I think there are many reasons behind the demise of the U.S. manufacturing segment. "Demise" might even be too strong of a word, but there certainly has been a decline. It's hard to compete with manufacturing in China, Taiwan, Mexico, etc. who can turn out virtually the same part at a fraction of the cost, thereby saving the consumer money. We're all into saving money, right? Most people will simply go with the least expensive alternative. What you get for the money is another subject altogether, but it can certainly be argued that the quality will suffer. However, the popularity of foreign cars, specifically from Asian countries, has been bolstered by their attention to detail and the continued quality improvements that they are incorporating into their products every year. They're listening to the consumer and making things better. I've bought nothing but American cars now for the last 20+ years, but that is a conscious decision on my part to be proud of what we produce and to drive it.
I think the American workforce is frustrated. That has led to a certain degree of apathy about their jobs. We've got great people here and they've proven time and time again that they can do a great job at whatever it is they're asked to do. The lack of concern for quality (really just a lack of attention to detail) can have thousands of reasons behind it. These reasons can be business-driven, personal, etc. It's a HUGE issue.
