In my opinion (and I know I am not alone), we need to get out of the mindset that we are an industrial nation.  That time has passed and we are now heading into an information/technology period of history.  A little over 125 years ago, something like 97% of all jobs in America were in some way connected to agriculture.  Today it's 3%.  100 years ago, the makers of horse drawn vehicles, buggy whip manufacturers, etc. etc. etc. were seeing the end of their time approach.  And yet the economy did not collapse -- it just moved into another area.  When goods can be produced and manufactured more cheaply in other countries, why not let them go?  A whole new industry WILL rise up to take its place.  That's what capitalism is all about.  Abstractors will eventually all lose their jobs as more and more counties move on line and more and more title companies and the like do their own searches.  It's inevitable.  But we'll manage to move in another direction -- perhaps helping those companies access and properly utilize the new technologies.

Frankly, I think it would be great if those awful assembly lines (of which I have worked on) went the way of the dinosaur.  Blue collar America has got to learn that those high-paying union jobs are gone forever.  Time to move on.  Time for REAL change.....

Unless, of course, we're all forced to become SOCIALISTS in the next four years!  (DON'T get me started!)