Tex's answer is heading in the direction of how I'd answer;
How do you envision using your Cadillac machine; every day? how many shots? how steep a learning curve can you tolerate? what's your budget, including grinder? have you had any killer shots that you can use to calibrate your efforts against?
Those (and more) questions would be more apt to find you a machine than the questions you've asked so far. Tex has a machine in mind that would work best in his world, but not in mine or staylor's; I have a machine in mind that works best for me, but not for Tex or staylor, and Shaun has a machine in mind that works best in his world, but for Tex or me. You get my drift, yes?
Even if you had $8K to spend on US-made machine, and liked the looks of it, it may not be what's best for how you do espresso.