It's expensive because we can't get away with the labor rates that China does-- for building infrastructure, acquiring raw materials, and employing a workforce

It's expensive because we can't get away with the labor rates that China does-- for building infrastructure, acquiring raw materials, and employing a workforce with benefits and pensions and unions. China has less bureaucratic overhead (in terms of factories/mines not caring about pollution) and a more driven, obedient workforce (i.e. they will work harder expecting less pay). I'm not saying those are good things, just facts as I see them. I don't know if this is a true dichotomy, but on the surface it seems that we either pay more at all levels to employ our own citizenry in manufacturing these goods, or we let our manufacturing capabilities and professions atrophy. This may actually be a good (roundabout) way to ensure that greener manufacturing is used, by making us design manufacturing these capabilities by our standards.