I'd like to consider the general atrophy on a macro scale of the manufacturing capabilities in the US. My theory is that because we outsourced the making of so many things to so many other places (China), we generally lost the skills necessary to make things. Not to say that really advanced things aren't actually made in the US. It is more to say that the general population of able bodied workers do not have the skills and knowledge their ancestors did when it came to working in a factory. It is that actual work - the day in day out grind - that fosters innovation. Other comments point out that the Tesla factory is generally staffed with ex-Toyota folks. Why is that? Because Toyota has been pushing the envelope in Japan making all kinds of interesting things and developing a mentality of manufacturing innovation all along the way.

Thoughts?