discussion

Since the 1980s America has embraced open, international trade. Has the average American worker and consumer benefited from this? Prior to the 1980s there were more than enough factory jobs available to everyone and you did not need a college degree to get one and buy a home and raise a family. However, most of those factory jobs are gone. Prior to the 1980s, you would have to work maybe 6 hours a day to afford one nice dress shirt. Now, for those without a college degree, they can get a job at a Walmart and maybe work 3 hours a day to afford a nice dress shirt. The question is, would you rather see America not embrace so much free trade and go back to a time when we did import so much of our products, or are we better off continuing to embrace free trade?

Answer with at least 4 paragraphs.