Dear Millennials: I'm sorry we didn't stop them

[question everything]

7. This was the time when manufacturing was replaced by service based economy

I don't know if this was a natural evolution regardless of who was in power.

Globalization?

Our parents participated in the post war economic boom. Japan and germany were destroyed, Europe was in ruin so we were it as far as manufacturing went. And, of course, union.

But eventually the countries recovered and some offered cheaper labor so we started outsourcing.

And, yes, we liked cheap "stuff" that was made overseas. So much cheaper than union made in America.

And we liked to get cheap "stuff" at the big box of Walmart while losing main street small businesses.

To me, what marked the Reagan years was that while in previous years inventors and entrepreneurs made the millions, win or lose, in the 80s it was investor bankers and merger lawyers with nothing to lose.