This is liberal claptrap. This country was built with imagination, courage, hard work and fortitude. So long as we have those things we can successfully compete. If, instead, we decide we want to make permanent the spare tires around our waists, then we deserve to become the third world country we are becoming.
You want to see the effects of trade barriers combined with socialism? Look at Europe. Double-digit unemployment, massive losses in productivity, and a lazy citizenry that just doesn't care anymore. That's what trade barriers beget, my friend.
The government does have the power to make your life a little more comfortable over the short term. But at what expense? We cannot reverse the global economy by government fiat. We all need to figure out how to profit from the reality of this difficult environment rather than whining about what once was.