We live in a global economy. Driving up cost for American goods means American goods don't get purchased. This is a simple idea if you think about it.
The quickest path to socialism is to destroy the livelihoods of the poor at the bottom end of the middle class. That is the path that mass immigration is leading us down. Say good bye to the NASCAR voters and the gun-rights blue collar labor Republicans. They will vote their economic values in front of their social values.
Poppycock. The voters have rejected the rats after 60 years of rat socialism. Socialism doesn't work, but the American people needed to figure that out for themselves. They have finally discovered the truth and it will be a long time before the socialism they built up will be eroded by Republicans. Sometimes that will require 1 step backwards before we can move 2 steps forward. Things like the drug benifit show the people they can trust Republicans to look out for them even though Republicans are portrayed as heartless money grubbing corporate thugs by the media.
I would say that this is part of the problem. We should be working to wean the public off of government programs and convincing them that minimal government is optimal. I don't see how this will be done by expanding government.