[mjp]

Not long ago, the shirts, skirts, suits and dresses Americans wore were “Made in the USA” – in plants in the Carolinas, Georgia and Louisiana, where the lower wages, lighter regulations and air conditioning that came after World War II had attracted the factories from New England.

So, its ok to move production to a cheaper state but not to a cheaper country.That doesn't seem rational.

Tariffs prevented exploiters of labor from getting rich here on sweatshops abroad

But it was bad for American consumers because the protectionism caused higher prices for consumers in the long run.

And so it came to pass. U.S. real wages have not risen in 40 years.

When prices keep going higher thanks to protectionism and government inflation of the money supply, real wages will not rise despite a rise in money wage rates.

[1rudeboy]

I noted Buchanan's comment about real wages. It's the kind of "fact" he tosses into some of his columns, hoping that his readers (who agree with him) will accept it without question.

Real wages haven't risen since 1973? Really?

The last time he tried to pull such a statistical stunt was when he clarified by claiming "the rate of increase has declined (or fallen)." Just like a Dem.