Why do we export so much unskilled labor and then wonder why the uneducated can't seem to find jobs?

[Peppermint Patty]

Because the "we" in your question is different for the two cases you mention -
unskilled or low-skilled labor is outsourced because "we" (the people acting through Congress) subject our own labor force and factories to regulations, taxes, wage levels and other uncompetitive factors,

then "we" (our businessmen and their lobbyists) let countries with lower wages, less safe workplaces, poorly-protected work forces and more polluting factories compete very unfairly for work with our own people,

then "we" (you and me and everyone else who is frustrated because ten percent of us in the United States are out of work) wonder why not just the uneducated, but people of all walks of life and educations, can't find jobs.

"We" (the people, acting through Congress) should demand that cheap goods built in ramshackle, polluting, unsafe factories by poorly-paid, poorly-treated workers (some of them prison labor) not be imported and sold in the United States. I think that on a level playing field, even people with modest educations in this country can compete effectively with overseas workers.

"We" should also stop labor unions from committing the abusive practices which make our products and our workers uncompetitive on the world stage.

"We" (the people) should demand that the press cover ALL the reasons American industial workers are not competitive - gouging American consumers by demanding relatively huge wages in the auto and other heavy industries for our new cars and other heavy durable goods. We should take a long and searching look at labor unions and how they enjoy power far beyond any benefit they may provide to American society.

And "we" (the people) should never vote for or support any candidate for public office who has promised to help labor unions gouge us and their own workers by demanding inordinate wages, much of which in the form of union dues support corrupt and outright evil politicians. The power of labor unions is so pervasive that I don't have to point out who's in labor's pocket - the President, Vice-President and most of the Congressional leadership are terrified to tell Big Labor to take a hike.

When we go back to a fair day's work for a fair day's wage, demand that goods built under terrible conditions not be imported and sold here, and put Big Labor back in its place, we won't have to wonder why so many of us are out of work.