Automation could be a contributor but is far from a major culprit. It takes manufacturing and sales of the items manufactured to create jobs. There will be no recovery unless there is increased manufacturing in this country. Corporations have been outsourcing manufacturing since the 80's.

Just google lost manufacturing jobs over the past twenty years and see the mass of information about the loss of our manufacturing base....machine tool companies closed...appliance manufacturing companies all a shadow of the past...automotive manufacturing ditto...

There has been no major initiatives by this POTUS or those before him to pursue what it takes to create more manufacturing. How about incentives for American companies like GE that are keeping their profits earned off shore to avoid paying taxes here at home..reduce or eliminate the tax on those earnings to incent bringing the money back to the USA to invest in new technology and manufacturing (GE Already pays no taxes on money earned here!!).

How about incentives for companies to mass produce wind power products? Solar power products? How about building new modern refineries to replace the ancient ones of the past 40 years? Or incenting coal companies to invest in clean coal manufacturing? And yes more drilling in the USA to keep the money from going to non USA entities and re-invest in manufacturing?

There have been no initiatives by past POTUS and there certainly will be none from Obama...it just is not on his agenda as so many important issues for we the people are not.

There is no mystery about the loss of jobs and how we got here. There is even less mystery about how to get the USA going again....NONE WHAT SO EVER!!!!!!!

btk