This
paper presents an overview of the current automobile production
market in the United States. It compares it to the situation at the beginning of last century and
shows how production needs have changed in the global market. The paper discusses how the decision factors which American
policy makers face, include the effects of the American monetary policy on the global automotive market, the effect of imports on the American economy, and the openness of
foreign markets to American goods. In addition, it shows how public policy makers must also be concerned with the political ramifications of their actions and the political overtones of American participation in foreign
trade.