Manufacturing is leaving the US...FAST!!! How would you keep it here?

[Brett]

The profits may go to Japan but at least American's are employed to do the work.
C-4 posted:
"Tariffs are designed to protect commodity markets from predatory dumping of imports. Commodities such as steel, copper, coal, chips, etc. So say, China government decides to subsidize over production of steel to dump into the US market as means to put US steel companies out of business. In this case, a tariff is a good weapon to combat that. It would be miss-placed and far more damaging to try and use a tariff process against importation of manufactured goods that are off-shored for cost control reasons to begin with. Remember, American companies are producing product in low cost labor markets and selling those to the world, not just the USA. The company I work for sells 30% of its goods to USA, 40% in EMEA, 20% APAC and 10% S. AMR. This approach would put us out of business for sure, in all non-USA markets. More American jobs would be lost."
 
C-4,  What is the ratio of American employees to foreign employees in your electronics company?  Me thinks you American company is American in name only.   If the Japanese, Chinese and Korean auto manufacturers can manufacture in the US and make money why does Ford, Chevy And GM all manufacture vehicles in Canada and Mexico for sale in the US?     

[teamnelson]

Japan holds more of our debt than china.

Did a little research and found that Japan owns 20.8% (766 Billion) of our debt in the form of US Treasury Securities ... while China owns 24.3% (895 Billion). (found here: http://www.treas.gov/tic/mfh.txt) They are the largest owner of our debt, and in fact own over $2 Trillion in other countries' debt.

Also found that we export 69.5 Bn to China, and import 297 Bm from them in 2009, for a trade DEFICIT of $227 Bn. We account for 6% of their economic output. Couldn't find anything that confirmed the threatened tariffs on Chinese tires by Obama ever went through, or their threatened tariffs on our automobile supplies and chicken meat. Doesn't appear to be any tariffs in place.

And I couldn't find any documentation on subsidies on their exports.

[Cabin4]

Brett,

About 60% of the employees are here in the states. The other 40% are all over the globe. We are a global company so it requires a global Sales, Marketing and Operational preseance to sell & service or products. All our actual manufacturing is outsourced to either US, China, Taiwan or Mexico contract manufacturing firms. All the engineering design is here in the Silicon valley along with all the ohter typical HQ activities. We are small relativly new publicly held corp that would not exsist if it were not for the ability to off-shore manufacturing. Nor would our other US based competitors. We would all go out of business to the foreign competition in the market place. So while we all don't like off-shoring manufacturing, we would not exsist without it. Our competitors in the EU and Asia who are leveraging the low cost labor markets would over take us on price & service.

[skarke]

Well, I've read everybody's posts again, and as I promised, I'm posting a summary:

1.  It costs more to make stuff here than it does to make stuff elsewhere, for a variety of reasons
2.  Many support tarriffs, many others do not
3.  We have certain choices in consumer goods.  Buy American when you can
4.  Corporations don't need to have American origin to be American producers (Auto makers in the South)
5.  This is a problem with staying power.  We are in trouble.

I still don't know what to do.  Actions have consequences, and we've dug a pretty deep hole for ourselves.  I wish that I could buy a subscription to the WSJ for editions from the future.

[Dixie Dude]

I've read these also.  I think part of the reason they are moving overseas is government regulations.  Environmental mostly, then restrictions on where to locate, etc. etc.  Also high corporate income taxes.  I don't think unions are as big a problem, especially in right to work states.  Most of the tire manufacturing in Alabama is unionised.  So are what few steel workers are left in Birmingham.  I think it is mostly taxes and regulations killing industry.  The Federal EPA since Obama took office has stopped timber cutting in the winter because of making ruts in the logging roads and a little dirt may wash into some stream and kill some minnows.  So pulp wooders and loggers are out of work right now.