Listen, I am all for America and American produced products, even more so after spending 2-weeks in China last year and experiencing first hand the state of things in that country. However, the wheels of this current situation were set in motion a long time ago and go far beyond automobilies.
For example, we used to
make TVs in the US as well as many of the parts that go into them. Now, outside of a few assembly plants, most of the manufacturing and assembly is done elsewhere. Mostly because we want a high quality 42" HD LCD TV for $500. The same goes for steel, clothes, many textiles, automobiles, etc. Much of that is thanks to the drive by Americans to make more money, have more "stuff", buy cheaper products, and overall have more wealth.
How many of us look at where products are made when we go to the store? I look at every package after being in China, but it is hard not to buy something from another country. We are moving more and more rapidly towards a global economy. Like it or not. It is funny because people in China and Japan are worried about losing manufacturing to Thailand, Indonesia and others, just as much as we are worried about China and Japan.
The US automakers need to learn how to become lean and mean. If they do that, they will be able to stay in business and you will be able to buy an "American" car forever. [
BTW, what does an American car really mean? Designed here? Manufactured here? Parts from here? Well guess what, our beloved Camaro is none of those.] If they don't, then you will only have the choice of a "foreign car" that may or may not be assembled here.
The positive side of this globalization is that people in 2nd and 3rd world countries are finally able to begin progressing towards a 1st world civilization. Most of us have no idea how great we have it and how bad people in some (many) countries have it. They deserve a chance to live like us and experience what we experience.
So unless we are prepared to close our borders, isolate ourselves from the rest of the world and make the sacrifices that come along with those decisions, then we need to come to terms with globalization. The positive impact that we can have is by demanding that products by foreign companies be assembled or made in the US. And some always will be because of the logistics involved in assembly.
We can also get involved by asking our representatives to offer incentives for Americans buying American products. But careful with that. To foreign countries that looks a lot like tariffs and taxes and could ultimately mean higher prices for our products and lower demand for American products globally.
We are all part of a much larger system here. We need to learn how to innovate, cut costs and ultimately produce products that no one else can for prices that no one else can match. We have gotten comfortable and lazy and we are now starting to pay the price.