[John H K]

However this alone is going to cause major shifts in the economy. Major categories of workers will be displaced as automation occurs and higher and higher levels of management functions are going to be automated

So why, again, is it perfectly OK for someone to lose their job to automation, and a horrible crime for someone to lose their job to an Indian guy?

[Elliott Jackalope]

Because jobs lost to automation are replaced by jobs repairing, installing, designing and building the machinery that does the automation. When jobs are shipped overseas, then there is no replacement of the lost jobs in our economy.

[DannyTN]

"So why, again, is it perfectly OK for someone to lose their job to automation, and a horrible crime for someone to lose their job to an Indian guy?"

Several reasons...

• Losing the manufacturing base, loses engineering, design and management jobs... automation doesn't, it keeps the knowledge here.
• Automation represents an increase in US productivity. Losing the job to an indian guy is a decrease in US productivity.
• With automation you are producing and selling goods, enabling increased trade. Losing the manufacturing base, you are producing nothing, selling nothing, forcing a decrease in trade.

  Both cause severe dislocations in the economy. But losing to the Indian is far worse, because it's not just the manufacturing you lose. You lose all associated jobs and knowledge. And eventually it won't even be a US firm that is producing.

  It is well documented that competitors tend to sprout up in or near the location of the original manufacturer. Usually from former employees who recognize an unserved market or untapped efficiencies. This will happen in foreign lands as well. So the US companies will not hold on to their products once they are placed overseas.

[Redbob]

"So why, again, is it perfectly OK for someone to lose their job to automation, and a horrible crime for someone to lose their job to an Indian guy?"

Now there's a great question!

Fact is, though, a job lost to automation is still being done in this country, and it would at least be an American who programs the automation, who maintains the equipment, who transports the finished product, etc.
Not so for a job overseas.

But all you folks lamenting the loss of jobs: Do you look at the labels in your clothes and in your shoes, and only buy those made in THIS country?
Do you drive only American cars?
If not, you can point the finger at yourselves.