Trade under Attack and Necessary Remedies for Dislocation from Economic Change

Although trade has been and will continue to be an important contributor to overall US economic growth, it doesn’t help every individual American worker. Many forces—notably technological change—have devalued skills and disrupted careers. But this doesn’t mean the US should withdraw from global trade; on the contrary, the US must participate fully and compete robustly. The US must also seek to help individual workers rather than protect individual jobs. Policy should support the highest standards of education over the entire age continuum, reequip displaced workers to find new jobs, and create incentives for workers to stay in the workforce rather than withdrawing and letting their skills erode.