Democrats Dont Have an Easy Answer for the Rust Belt

[LonePirate]

39. Several problems exist there.

First, you're in denial about those jobs coming back. Nothing will bring back those old factory jobs. Nothing. See my third point for the reason. As such, we should not lie to those voters and tell them we can bring those jobs back. You can call my approach defeatism; but it is an honest one, unlike the dishonest approach you seemingly prefer.

Second, our economic model is nothing like China's. We're almost entirely capitalistic with government staying out of the business creation and management realms. China's economic system involves considerably more government involvement and control which permits that four step plan you outlined. That same approach would never fly or be allowed in this country unless we become an autocracy.

Third, trade is highly overstated when it comes to job losses. Even if we had the most protectionist trade policies imaginable, almost all of the lost jobs would have been lost to automation instead of offshoring. When a new factory is built in the US today, it is almost fully automated with human labor overseeing the automation. Nobody builds a factory nowadays that involves 100% human labor for everything. That ship sailed back in the 19th century. It certainly isn't viable in the 21st century.