These data show that America is still experiencing the most difficult recovery from any recession in the last thirty-three years, partially because of our relationship with China. In 2007, the unemployment rate was 4.6%, and in 2009 soared to 9.5% as the recession ripped the job market apart. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports as follows.

Current Americans not participating in the work force: 92,898,000 Not participating when President Obama took office: 80,529,000 Workers leaving work force since President Obama took office: 12,369,000 Labor participation rate: 62.8 %

The February 2015 unemployment rate was officially 5.5%, indicating America is finally recovering from the recession. Since this statistic excludes people who have left the workforce, the true rate is closer to 12.6%, and even this fails to put the situation into perspective. The statistic treats part-time and under employment the same as a full-time job with benefits.

Consequences
The United States was first in industrial output since the end of WWII. Last year, China, with greater than four times our population, lower wages, and a mercantile model, passed our output.

When core systems deteriorate and job formation falters, all other systems are negatively affected. The social engineering path America is traveling will potentially destroy our capitalistic, entrepreneurial way of life. One of the major symptoms is economic stagnation. While many call this the new normal, it is neither normal nor new. History is replete with examples of countries unable to sustain economic viability. Reviewing the competitive data provides sharp indicators of the rise and fall of powerful factory systems and the benefits that accrue to countries that make durable products. The new normal is a destructive course, and a choice not a given. Potentially, society moves from a growth base to net sum mentality, where the economy fails to expand wealth, and the citizen's fight for shares of the available economic pie. Logically, those with wealth and power increase their share. The middle class and poor, in response to lost manufacturing jobs, either lose or fail to keep up. This is the opposite of growth economics, where wealth expands, providing everyone more opportunities.

Governmental Solutions
Positive governmental actions are required to keep the factory system at home, grow its contribution to GDP, and perform at high competitive levels. It demands knowledge, technology, and innovation managed by purpose driven leadership and entrepreneurship. It requires pro-business government policies enabling growth and job formation.

In Freedom and Opportunity- Stop Redistributing and Downsizing America, we discuss the frightening and unprecedented collapse of the American factory system, and take a hard look at the reasons. It is painful and ugly. We must face the realities, and dig out the root cause to fix the situation and avoid a recurrence. Once the situation is clear, the focus must then change to building consensus for a national mission. One potential mission is to rebuild an opportunity driven country, premised on using high technology coupled with environmental stewardship. This will be our new, green economic forest, with the cost of government reduced to 20% of GDP. The world will be better off if the Fourth Industrial Revolution springs from the loins of our free-enterprise system, rather than spewing from the coal-burning smoke stacks of Communist China.

Affinity Systems LLC, Phase Four Graphics LLC, and CompetitiveAmerica.us are dedicated to the cause of rebuilding a green, sustainable, American industrial system. Achieving this mission will return opportunities to our children and grandchildren, and help protect our earth from the environmental consequences of China's run-a-muck production system.