Trade and Wages: The U.S. economy must be in better shape because Americans are no longer sour toward trade. The latest Gallup survey shows 57 percent of Americans now view foreign trade as an opportunity for economic growth, versus 35 percent saying the economy is threatened by imports. The pattern is for the public to become more protectionist when the economy is at risk.Meanwhile, leading economists weighed in on the Chicago School of Business' latest survey regarding the proposed increase in the U.S. minimum wage to $9/hour. There are many dueling research studies on the efficacy of raising the minimum wage, and so it was little surprise that the economists were largely split on the question. However, there was a plurality of experts...