When did Remmy purchase Marlin? I think you're compressing part of the history, while highlighting others.
I apologize if I sounded demeaning to my southern neighbors. I was meaning to highlight the detrement to manufacturing known as union labor, while also highlighting how manufacturing anything, especially as complex as a modern firearm, might take a little more than buying a piece of property in a more reasonable area, setting up machines, and hiring people to operate them. Experience has intrinsic value, and should translate to greater income. As an example, in my current position, I'm QA-ing work of folks who graduated from trade school 4 years ago. I graduated trade school in January of 1982, and set foot on my first ship as an electrician in Sept of '82. While these youngsters are just starting out, for me retirement is in plain view.
Again, I apologize if I came across as demeaning. Not my intention.