Peter Charles wrote in message . ..

Is it all bad?

Of course not, for the top 10% or so (of which I am one, I guess).
We still need the 90% to serve us meals, fix our car, do our
yardwork, and be our ghillie on the river (OBROFF).

Structural unemployment is an artifact of this reality.

That's nice and sanitized, but _people_ are having to live it.

Modern economies are very resilient
and Ontario turned around so much so that, by the end of the decade,
it was roaring along

For the top 10% or for everyone?

... Consequently, much of our public
infrastructure is eroding. But, we're doing OK. We do have a growing
disparity in wages as the working poor contiue to decline

Sounds like you're heading towards feudalization as fast as we are...

laugh when I hear the righties wail about the need for protectionism
because it's such a lefty thing to do.

IMO it's populist, not right or left.

that were developed in American, by America, for the benefit of
America. This game is being played out according to your rules so it
still works out in your favour more often than not.

Oh, I know. It makes it easier to delude the 90% (of Americans) that
they're not heading towards serfdom because the effects aren't seen
by them as quickly.

Jon.

PS: Actually, I don't begrudge other countries wanting to provide
more and better jobs for their people -- 90% of the gradute students
who have worked with me are foreign, and are great people. But as
you say, the global trade rules don't really help them either -- just
treats them as more serfs. I understand the world that technology,
communication, transportation, and all that makes, and no, I don't
have any answers. I just think it's plain as day that the ROFFians
my age (quickly heading towards 40) and under better start thinking
about how they might plan for some _serious_ societal upheaval.