[MrB]

American workers are unwilling to adjust the price of their labor to third world levels and suffer the hit in standard of living that this would bring about.

To increase the standard of living of everyone, these American workers need to learn skill sets that are not able to be done for low wages.

In other words, our workers are "freed up" from doing more menial things to do more skilled work.

[applemac_g4]

>To increase the standard of living of everyone, these
>American workers need to learn skill sets that are not
>able to be done for low wages.In other words, our
>workers are "freed up" from doing more menial things
>to do more skilled work.

That was the argument in the 80's. So people retrained and became computer scientists, silicon engineers, and radiologists. Now those jobs are going overseas.

This is an exchange rate problem, not a skills problem.

[FITZ]

these American workers need to learn skill sets that are not able to be done for low wages.

Such as??? Certainly not IT skills. Not engineering skills. Not tool and die skills. Watch a Jerry Springer show and figure out what kind of job skills those people are likely to learn --- most of them are lucky to learn the simplest factory worker skills --- but they still have to earn a living. If not I have to pay for their support since I'm still working.

[A. Pole]

In other words, our workers are "freed up" from doing more menial things to do more skilled work.

"Freed up", I like it. Do not say "you are laid off" or "you are fired". Say "you freed up".