If you study history you'll find the "real miracle" that set the stage for large scale US production of WW2 wartime equipment happened over 20 years earlier. It was the import tax on most foreign goods that was enacted after WW1. Prior to that, imports were mostly unrestricted (sound familar?). Those duties allowed American corporations to compete on a level playing field, return a few dimes to the stockholders, while also investing money in equipment and tooling for future factory orders. When the clouds of WW2 came over the horizon, American industry was ready to convert from peacetime to wartime products.
Compare that to today. Thanks to our politicians, the import of foreign made goods is virtually unrestricted. But CEO's of American corporations are still accountable to return a profit to the stockholders; and most can't do it against lower manufacturing costs overseas. It's no wonder most of the giants of this great country are bleeding red ink, taking short-cuts and making inferior products, or have thrown in the towel. You are absolutely right in that respect, the so called global economy has the US behind the 8-ball.
So what do you do? First off have you written to your representatives to try to get fair taxes levied against foreign imports? Or have you written/called about repealing or severely curtailing the Free Trade Agreements? Those are examples of positive actions that can help the country. Lamenting about the way it was, or having a few people pay a premium for US made products when cheaper one will do, are not going to help much. I hate to say it but it's like trying to raise the level of the Pacific by whizzing in it. Silvers
