I know a gentleman who is approx. age 50 who is a skilled machinist in the Pittsburgh area. His company just cut a bunch of jobs and sent the work to China. This family man is eligible for retraining funds. I wish him well. But I personally wouldn't want to be retraining when I had a skill that was formerly valued.
I don't want anyone to view my comments as left of center or liberal Democrat comments. My comments concern the human suffering that workers in my area are suffering. And by the way, when workers suffer, management personnel also suffer, lose jobs, etc. No one should say in a cavalier to an unemployed person, Well just go retrain. It's not that easy, folks. These people will try their best of course, but it's never easy to start over. And remember, age discrimination is a vicious component of our workplaces.
Anyone who denies the existence of age discrimination is either a fool or a liar. I've seen it happen time and again to my older coworkers - laid off and unemployable for even the most menial tasks at much lower pay due to being "overqualified".
I know two whom I will hire just as soon as I pull in this big contract, and no, I'm not sponsoring any visas at this time.
There's a special place in hell for all the modern day Marie Antoinettes who suggest that the laid off somehow deserved it.
Buy American. Hire American. Eff Chicrap and Mexicrap. And Eff the french on general principle.