China isn't cool. Even the Chinese elite drive Western cars, watch Western entertainment, wear Western brands, and so on. Given that China's labor costs are nearly equal to American labor, if additive manufacturing strips away their manufacturing ecosystem advantage, there will be little reason to buy from China what can be cheaply made at home or elsewhere. China can make anything that anyone else in the world makes, but "Made in China" is the last thing people expect to see on a luxury product, unless it's accompanied by "Designed in California."
Your example of the American congressman might not be the most efficient use of resources but it is democratic, they are responding to their constituents needs.
The point about complaint boxes is laughable, it's like the companies I worked for with suggestion boxes that ignore every suggestion that doesn't match their world view. If every Catholic complained they couldn't practice their religion without government interference do you think it would make any difference?
China is behind South Korea in development by a generation and Japan by 100 years. Give China another 20 years and lets check back.