I have traveled to many countries. I have noticed a decline in American influence. Japan’s influence is very apparent everywhere, but not US, other than the ubiquitous dollar. Even that is being threatened by the euro.
Realpatty, I think the response to your scoff at the strength of US manufacturing is harsh....
...and deservedly so.
We SHOULD jump on anyone posting the party line of the anti-American leftists! Don’t go along with what the meedia want you to assume when there’s obvious, clear facts to the contrary!!
Imagine if the anti-American propaganda that ‘America is failing ‘permeates the world so much that you believe it contrary to the facts and figures posted here like gusopol3’s (largest manufacturing output in American history, etc, etc), and you know that people in other countries get fed the same media diet, or worse, CNN International and Int Herald Tribune (AKA Grey Lady Intl)....wtf do you expect our image, or “influence” as you perceive it to be worldwide?
When you travel...when you go to your hotel room...remember that the wiring dimensions, utility boxes, connectors etc in your walls, if they conform to any fire safety standard...it’s to the descendent of the “National Electrical Code” (guess which nation?) a standard that expanded worldwide into much of what is the International standard.
That code was developed by American engineers throughout the 20th century to provide a way to wire places without setting them on fire.
So as you and the anti-American locals relax in that hotel in some anti-American country....they are being protected by American ingenuity.
But why would they be thankful? How could they possibly ever know things like this.
Think about that the next time you see one of those “world at night” pictures from space. Even if America was the most obnoxious country in the world...wouldn’t the number of people saved from candle fires, on balance, be enough to garner us goodwill? Well it doesn’t. And that tells you what we’re up against.
In fact, if our manufacturing output were even higher, and we exported EVERYTHING, they’d HATE US EVEN MORE!!!!
Next time you get on an elevator with an “Otis brake” or derivative thank God that America still has industrial influence in every nook-and-cranny of the world.