Eugene:  Certainly the Rust Belt issues worked to promote Trump's election.  In 1992 I was an outspoken opponent of NAFTA and supported Perot's position regarding that "giant sucking sound" or jobs going to Mexico.  'Ol Ross was correct and we've been paying for NAFTA and every move toward 'globalized free trade" ever since.  The displaced industrial workers have a long memory....I would, too.  Trump hung the albatross of our destroyed industrial base around Hillary's neck...and, yes, IMO that's where it belonged.  

Today's question is both simple and complex....simple to state, complex to answer.  The question:  Just what the hell do we do now?  We've already destroyed our "traditional" value-added industrial base.  It's GONE and wont' be back. We simply cannot compete with Third World labor costs.  Additionally, what manufacturing we have is increasingly automated and offers far fewer jobs.  We're a consumer/consumer credit based economy with (cont)