The factories moved overseas because that was perceived as the route to more payback for the investor class,(true in the short term) ignoring the expense against the people actually producing "stuff" in the US (the longer term result). This effectively moved research and development away from the US because it was more expensive to continue there, and money was the only object.

well, i'd say that's capitalism.

Sure, but it's a pretty terrible way for an imperial hegemon that wants to remain so to behave.

Super short term thinking.