Posted on 03/05/2006 7:33:01 AM PST by SJackson
JULIE MASON Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau
NEW DELHI - It's a touchy, politically charged issue and President Bush dove right into it last week, defending outsourcing as a reality of the global market that should be embraced, not feared.
"Globalization provides great opportunities," Bush said, although he conceded that "people do lose jobs as a result of globalization, and it's painful for those who lose jobs."
Outsourcing is still in its early stages, but nonetheless cuts to the heart of American anxiety about the economy. Bush, who has an MBA from Harvard, takes the long view of what he sees as its likely effects.
"The classic opportunity for our American farmers and entrepreneurs and small businesses to understand is there is a 300 million-person market of middle class citizens here in India," Bush said Friday during a discussion with young entrepreneurs at a business school in Hyderabad.
A November poll by Opinion Research Corp. found that 72 percent of Americans believed that outsourcing is "really all about corporate greed," while 25 percent equated outsourcing with job losses. More than 25 percent said they were worried about their own jobs.
Outsourcing was an explosive issue in the 2004 presidential campaign. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, the Democratic nominee, proposed tax incentives for companies that keep jobs in the United States and made his position politically vivid by calling for the outsourcing of Bush.
Bush, who believes his re-election represented an endorsement of his policies, is pushing ahead with trade deals and economic pacts and trying to manage public perceptions about outsourcing. Noting that U.S. imports to India increased 30 percent in 2005, he said economic cooperation between the two will help the U.S. economy and benefit India.
A poll released Thursday by Fox News showed that 39 percent of Americans approve of Bush's job performance, and talking up outsourcing is not likely to help his ratings. But Bush always has maintained that he doesn't care about polls or govern by them.
Strong connection to American brands
For Americans who wince at the spread of McDonald's and gangsta rap abroad, Bush stresses the export of durable goods to India and also concedes that the U.S. fast-food culture continues to make inroads.
"India's middle class is buying air-conditioners, kitchen appliances and washing machines, and a lot of them from American companies like GE and Whirlpool and Westinghouse," Bush said recently.
That's an encouraging trend, but it comes with an asterisk: "Younger Indians are acquiring a taste for pizza from Domino's, Pizza Hut," Bush said. "Today, India's consumers associate American brands with quality and value, and this trade is creating an opportunity at home."
A culinary note: Sikhs and Hindus do not eat beef, regarding cows as sacred. They get mutton instead of pepperoni on their Pizza Hut and Domino's takeout.
Bollywood reference puzzles president
Indian journalists asked Bush whether, given the choice, he would prefer to watch a cricket match or a Bollywood movie. Bush seemed bollixed by Bollywood, India's massive film industry.
"Cricket match and a — what was the second?" he asked.
When it was explained that Bollywood makes movies, the former baseball executive said, "I'm a cricket match person."
For those who prefer Bollywood, Bush was to have dined with Aishwarya Rai at last week's state dinner, but the sultry star of Bride and Prejudice, the Indian take on the Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice, had a schedule conflict and couldn't make it.
Rai also stars in the upcoming adaptation of Mistress of Spices, a novel by Houston author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.
Globalization provides great opportunities, people do lose jobs as a result of globalization, and it's painful for those who lose jobs [but] The classic opportunity for our American farmers and entrepreneurs and small businesses to understand is there is a 300 million-person market of middle class citizens here in India.
I sincerely hope the Republican Party isn't running on that concept in the fall. Lose middle class jobs here, grow the middle class in India, and sell to them. If as the article suggests GWB believes his re-election represented an endorsement of his policies, in this case he's dreaming. It's disappointing that with a permanent tax cut left undone, the task of protecting our borders not yet begun, globalization appears to be primary concern.
What, exactly, do we manufacture that they'd like to consume?
So the Republican Party should embrace zero-sum economic theory? No thanks.
You beat me to it... We're moving to a "service economy." Exactly what services will we be exporting. More importantly, what services will people here in the states be buying?
Mark
good thing Bush isn't running for reelection.
no vote from me.
Damn Skippy. Less illegals to deal with.
Bollywood reference puzzles president
Indian journalists asked Bush whether, given the choice, he would prefer to watch a cricket match or a Bollywood movie. Bush seemed bollixed by Bollywood, India's massive film industry.
"Cricket match and a — what was the second?" he asked.
When it was explained that Bollywood makes movies, the former baseball executive said, "I'm a cricket match person."
For those who prefer Bollywood, Bush was to have dined with Aishwarya Rai at last week's state dinner, but the sultry star of Bride and Prejudice, the Indian take on the Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice, had a schedule conflict and couldn't make it.
Well, rules are rules...
Mark
"Globalization provides great opportunities," Bush said
What a sell-out.
This is the bush legacy.
It won't be long before fast food drive-thru's figure out how to outsource the ordering. Press the button to order at your local, and someone in India takes your order.
[Expect increasingly longer lines was orders have to be corrected.]
Could you now post the comprehensive list of imports from said country?
No.
GW is outsourcing the higher tech jobs while importing illegals 'to do the jobs Americans won't do.'
GW keeps inferring that we are fat and lazy and incapable of doing things for ourselves.
"India's 60-year experiment with economic isolationism has been a total failure" declared Mr. Bush. "The wogs are ready to embrace my vision of a more 'compassionate' Raj."
Gee--just how many jobs do we have to outsource before we start seeing the benefits? Lord knows we're still waiting to run trade surpluses with: China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Mexico, .... First manufacturing, now service, and (coming soon) R&D. Soon Government will be the only viable employer out there. Someone's pockets are getting lined from all this outsourcing--and its not the American middle class.
The worst part is that American companies, who 30 years ago actually cared about the US have come to embrace and love outsource. Look at Boeing and their Dreamliner propaganda ("what if you had a great idea and shared it with the world?"). How much of the Dreamliner is actually made here? Here's an idea for a commercial: "What if you had a great idea and kept it for yourself--to benefit your own country and those you care about?"
No. I was looking at it from a political perspective. It's a loser. Regardless of the economic impact, emphasizing the creation of jobs in India and foreign acquisitions of US companies, while fostering the creation of jobs in the US for illegal immigrants is a fine way of making sure the issues embraced by the Republican Party are the minority position. From the perspective of trade, one party or the other needs to address the issue of leveling the playing field. If an American firm can own only 49% of a UAE company, we should return the favor, and let them buy minority interests in US companies.
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