I’ve been surprised by how many threads there are on SD that advocate protectionism (whether subtly or overtly).
The thing is, if you really can get exactly the same job done elsewhere for cheaper, it makes economic sense to do so. In the long run, countries that allow outsourcing (ok, with some regulation) will outperform countries that try to protect higher paid local workers.
It sucks, but ultimately people have to find somewhere else to apply their skills. And I’m saying that as an unemployed IT professional…
WRT America specifically, most analyses I’ve seen imply that the current very high unemployment is in large part down to twitchy markets, and won’t last.