[Walkin Man]

They are not meant to solve the industry's problems," Silvia said. "I think they're really meant to buy time, to let workers gradually move into something else. Inexpensive commodity apparel producers are naturally going to gravitate" to low-wage countries.

What the *ell is this mythical "something else" that all of these millions of former middle-class working taxpayers are supposed to be able to move into and get on with their lives?

So-called High-tech or computer jobs? Sorry, those are being exported to India. Lets see that leaves...McJobs and door greeting at the local Great Wall-Mart.

"But it begs the question: Why aren't we doing more to retrain workers to find new jobs in new industries rather than postponing the inevitable by raising protectionist barriers to trade in an election year?"

Retrain workers in WHAT???

This is 'free trade" BS! There is no "new industry" in America just waiting to employ millions of displaced workers and pay them a middle-class wage!

Although if one is identified, you can be sure the government will move heaven and earth to see to it that those jobs are sent to Mexico, China and India as well!

[riri]

Well, Bush did give a speech talking about retraining for the biotech field recently. Better brush up on your chemistry, apparel workers.

[1rudeboy]

Now that's the American spirit. /sarc