The "United States" Auto Industry

By Patrick Appel
Steve Clemons worries:

...there is NOTHING in the current outlines of the auto bailout package that requires the auto industry to keep jobs in the U.S. This money can go to help them manage their facilities abroad -- in lower wage countries -- while facilities continue to shut down in the U.S. with jobs shifted overseas.

In fact, despite some minor verbal, non-binding assurances from the auto chiefs that American taxpayer funds would not be applied to offshoring activities, there are no deals, no guarantees at all -- and if faced with a much higher, less efficient production base in the U.S. compared to cheaper platforms elsewhere -- this bailout money could in fact be financing a new major offshoring trend.