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SR, think about something. This winter, despite "slow sales" (it really wasn't bad) on-line sales went up 240%. And most people I talk to in the industry say that they don't BEGIN to capture all the on-line retail that goes on. Likely it is double that. We are talking American companies like Lands End, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, 1800-Flowers, and so on.

Don't buy the notion that the jobs are "going away" because of NAFTA. Not herein the southern Ohio valley, which has been a manufacturing spot for years.

On the surface, things are well. most people are working, though construction, my occupation, is a little slow. I am not talking about Today with Nafta and Gatt. I'm talking about tomorrow. In construction, it is normal to be 1 of 4 or 5, maybe 6 or 7 other bids. Of late, one is 1 out of 16 or 17 bids, including out of state companies. This tells me we are not in the shape some say we are.

I'll make you a deal. I will be optimistic on what you say. But, daily I shop for tools, fasteners, building products etc.. Every day I see "Made somewhere else". Now, what will come first in your opinion? These thrid world country's populations making enough to buy our domestice products, or the thrid world country's technology advances to the point where they can make and meet their own populations needs?

On a second note...

Retail sales on the net, or off, is a fine job. The company makes 5 to 25 percent, they have a few employees, and a lot of people need to buy things so there is a definate job security. What about the floks who hold the other side of the scale? It is my understanding that manufacturing is what made this country. Don't we need the other end of the spectrum to be complete? To be self sufficient? Or because we are now a global community, self sufficient is not a necessity?

Don't buy the notion that the jobs are "going away" because of NAFTA. Not herein the southern Ohio valley, which has been a manufacturing spot for years.

Well that's encouraging to hear that you are seeing some positive outcomes from NAFTA.

Here in silicon valley the larger question of globalization has put a scare into those of us that work writing software. The threat (perhaps 'possibility' would be a better word) of our software jobs moving overseas has become a lot more concrete in the last couple of years. No big surprise there, but I didn't think it would happen so soon. I naively thought my field might be immune to such migration of jobs. But we've been hiring very compentent indian engineers for years and there are a lot more of them in ....India! And they work a lot cheaper there too. My company already has an office in Bangalore and they are moving more projects there every year.