First of all, what "Jules" said. Secondly, Prof. Reich says: "But that’s exactly where I depart from those who believe we need to protect or bring back traditional manufacturing in the United States. To do so would be enormously costly. I just don’t get how those costs can possibly be justified." Whereas the cost of destroying America's standard of living by continuing our policies of free trade and globalization is I suppose easily justified? Here's a thought: workers employed at middle class wages manufacturing goods in the US spend those wages in the US, creating demand, which creates more jobs in the US making more goods, etc. They also, coincidentally, pay income taxes on those wages and sales taxes on the goods purchased - again in the US. Workers employed at subsistence level wages in other countries don't spend those in the US, don't purchase goods from the US - both because we no longer make any and because their wages are too low to provide any purchasing power - and they don't pay taxes in the US either. What part of any that doesn't Bob Reich understand? How much "justification" is required for the government of the US to defend the interests of US workers - i.e. voters - versus the interests of the corporate bosses? Wake up and smell the coffee Bob - we've been following your plan for 30+ years. And you don't need to be an economist to see how well that's worked for us.