At the risk of entering a firestorm - Protectionism has long been the bane of overall productivity. Sure, we could enact tariffs, excise taxes and add other expenses to superficially hike up prices and make it more costly to do business overseas or for overseas companies to do business here. However, to do so: 1) Violates a number of economic pacts and will result in sanctions against the US causing a general increase in cost for goods and services; 2) would result in retaliatory actions by various countries, which in turn results in higher costs for goods and services. The net result of any rise in goods and services is will be some incremental job losses.
As to NAFTA, for the VAST majority of americans, NAFTA has created reduced costs and lower inflationary increases and increased national productivity.
The bottom line is that, with a world wide economic recession going on, the US has lost, on a per/capita basis, significantly less jobs than most other western nations - including France, Sweden, Britain and (especially) Germany.
The loss of a job is a traumatic experience. If it were me, I am not sure how I would handle it and I would certainly be looking for someone to blame as I, too, am a hardworking individual who routinely puts in more time than required. But as Beemseven said, I am at risk because I am not the owner of my business. EEich, you say most startups fail w/in a year - true or not, those people took a risk and lost. By being an "employee", you also take a risk - just a different kind; one which, in a very substantive way, relinquished control of your future to the whims of someone else.
It is unfortunate and, from what you say, undeserved. It is, however, not "unfair" as it is the risk for which you bargained by being an "employee". It is my sincere hope that you have recovered from the unfortunate event. It is also, however, my sincere belief that by allowing true competition, fewer americans will have to go through this traumatic and life altering event.
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