In what ways exactly? We don't build factories anymore - we build houses. We don't provide steady employment to the middle class - we are turning them into a transient society. What are those expansions you are talking about?
The most obvious expansion is the housing market which you seem to not like.
Real estate sales is an immediately contingent part of that economy which is also growing.
It is difficult to say what happens with the $175 you save on a VCR. You might spend it on home improvements. You might save the money. The GDP continues to increase 3-5%-- this is a legit statistic and suggests that wise choices for that $175 continue to be made.
The U.S. continues to grow at a strong rate in comparison to other robust mature economies in Europe. The US continues to be the largest global economy.
It really does seem like free trade has a long empirical record of success.
Where do the protectionist arguments ever prove true?