Andrew: While no individual American, in a conservative universe, is

entitled to any particular job, it remains the case that Americans at large are entitled to American jobs at large.

I don’t know that one could prove the truth of that in any metaphysical

sense, but it is surely a political truth. I mean, the converse

proposition — that jobs in the USA ought to be open to competitive bidding

by all the people of the world — will, to put it very mildly indeed, not

get you anywhere with the US electorate.

Since we have a concept of ownership of jobs, even in this generalized

sense, I don’t think it’s improper, in polemical exchanges, to speak about

the “stealing” of jobs. Where there is ownership, there can be theft.