[malakhi]

In Taiwan, according to my chinese production manager the kids of the production line workers all went to college and do not want to work in the factories, Hence the migration of manufacturing to the mainland.

I'm sure that is the case here as well. Never mind that these "blue collar" jobs can pay better than many "white collar" jobs.

[underbyte]

This is probably some kind of natural economic evolution as economies mature.

However our Blue collar workforce and the companies they work for are under ever increasing labor/price competition pressure to reduce costs. Can a US Blue collar worker work for $1.00 an Hr. ?
He would make more panhandling on the street.

I believe that with the white collar guys jobs being outsourced you may get some political activity on trade at the grass roots level. Some minor hope there.