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Georgians Losers in Trade Gap With China

An estimated 87,700. According to an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, that’s how many jobs have been lost in Georgia during the past decade because of the trade deficit with China. That makes Georgia the 10th hardest hit state in the country.

What does this really mean? Not only do you have more unemployed workers, but you also have a trickle-down effect where people are pumping less money into the local economy because a) they have less money to spend due to unemployment or under-employment and b) there are fewer American-made products to buy (and American-based companies and/or workers to support).

However, if foreign products are produced at a lower cost and result in cost-savings for the average American family, does the economy as a whole still suffer? Are lost manufacturing jobs being adequately replaced by other types of employment? What do you think?

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