Did China or Automation kill America's Steel Industry?

Both and add the free market to that.

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Both and add the free market to that.

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Add the EPA to that as well. It is virtually impossible to smelt certain types of metal in the U.S. thanks to environmental regulations. Most of our scrap copper goes to China for recycling because it's too expensive to do it here (thanks to EPA). While metal working can be toxic and there should be regulations, China is not hindered by any such regulations (they care not about the environment). Therefore, the metal industry is yet another industry China controls.

Libs are happy to destroy industries here for environmental reasons, but don't give two shits if we kick the can down the road and allow other countries to pollute for us. Libs like their metal too, they just don't want the American economy to benefit from it.

If Libs really cared about the environment, they wouldn't buy smartphones (all made in China). Why are smartphones made in China? It ain't because of slave labor. Labor is only a SMALL percentage of the savings a company gets moving over there. The big reason people move is because of 1) Taxes and 2) Lack of regulations. China doesn't care about the environment and companies don't need expensive insurance to manufacture over there. It's a "do whatever you want" attitude China affords these corporations and they are happy to take advantage. Meanwhile the CEO's of these same companies have the gall to lecture Americans about the environment and bitch about Trump lowering taxes. These hypocrites specifically moved to China to avoid high taxes and environmental regulations.

I don't care if someone is an environmentalist. Cool. What bothers me is the hypocrisy. If you are an environmentalist, I have a few recommendations:

1) Sell your car and ride a bike

2) Cut power to your home (unless you are self-sufficient with solar panels)

3) Do not buy smartphones

4) Never take a plane anywhere

5) Do not buy products from China

Do all those things, and you are cool in my book. Otherwise, STFU.

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Unions killed the US Steel Industry.

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Not so much,labor costs in steel production are very low,even in Union Mills.
Most steel mills operate ,using a production bonus (even union mills) as a big part of the wages. Not a flat hourly wage,even though bonuses are based on the employee's hourly rate.This changes attitudes entirely,because the mill needs to be producing for the workers to make the best money,and the job descriptions are not as stringent as other type union factory jobs.

Of course,you are always going to hear that used as a major reason to make steel elsewhere.
They can't exactly come out and say,"we can pollute the air in other places,so that saves big money,we can overlook safety measures in other places,so that saves big money. We can run our used water out into the rivers untreated,so that saves big money. If somebody gets killed or maimed,it doesn't cost us nearly as much money,hell,we can even put insurance policies on the workers,and get paid if we kill somebody! Cha!Ching!"
You won't ever hear about that.It just doesn't sound as good as blaming unions and wages.

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Not so much,labor costs in steel production are very low,even in Union Mills.
Most steel mills operate ,using a production bonus (even union mills) as a big part of the wages. Not a flat hourly wage,even though bonuses are based on the employee's hourly rate.

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Perhaps we are talking different eras. E.g., Though the 1960's Birmingham was a "steel city". It was far and away the city's dominant industry. Unions, both in cost of labor, and in reticence to accept new work structure --- smaller mills, higher productivity, basically killed the industry. My grandfather was a lifelong steelworker there. He benefitted wonderfully from the Union and enjoyed a great retirement as a result. It just couldn't be sustained for those who followed him.

Since then, there has been a slight resurgence in the US steel industry. Unions likely recognize the role they played in previously shuttering plants, and have modified their approach. Perhaps that is your reference.

China? I thought we imported way more cheap steel from Canada and Mexico than we ever have from China.

Steel Workers Union killed US Steel.

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Labor is only a small part of the savings.

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False. The average median income in the first world countries of the EU, North America, and Australia/New Zealand is anywhere from 1000% to 1500% higher than those of third world countries like China and India.

Not that regulations don't play a part - and we should be addressing that on the home front - but the labor savings are massive and using blanket tariffs against countries with low standards of living to equalize that part of the equation is a very good idea.

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Unions killed the US Steel Industry.

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That^. Eventually they kill every public and private entity they touch. Their time can and passed decades ago.

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Because of all of these issues,it is also much cheaper to BUILD your steel mill in Indonesia,Malaysia, or China.

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This. And the fallacy of Trump's theory on this is that the tariff will cause investment here. It won't because it doesn't address the real issues. It's just going to make consumer pricing for goods higher.