How’s that “apples and oranges?” In either case the manufacturing jobs are lost, no?
Ok, this is really simple. There are 100 manufacturing jobs. 20 jobs are lost to automation and 20 jobs are lost to offshoring. That leaves 60 jobs. Let’s say the 20 jobs lost to offshoring never left, or came back. That would then leave 80 jobs. What’s better 80 or 60?