I did just that in my thirties. Now that I am in my fifties, I no longer have the physical stamina to work and go back to college again, nor the money. While Bush touts education, getting that education has become more expensive and out of reach for more and more people.
Having to retool for a new career while supporting and caring for a family is pretty near an impossible task.
I fear that it is the countries that are willing to make investments in its people that will prosper while those that do not will fall further and further behind.
Retool for what? The big growth areas are Government and health care [paid by the government]. Take a civil service exam, become a nurse or move to a Red State where life is not affected by outsourcing.
Both my grandfathers dies working on the job...manual labor jobs. I am not saying it is easy, but we have to try, isn't that what being American is all about.