It contains data I've not seen reported elsewhere. Some, Microsoft and Intel and Silicon Valley, are winning big time. But many large firms are on endless downward spirals, most metrics point at societal decline, the trade imbalance increases, and U.S. policy seems irrelevant or worse. Our Commerce department persists in trying to sell-out the U.S. patent system to accommodate Japan. For reasons Greider explains, few U.S. multinationals care.
Foreign alliances tend to neutralize U.S. companies on trade issues.
They are in a crazy situation. The U.S. government doesn't mind if GM and Toyota get together to make cars, but not GM and Ford. It's OK for Texas Instruments and Hitachi, but not TI and Motorola. While trade deficits and job losses have been discussed for years, we are now in the end-game phase. Greider notes that 1994 may demarcate the end of America's economic dominance.