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"most people are in favor of free trade. That large pool of males who left high school and got good high paying jobs with lots of beneifits and pensions and medical insurance, etc, that enabled them to support a non-working wife and 3 kids doesnt exist anymore. "

It's a by-product of free trade, one the free traders don't want to acknowledge. Aside from the drop outs. There are males who just aren't suited for college. Men who are bright, good, decent people who just aren't suited for college. They used to get factory jobs, became good husbands, and raised kids who became good decent doctors, lawyers, and engineers.
The free traders would tell you those folks need to hustle and start their own business. Otherwise, they have no right to reproduce.
You are feeling the effects of this.
I wonder how many free traders had factory worker parents?

It's a by-product of free trade, one the free traders don't want to acknowledge. Aside from the drop outs. There are males who just aren't suited for college. Men who are bright, good, decent people who just aren't suited for college. They used to get factory jobs, became good husbands, and raised kids who became good decent doctors, lawyers, and engineers.
The free traders would tell you those folks need to hustle and start their own business. Otherwise, they have no right to reproduce.
You are feeling the effects of this.
I wonder how many free traders had factory worker parents?

Bingo, that's another par of this. I get more upset at the free traders than I even do with liberals (although it is plenty there too), but I look at it this way, at least most who have a liberal agenda are honest and upfront about it. It's better to get shot in the front than the back. Being a Pittsburgher (yes I'm a Steeler's fan B-D) and coming from working class roots, I don't deny my economic centrist views come from that but yeah, I'd like to do a study on free-trade vs. fair-trade on the basis of current jobs and family background.

Free Trade keeps economies competitive. Without it nations become economic backwaters. As the trade cycle works jobs move around or die. Imposing "fair" trade i.e. taxing all other workers to support those endangered just means the jobs will leave the country a little later.

Horse and buggy manufacturers were very upset by the automobile. Laws were passed to require a flagman to walk in front of the cars so as to not upset the horses. Your trade prescriptions are similiar.