digitalzombie says:"... a better solution that can be pass is programs to retrain these out of work people for new jobs. Free education or trade would make us m

digitalzombie says:"... a better solution that can be pass is programs to retrain these out of work people for new jobs. Free education or trade would make us more competitive." There is no evidence that more education makes countries more competitive. It certainly elevates the level of social and political discourse(just look at Egypt!8-)) and makes life more pleasant, which are certainly desirable goals. But our commonly-held belief that education (and especially, re-education) will bring about a resurgence in the economy is misguided. "where has all the education gone?" - Lance Pritchett https://www.google.com/search?q=pritchett+%22where+has+all+the+education+gone https://www.google.com/search?q=pritchett+%22where+has+all+t... There is also little evidence that education will reduce inequality: "Why More Education Won’t Fix Economic Inequality" https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/01/upshot/why-more-education-wont-fix-economic-inequality.html# https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/01/upshot/why-more-education... the source paper: http://www.hamiltonproject.org/papers/increasing_education_what_it_will_and_will_not_do_for_earnings_inequal/ http://www.hamiltonproject.org/papers/increasing_education_w... /