But Alan, we simply cannot do what you say in  your last point without the world ending:

"•We cannot deepen our trade with foreign customers if we do not have the products to sell. We must overcome domestic political obstacles to the creation of the infrastructure to carry our products to tidewater and beyond..."

To do that would require, gasp, making footprints, and double gasp, possibly offending someone.

No Alan, we just have to recline back and let the cable TV (or Netflix)wash over us, and await the next wave of branch plant jobs that are no doubt on the way.