If the engineers suck, or suck in relation to their peers overseas, or even are a poor value in relation to their peers overseas, their jobs will evaporate. If you are the best, if you are the leader in innovation, if your research facilities turn out students that other countries cannot compete with- then your jobs are pretty safe. If you choose to think the issue can be resolved by protectionism, I think you're running after a losing strategy that will protect mediocrity, and do nothing to cure the real problem.
Money on math and science education is not wasted. Would you see a payoff immediately? Well, if you read the article you see what kind of pay off you can expect. Americans, in general, are dismal long term thinkers. We really need to start thinking ahead. Protectionism is yet another tired short term strategy for a problem that requires long term solutions. America will probably be unable to deal with the problem. It's sad, but there you are. |
