Who is to blame for North Carolina losing its industrial base over the past two decades? Misguided federal lawmakers who passed free-trade agreements? Foolish state policymakers who refused to invest in new infrastructure? Overzealous local regulators?
I’ve heard each of these explanations before. Perhaps you have, too. But none constitutes a valid explanation for North Carolina’s shrinking industrial base — because, contrary to popular belief, our industrial base hasn’t been shrinking!
