many of us have tried to explain to the freeper free trade contingent these same basic points again and again. its hopeless. once the US loses an industry to offshoring, they also lose any future innovations and economic growth that would have come from it. innovations take place where engineers are employed, and investments are made. if china and india are those places, then that's where its going to happen. who do people think are going to come up with these technology innications in the US - all the lawyers and public school teachers and finance majors the colleges are turning out?
Judging by some posts here...it seems that people who dont work in technology dont know what high tech is, or what it takes to develop it.
That in itself is symptomatic of an awareness problem.
The point I should have made...but didnt get across...is that the Carly Fiorinas of the world dont arise out of a vacuum...they are the natural end product of a certain type of cultural and business mindset.
No, it's not hopeless. I bought into the Free Trade argument under Reagan, because of the Smoot-Hawley history fiasco. But, as an Engineer, I have to respect empirical data over theory. "Free Trade" hasn't been fair trade, thanks to currency manipulation and non-tariff barriers, amongst other things. I don't think it's benefitting anyone in the US long term, except for the legal profession.
Having said that, I think there's still hope, but the country has to get off its collective hindquarters and restore innovation to its formerly enshrined postion in our society. That means valuing both the innovations from basic and applied science, as well as the people who do the work.
About fifty years ago, the Kremlin kicked our butt with Sputnik. It hurt, and we had enough societal pride to go out and do something about it. It's time again.