I work for a company which is/has exploited foreign resources to the max. I travel around quite a bit as a result, and it's an intersting topic of discussion. One thing I can say after seeing some very different cultures is that the USA is the place for me. Regarding Average Joe, the dynamics are complex enough that I won't start to offer any answers. But I think it is true that Americans are going to have to become more educated on average to compete. Maybe that's a good thing? I don't know.
Once could argue that we should be trying to pull ourselves to higher level jobs than assembling widgets. I dunno. No question, however, that we lead the world. And that prize brings heavy burdens.