If manufacturing itself is healthy then perhaps the discussion should be about jobs/products/factories that are no longer in existence here in the USA that have been outsourced to other countries around the world.

There is absolutely no doubt that more can be produced per hour generating a lower cost per hour, requiring fewer workers per hour.
The issue is when companies have no incentive to invest in new manufacturing in the USA, at a profit, they will CONTINUE to do so else where.

Billions/trillions of dollars of profits made by US corporations offshore, are not being brought back to this country to invest in new operations because of the current tax structure.

For those of us whose careers were in the manufacturing industries, we remember things like 25,000 workers in Appliance Park making major appliances back in the 30 years ago and today less than 5000.

How many plants/jobs that once upon a time manufactured automotive components have disappeared to off shore facilities. GM's Saginaw steering gear division once upon a time used to manufacture components for many of the then growing Japanese car makers.

If one would apply the concept of making more with less, adjusted for market growth of the past 30 years, not taken off shore....there would be quite a different discussion being conducted today.

Add the current unfriendly approach by the current administration towards business/manufacturing along with no direction for new job creation in just the energy sector alone is a staggering contributor to no new jobs.
Instead of letting the free markets determine where the jobs should/could be we have resorted to letting politics make the determination. We certainly don't want to bring back jobs from off shore and upset the non US entities would we....as viewed by the oh so honest and incapable representaives in Washington.

The jobs creation issue is simple to solve....we just are not doing ANYTHING to generate the jobs. Because of politics and the complete lack of business/market sense in Washington, DC.

Like energy independence, job creation is not a priority or agenda item for the current administration.

How much of the spending proposals and actual $$$ spent have been directed to job creation? Will be directed at job creation? Could be directed to job creation?

Why allow a company like GE to pay no taxes in 2010 on domestic operations, yet not give consideration to a reduced tax rate to bring profits from off shore operations back to the USA?

Not a priority. Current politicians do not understand the business equation.
Current politicians do not really care. And far too many we the people, the new entitlement generation certainly don't want to care.

None of the above will CHANGE until there is REAL CHANGE in Washington.....not just pretty speeches about it.

btk