment for those who own the companies given the ever higher cost of energy and the cost of servicing the ever higher debt. It doesn't work any more. Some have responded with efforts to replace US workers with more automation, many more have switched to much cheaper foreign workers to replace both automation and US workers.
Both of these are temporary measures. As the cost energy and debts continue to rise, and the availability of both decrease, the next step is not only no manufacturing jobs, but no products either.
Learn to fix what you have.
It's not regulations, it's energy.
Basically the US peaked in oil production (and per capita income) in the early 1970's. The industrial system of manufacturing and selling products no longer provides enough return on investment for those who own the companies given the ever higher cost of energy and the cost of servicing the ever higher debt. It doesn't work any more. Some have responded with efforts to replace US workers with more automation, many more have switched to much cheaper foreign workers to replace both automation and US workers.
Both of these are temporary measures. As the cost energy and debts continue to rise, and the availability of both decrease, the next step is not only no manufacturing jobs, but no products either.
Learn to fix what you have.