Bring Jobs Back? It Won't Be EasyThe plunging dollar. Rising
Chinese wages. Soaring shipping-fuel costs. As it gets more
expensive to import goods from China, the U.S. could be
positioned for a manufacturing renaissance. But if the response
to "Can the U.S. Bring Jobs Back from China?" (Cover Story, June
30) is any guide, optimism isn't high. The article cited sectors
(steel, for instance) where U.S. industry is gaining, but noted
that reduced capacity will make it tough for America to gear up.
Many readers agreed, citing other obstacles: soaring health-care
costs, high taxes, and a government that may not have the will
to do what's needed to take advantage of the new economics of
trade. —Pete Engardio  While I would like to see manufacturing
return to the U.S. for economic and national security reasons,
we need to be realistic. China and other countries heavily
subsidize their industries. The U.S chases its industries out of
the country with regulations—specifically, environmental rules.
We can't mine, drill