George Haley isn't shy about voicing his concerns -- and, at times, outrage -- about some of the most critical issues facing U.S. manufacturing, from the failings of our education system to the "overvalued" U.S. dollar. But Haley says nothing irks him more than the notion that the United States can't compete with other nations because it is a "high-cost labor market."

"There's nothing in economics that says that a high-cost labor market cannot compete," Haley says. "It just has to be given a chance to compete. And right now, I don't think our government policy gives our manufacturers a chance to compete. It just doesn't."

Haley, a professor of marketing and international business at the University of New Haven and founding director of the university's Center for International Industry Competiveness, goes as far as saying that "U.S. government policy in recent decades has actually had an outright negative effect on U.S. manufacturing." Haley traces the roots of such policy back to President Ronald Reagan's assertion that the United States is a "post-industrial society."

"That's the stupidest statement any president has made in history," Haley says.

George Haley -- "There’s nothing in economics that says that a high-cost labor market cannot compete."

Haley calls the tenure of President George W. Bush "probably the worst time in history for U.S. manufacturing." One of Bush's most destructive policies, Haley asserts, was his administration's focus on maintaining a high currency value for the U.S. dollar. Haley is adamant that the United States needs to have its "currency valuation based upon our trade deficit with the rest of the world -- and our trade deficit indicates our currency is overvalued."

"Lower the damn value of the currency," Haley says. "The [U.S.] government constantly complains about the Chinese yuan being undervalued. Well we can't control the value of the Chinese yuan. We can just complain about it. We can control and influence much more directly the value of the U.S. dollar."

Haley also believes the Obama administration should take a cue from former President Richard Nixon, who temporarily imposed a 10% surcharge on imports in an effort to induce Japan and Germany to revalue their currencies.

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