>>American manufacturing has been leaving this country due to punishing regulations, over-taxation and an unqualified, spoiled, lazy workforce. Mind you the American consumer has benefited greatly due to decreased prices.
>>
>>Perhaps the government should turn local manufacturing over to the Japanese who seem to be able to open car factories in the US and grow market share at the expense of home-grown firms that are going under.
>>
>>;-)
>
>The auto companies are a different beast than manufacturing as a whole. The US manufacturers have made an awful series of business decisions from car design, worldwide marketing failures, nearly double-market labor contracts and crippling pensions to name a few. The federal bailout of Chrysler in 1979 contributed as well by sending the exact wrong message to the big 3.
>

snip

Let's clear up a common misconception. American automakers do not have labor costs anywhere near double that of their competitors. It's about $12 an hour more, and most of that due to pension payments to retired workers. Significant, yes, but nothing close to double.

Their troubles lie elsewhere. IMO their biggest problem has been a refusal to change their ways. They thought they were the indispensable American industry and always would be no matter what. No one should ever be so foolish again.