Book Club: Made in the USA

Vaclav Smil: Made in the USA (http://www.amazon.com/Made-USA-Retreat-American-Manufacturing/dp/0262019388/ref=la_B001HCXT62_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1385848623&sr=1-1)

The Rise and Retreat of American Manufacturing

http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/7/8/0/600_311410112.jpeg

Check out Smil's website (http://vaclavsmil.com/made-usa-rise-retreat-american-manufacturing/) and an interview (http://qz.com/113086/meet-vaclav-smil-the-canadian-polymath-whose-books-bill-gates-is-racing-to-read/) for a background on the author and a brief review (http://vaclavsmil.com/wp-content/uploads/Dissecting-America%E2%80%99s-manufacturing-retreat1.pdf) and another from Amazon:

Provides well documented review and historical significance of manufacturing in the development of the US economy and compares it with other nations. Has a well-reasoned argument for building our economic base as an important corner-stone of the economy. Automation will prevent huge increases in employment, but will likely help provide jobs for properly trained workers. The Walmart's of the country have little loyalty to the country seeking only to maximize profit by seeking the lowest cost labor. This being the case we need to find ways to encourage companies to sell products from here and return capital here to bring the trade deficit back into balance.The imbalance in manufacturing and service and consumption appear to be creating areas of economic illness.