jnug; I have made this point before but worth making it again. The conflicting narratives from the New Right, the Trump Right (WHATEVER) boggles the mind.
I agree with some of what you say, and I disagree with some of what you say. At least you've put some thought into it, and haven't degenerated to ad hominen attacks. Maybe we can keep it that way.
I't easy to be the "world's leader" when you're generous with foreign aid, sign trade deals and environmental treaties that favor others, use your military to both protect them and do their fighting for them, and ignore the devastation of working class American families as a result of those policies. Donald Trump hasn't "disengaged" with the world, he has simply put the needs of Americans first. That's certainly a different kind of leadership than we've had over the past couple of decades. All countries put the needs of their citizens first, except the USA. Trump has insisted that treaties benefit both sides equally; which is a win-win for both. A welcome change IMO. Coming out of WWll I could see where it was advisable to give countries devastated by war and the newly emerging countries trade agreements advantageous to them and to become the world's policemen, but those days are gone. Most of the world has progressed to the point that they can be treated as equal partners. As an example; NATO needs to pay it's way. Our trade relationship with China should include equal access to their markets, their protection of IP and copyright, and acceptance of product liability. (Remember that horrible Chinese drywall; the companies in China that made it couldn't be sued). Trump is moving the conversation in the right direction.
We need to get illegal immigration under control. I understand why it's so difficult. Democrats know that an aging population gets more conservative as it ages, and businessmen know a huge labor shortage as a result of enforcing immigration laws means higher wages across the board. If you've ever watched the TV show
Dirty Jobs, it should be obvious that Americans will do ANY job, but not for $7.50 per hour. But you're right; there are fewer and fewer unskilled jobs in the economy. All the more reason to curtail illegal immigration; we don't need any more unskilled workers. We've got enough home grown unskilled workers to fill the jobs, we just have to pay them more to get them to do that work. If we had to depend on home grown unskilled workers the labor shortage would force wages up, we wouldn't even be talking about a mandatory minimum wage.
Training and re-training the labor force isn't as easy a solution as it sounds. We will never get to a 90% technically literate labor force. Some countries might. Technical workers need a high IQ in order to master the training. One in 10 Americans has an IQ under 83. One in 50 boys now have Autism. Many more have ADHD. Almost 1/3rd of Chicago school children have special needs. We aren't moving in the right direction. I was involved in re-training GM workers who took the "buyout" and free re-training back around 2008. Over half failed to complete HVAC technician training. When you haven't had to think and problem solve on your job for 10 or 15 years it's difficult to start learning technical stuff. Like any ability; use it or lose it. They didn't last long on a hot building roof in July. Working at the GM plant wasn't slow, but it wasn't really fast paced, either. And most of the plants are air conditioned. You really think you're going to re-train all those coal miners for highly technical jobs? The fact is, about 1/3rd of Americans do best when "working with their hands". That's why we need those manufacturing jobs, truck driving jobs, and craft jobs. And it's not because they're stupid, many of them are smart enough, they just aren't suited to technical work.
Our "economic adversaries" haven't "out thought and out worked " us. They just haven't had to face this reality yet. They picked off the low hanging fruit; textiles, metal and plastics casting, assembly work, etc. 90% of the jobs that have gone off shore are labor intensive unskilled and semi skilled jobs. However, they can get away with paying much less, don't have to recognize labor rights (unions), worker safety (OSHA), or respect the environment (EPA). They have low corporate taxes, ignore copyright, and have no product liability lawsuits to worry about. Great deal if you can get it. Our adversaries are now trying to capture higher "value added" industries, like aircraft construction; and they are having the same problems we have getting highly technical workers.
The real problem with globalism is that corporations are by nature multinational, governments are not. Corporations really run globalism, and therefore the globe. Governments are secondary, and local. Governments are now the tools of the globalists. Be careful what you wish for.
