''we are not a manufacturing country any longer ''
we never were ------------ only on a local scale, never on an international scale
if one looks at major manufacturing nations (prior to China) - one sees that those nations look after their people - they PAY for their people to grow - and they ABSORB them into industries that are supported and OWNED by the nation
we have never done that - and we still don't and we have still not changed our culture from an individualist 'I'm alright jack' way of surviving convict transport days