That is interesting because that has largely been the conservative argument.
It is something I have been thinking about recently as well. While automation and immigration contribute to fewer jobs available and wage suppression the silver lining is that the cost of living goes down. Poor in America is substantially better than at any time in history and by current world standards American poor would largely be considered middle class. While there needs to be more balance between the wages and cost of living, the issue gets compounded because both sides have drastically different positions on how to fix it that usually conflict and make matters worse.
There really are a lot of hidden or hard to see "benefits" aren't there? I agree, our ability to enjoy what we want, when we want it, is at an astounding high. It's so high, that I think in some areas it's literally at capacity, overflowing such that the more we add to it, we actually LOSE rather than gain. Think of the number of shows on the combined streaming media we have access to right now...more than any normal person can consume in a lifetime. Same with PC games. Online books. A liberal view would may be that if you could channel some of that excess into industries that really matter, like health care, via (taxes, incentives, whatever), we'd actually be *better off* in the long run, than just letting things run amok.
But another one along those lines that I would like to mention, this one's a bit out there but I think all economists say it all the time...globalization helps everyone.
We have been literally outsourcing jobs for decades, and investing money and training, year compounded after year, in a whole host of foreign countries. They have seen *incredible* growth in part, as a result of our investment in them. Fast forward to day, and while the average rural person doesn't necessarily put a high value on this...they do today have:
- access to higher skilled, lower cost labor abroad, than ever before
- if they visit or rely on any of these other nations for trade, security cooperation, etc., these nations are now better developed and more able to help the U.S., or even host us for foreign travel, etc.
- these other nations immigrants, since the have seen enormous education and job growth (industry expertise, not necessarily # of jobs), the immigrants we get from those nations are much more competitive and better educated (in theory).
- reduced costs for those products/services (or better bang for the buck)
In other words, even in the area of spending our jobs and and money overseas, we do see some benefits at home.
I see it more as Repulicans and Dems and libertarians push free trade.
Trump oddly doesn't..what demographic is that supported by...xenophobes? I mean, economists generally all agree that everyone wins...non partisan.
In any case, I think we can strike a balance between disputing our nation and our citizens too much with 100% free trade/outsourincg, and protectionism/unions. I have worked with Germans not too long ago and they were quite clear that their government forbids them using foreign contractors for more than very short term needs. Good for some German workers, bad for everyone a little...where is that balance? I think in the U.S. since we have almost no private unions and very loose labor laws...we should compensate some with mild protections on supporting U.S. business.