We need to better prepare for global involvement.

Very interesting editorial from Thomas Friedman in yesterday's New York Times which echoes sentiments written in earlier posts on this blog. A case can be made that the United States, in leaving the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement and pulling out of the Paris Climate Accords, is creating a power vacuum that will eagerly be filled by China and to a lesser extent Germany and Russia. This is not the best way to sustain prosperity for our country and people. Now it is understandable that people rightfully think trade and climate deals can be a threat to their jobs and ways of live. Historically, people have lost jobs in industries like coal and manufacturing because some of them have been moved to other parts of the world where labor is cheaper. It is also a historical fact that automation and robotics have also taken a lot of these jobs. What this country has failed to do and needs to do is create a Department of Growth and Innovation so this nation is continually transitioning its people to the jobs, industries, and technologies of the future. While not full proof, such a department would help people displaced by global trends find ways to thrive and support themselves and their families. This is the United States and there is no reason why this could not be done here.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/28/opinion/trump-china-asia-pacific-trade-tpp.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region&region=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region&_r=1