Was it NAFTA that caused the hollowing out of manufacturing in the US? The US could have protected its workers jobs better by insisting that Mexico follow the NAFTA agreements on protecting the environment, working conditions, worker's rights and collective bargaining. Instead, we simply let corporations have their way, enforced what was easy and ignored what was hard.
Also, why not focus on competing rather than protecting jobs? Our education policies are not anywhere near adequate for today's workforce. Then again, corporate practices guide job choices. Why should a person seek a job in an industry where the corporation will fire them as soon as they encounter economic headwinds? I keep hearing how we don't have enough trained workers by the very same companies that eliminated pensions, unions and treat employees as an expense rather than an asset.
From what I've read about NAFTA, it's pretty much a wash whether or not it created jobs. I would heartily agree that by ignoring key agreements in NAFTA and allowing corporations to skirt US labor and environmental regulations, worker's wages and working conditions have declined to the point where they are today. That would be true in Mexico and the US.
I'm more for encouraging fair competition rather than imposing protectionist policies.