Re:I think Tom missed a few important points... (Score 1)

The "other things" we are freed up to do are obviously service sector jobs.

Harvard MBAs don't like manufacturing jobs (because they require stocking parts, dealing with engineers and schedules - all stuff they can't "control") and they've somehow convinced nearly all our politicians to believe that one can equate manufacturing jobs with service jobs.

Service jobs just move money from a hamburger-flipper to a hair stylist. No wealth is created -it's only changed hands. Without engineering and manufacturing, the economy will fail.

I've seen articles in newspapers on the demise of manufacturing that then go on to show how service-sector jobs were going to be the savior. Whom are they kidding? It is this focus on service sector jobs at the expense of manufacturing jobs that got us in trouble in the first place.