but still right or wrong

the way the Constitution is written

anything not commanded or forbidden by the Constitution is up to the states

rightly or wrongly however they decide it IS the states decision

This subject is right up my alley.After working for one railroad,3 shipyards,two scrapyards,one foundry,and at least 12 factories making everything from forklifts to medical equipment I understand the cost and logistics in manufacturing in America.America is far from lazy.The problem is there is so many rules,regulations,taxes,fees,and paperwork that go into operating a business that it is nearly impossible to operate.It may not be too hard to open a nail salon or a pizza parlor but when you are talking about opening a factory that involves painting,welding,or any other hazardous chemicals you are in for a battle.The days of getting a permit and building your factory are long gone.

First you must pay the architect to map out your building.Because of new environmental laws and regulations the building has to be green friendly which means expensive modifications that normally would not be required.Trees,bushes,grassy knolls,large windows,special building materials,and other things a factory could care less about.

You then have to hold a town meeting with the public and city officials explaining the impact your factory will have there.Very often the town is not happy having any type of production factory in their city because of the environmental wack jobs who claim your factory will kill all the fish,birds,and wildlife 20 miles anywhere around it.If you do manage to convince the public and city your factory will not harm the environment you are the exception and not the norm.

After you get your blessing from the city council there has to be a environmental review on the long term effects of your factory on the environment.This could take many years and is very expensive.No stone is left unturned when it comes to this investigation and is anything but quick and efficient since it is done by a state agency.

If you get through the environmental wack jobs and they give you their blessing you then have the very costly and long process of construction.Construction companies must follow strict environmental rules.All storm drains around the site must have special and expensive filters that are placed around the drain to keep anything but water from going into them.Hills must have small barriers to keep mud run off from leaving the construction site.Street sweepers or water trucks must roam the streets on a constant basis to keep down air pollution.Many cities now have mandatory time limits on how late or how early you can do your construction.

I can go on and on after you get your factory built but I think you get the picture.

If anything has killed the industrial section of America it has been the high taxes.Clinton was taxing anyone making over $600,000 a whopping 55%.Could you imagine making a million dollars and 55% is already gone to federal taxes?Obama is currently taxing anyone making over $600,000 somewhere in the area of 36% which is still way too high.Take into the money of buying materials,shipping,and employee wages and it is hard to make a profit.You can see how owning a small business is anything but a struggle.

Is it any wonder all of Americans manufacturing business are going overseas?

But the state isn't getting to decide. So in some instances, the federal gov't is protecting the state against the politicians within the state.

well that is why I think Roe v Wade is wrong

not over the morality of abortion but because it violates the wording of the Constitution

I agree. However, when you learn early in life that unless you want to keep losing you have to change what you are doing to compete with others who may have a better skill set than you. Real competition, winners and losers, helps better prepare young people for the real world..

I can't argue with you.

You are correct, the United States has to be able to make "something" and export it to other countries at a competitive price and there are a number of factors stacked against us. That point seems to have escaped the last several presidents for some reason.

No offense to Obama, but his plans to create jobs all seem to center around construction right here in the U.S. A short-term solution, at best.

Until that problem is accepted and the president and congress forms a plan to turn things around, I don't see things changing.

BTW, I have a nephew that is an outright genius and is going to school to become a chemical engineer. Coincidently, his father is half Indian and half Scottish.

my thinking is that we need to pour money into getting more Americans into upper level engineering and science degrees

our biggest expertise has been in research and invention and design

but college has become so unaffordable that many of our best minds are being left out. While in India every qualifying high school graduate is guaranteed free University education


A while back I was reading an article written by one of Clinton's economic advisers. He said that the conscious decision was made by the Clinton White House to allow most of our manufacturing to go to China. The idea was that we would do the design and research and retain the intellectual property rights and license the stuff to China. BUT China never kept their end of the bargain and intellectual property to them is a joke. and that is one of the reasons for the trade deficit with them and that our economy is suffering as a result