I’ve written about the TPP in greater detail before, and thought getting into those details would be somewhat tangential to the main point of this article.

But since you asked, I think the government should help Americans who lose jobs due to globalization and automation (the latter accounts for 87 percent of manufacturing job losses, but many Americans erroneously put more emphasis on trade). It’s not their fault, and can be quite disruptive. Job training programs, funds to help people move to areas with many job openings, some form of wage insurance, and more should all be considered.

However, I don’t think the entire country should sacrifice so a relatively small number of Americans can keep a job in a dying industry (eg. coal) for a few more years. I’m not fighting for horse-and-buggies or Blockbuster video either.