[Euro-American Scum]

More to the point, if the Republicans don't address it then the Democrats will.

Don't expect either of them to address it. Republicans want the cheap labor that offshoring affords them for their corporate constituency.

Democrats get a built-in constituency of oppressed third-world peoples of color that translate into voters.

In the process, the American working class gets reduced to the level of some third-world shanty all the time buying into the rhetoric of both the left and the right.

The only way this blows up in their faces is when nobody can buy the homes, cars, and gadgets that these companies will be producing with their slave labor. And don't think a handful of super-wealthy corporate executives will be able to support the entire American economy. Furthermore, don't believe for a minute American goods will have a market overseas. American money, yes. American commerce, no.

Of course, by then it will be too late.

[Nowhere Man]

In the process, the American working class gets reduced to the level of some third-world shanty all the time buying into the rhetoric of both the left and the right.

The only way this blows up in their faces is when nobody can buy the homes, cars, and gadgets that these companies will be producing with their slave labor. And don't think a handful of super-wealthy corporate executives will be able to support the entire American economy. Furthermore, don't believe for a minute American goods will have a market overseas. American money, yes. American commerce, no.

Of course, by then it will be too late.

I remember talking about this to my father many times. He retired not too long ago, he'll be 66 this year. He seems to think that this game will go on and on until things collapse one way or another so I think he would concur with your opinion. With the election of GW Bush and such, I think we might have won a reprieve for some time and hopefully things will improve although I'd like to see the Republican Congress address some of these concerns like us bleeding jobs and the H-1B visa situation. Unfortunatly I doubt we see much change there and as one poster put it, if the Republicans don't address it, the Democrats will.

Like you, my father seems to think that it is going to crash, I guess sort of like John Galt from the novel "Atlas Shrugged." I guess I would fill the role of Eddie Willers, keep trying to work with it, hoping things will improve at some point despite things going downhill. I guess if we get enough action, maybe we will. If not, I hope I don't go crazy like he did at the end of the story. B-)

Seriously, I doubt very many people in places like India, Red China, Indonesia, and other places will not be able to buy things like American cars. I think for these people, Cadilliacs and even Fords are way to expensive, if they are lucky, they will be able to afford motor scooters and cheap cars. Still, I don't deny people over there getting good jobs (I guess scaled for their economy) but I think we should not see the American public and economy suffer over it.