The recovery from the Great Recession is taking much longer than most forecasters expected. With the benefit of hindsight, perhaps it is not surprising that it is taking a long time to overcome the massive slump in real estate and the accompanying loss of household wealth. Consumers are still holding too much debt, are worried about their jobs, and are understandably reluctant to spend. America needs all the sources of growth that it can find, right now. What is the role of the manufacturing sector in driving the recovery?
http://www.brookings.edu/up-front/posts/2011/06/29-recession-baily