General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Obama talks TPP on Hardball. Thoughts? [View all]upaloopa
(11,417 posts)to block China from controlling trade with the Asian countries. That is why it is so important. But the down side is the hurt it will put on average working class Americans. It is a trade off.
The trade deal looks toward the future and those getting hurt will need to find a way to deal with it. Highly educated young people with skills in innovation and the service industry will survive because that is what we will trade for goods from Asia.
The old world will need to give way to the new. Obama said two things that make this clear. He said globalization will not be reversed and manufacturing jobs are being replaced by technology. Also he said people will need to be trained for the new jobs created by trade agreements.
If you find yourself needing factory jobs you are out of luck. The idea is the same as the loss of work by blacksmiths when the automobile replaced the horse.
The 800 lb elephant in the room and the need for secrecy is that unskilled Americans and those with unneeded skills will be sacrificed.
In the macro long term picture we will be better off. In the short term micro picture a lot of people are going to be left out in the cold or need to find a way to survive.