going to set the minimum bar of intelligence and competence even higher for effectively holding a job, especially any sort of job that helps people improve their situation at all.

I don't know that the collective American intelligence is improving quickly enough to keep up with the page of change in the knowledge economy. Anecdotal evidence would suggest not, though I don't know if there are any stats.

I am of the opinion that we need to look at personal, community, and government choices that can help us ease the economic peril that is likely to hit those in our society least capable of navigating the situation.