At a dinner with President Obama in February, Steve Jobs said Apple could manufacture in the U.S. if community colleges, tech and trade schools trained “factory engineers,” writes Walter Isaacson in his biography of the high-tech leader.

The former Intel chief says "job-centric" leadership and incentives are needed to expand U.S. domestic employment again.

Recently an acquaintance at the next table in a Palo Alto (Calif.) restaurant introduced me to his companions, three young venture capitalists from China. They explained, with visible excitement, that they were touring promising companies in Silicon Valley. I've lived in the Valley a long time, and usually when I see how the region has become such a draw for global investments, I feel a little proud.