Obama And Romney Are Wrong: Outsourcing Is Actually America At Its Best

Forbes ^ | 07/28/2012 | Harry Binswanger

[SeekAndFind]

Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are currently fighting over who is the more patriotic. Obama slams Romney for having outsourced jobs to China during his Bain Capital days. Romney punches back by labeling Obama “Outsourcer in Chief.” The latest is that both John Boehner and Harry Reid are voicing outrage over America’s made-in-China Olympic uniforms. “Burn them!” thunders Reid.

Republicans and Democrats strangely agree that outsourcing is unpatriotic, and that the moral and patriotic thing to do is to “Hire American” and “Buy American.”

Well, no. Not in a thousand years. The fear of outsourcing and international trade is economic nonsense and moral blindness. More than that: this anti-profit attitude is un-American.

Despite the ongoing Europeanization of America, America still symbolizes the land of freedom, entrepreneurship, profit-making, above all, individualism.

But collectivism is the premise of “Hire/Buy American”: we are to view ourselves and others not as individuals, but as units of a nation. Businesses are urged to pay more in labor costs, simply to hire workers who are American; consumers are urged to forgo Walmart’s low prices, pay more, simply because the pricier goods were made by “our guys.” This is not rational patriotism, it is not Americanism, it's primitive tribalism.

American individualism means making buying decisions on the basis of economic merit, giving no regard to the nationality or race of the seller. Let’s not hide behind patriotic-sounding slogans. Let’s name things straight for a change: giving preference to American sellers over foreign sellers is the same mindless injustice as giving preference to sellers who are white over those who are black.

Economic nationalism is as morally outrageous as racism. Buying on the basis of nationality or race is the same collectivist evil: judging men and their products by the group from which they come, not by merit.

[rurgan]

We have unlimited energy sources in the U.S. . It’s better to develop these energy source to create jobs and industry Here in the U.S.A. That’s better than importing anything. We have unlimited oil,oil shale , natural gas ,coal etc. And you free traitors call drilling for our own oil etc. you call this idiocy . look in the mirror.

[1rudeboy]

Now I want to remove all trade restrictions with China? Jeepers, where do you guys come up with this stuff?

If the stated policy aim is to save jobs and increase domestic manufacturing, then cut taxes across the board. Don't expect some government bureaucrat to choose which of your taxes he needs to raise, and which industry he wants to favor over another. Which is all tariffs do . . . even protectionists admit to as much.

[GlockThe Vote]

I disagree w this 1000000%.

[central_va]

I think we should cut corporate tax rates to 20% or lower, but until we reach that noble goal - if ever - I am totally cool with off shoring our entire manufacturing base to the third world and/or communist countries

Fixed with your true intent.

[1rudeboy]

Let's just say, for example, that the President places a moratorium on offshore drilling, and regulates the coal industry out of existence. How does placing a tariff on imported oil and imported coal increase domestic production?

We know that it will take more money out of your wallet and give it him . . . .

[central_va]

How does placing a tariff on imported oil and imported coal increase domestic production?

It causes inflation(pain) and unmasks the true costs of a stupid policy. Off shoring eliminates the inflation(pain) and is heroin to the economy. Tariffs restores the pain.

[1rudeboy]

And how does a higher rate of inflation increase domestic employment and production? Run it by me again.

[central_va]

And how does a higher rate of inflation increase domestic employment and production? Run it by me again

Sure it's simple, the high cost of energy, in this example, will cause the sheeple to actually react and apply political pressure on the professional political class. Then the stupid policy can be overturned and everything hopefully back to normal in the DOMESTIC energy sector. See wasn't that hard was it?

When politics gets involved in domestic commerce, the solution has to be political also. Running into the arms of Communists is not a solution.

[1rudeboy]

Apart from some periodic caterwauling about the Strategic Petroleum Reserve on the part of the professional political class, there is nothing in the record that indicates your theory works.

[1rudeboy]

And by that, I mean the greenies and the nimbys will continue along their path (and even welcome the higher prices), and the “drill here, drill now” folks would drill anyway in the absence of the higher prices.

[central_va]

there is nothing in the record that indicates your theory works. Research the USA, tariffs and the founding fathers.

Oh yeah on more thing, and free trade has sure pressured pols into lowering corp tax rates. /sarcasm

[1rudeboy]

Now that I think about it, a significant portion of our professional political class would use the higher oil prices to call for more solar power, wind power, etc.

And, our corporate income tax rate has fallen. Incidentally, during a period coinciding with free(r) trade. I'm not saying the two are directly correlated, but you don't appear to know what our corporate income tax rate is now, and what it used to be.

[khelus]

Thanks for the ping and posting of those facts. I can only make a few comments now because reality calls.

Those who promote off shoring, outsourcing, importing 'guest' labor and goods made by neo-slaves forget that Marx promoted 'Free Trade', i.e. the unfettered movement of capital, labor and goods devoid of consideration of ethics and patriotism as way to fast track the spread of global communism.

Unwittingly some who fancy themselves on the right side of the aisle have have fallen prey to Cultural Marxism's stories for the right that include free movement of goods, persons, and capital, harmonization of living standards, jobs Americans can't / won't do, compassionate conservatism, profits 'uber alles', yada, yada, yada... These stories have been leading us to the same place as the stories for those on the left side of the aisle: destruction of the American economy, security, traditional culture, values and its pesky middle class under the tyranny of global communism administered by the WTO, UN, and their affiliates.

The damage done over that last 30+ years has been hidden until recently by manipulation of basic government stats, access to below market cheap credit, cheap, poorly made consumer goods, and 'experts' touting debt as good.

The results can bee seen in the blue lines of the charts below:







As to regulations, some forget crony capitalism aka fascism. Large global corporations have no problems with regulations as long as they can lend their expertise to their creation. What a great way to suppress competition!

[1rudeboy]

The only people who believe that free trade will lead to a social revolution, as did Marx, are protectionists. And even not all protectionists are that stupid.

[3Fingas]

Agreed on all your points.

Free Trade is an article of faith to some on this site.
I don’t know how anyone can think allowing our country to be destroyed is a conservative principle.

America first in all things. Free trade among the states (the states of this republic). Favored trading relations with our best allies. This list can change with time but pretty much includes the major English-speaking countries, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand (when they behave themselves). You could probably include Japan and a few other countries in the favored trading block. These allies have proven themselves over time. They deserve greater access to our markets. Bilateral trading relations (quid pro quo) with most other countries in the world. Moderate tariffs and bilateral agreements should be applied with this group. Finally, very limited trading and heavy tariffs with any other country not making the first two lists. My beliefs are the traditional view of trade which made this country strong. Sorry, it’s not a conservative principle to give favored trading status to countries who are hostile to our national security.

[1rudeboy]

The United States has free trade agreements with the following countries:

•Australia
•Bahrain
•Canada
•Chile
•Colombia
•Costa Rica
•Dominican Republic
•El Salvador
•Guatemala
•Honduras
•Israel
•Jordan
•Korea
•Mexico
•Morocco
•Nicaragua
•Oman
•Peru
•Singapore

[central_va]

Great post!

[Captain Peter Blood]

To write this kind of drivel is insane, are these the talking points of the Trilateral Commission???? No country can survive and prosper without a balanced economy and that means a strong manufacturing base.
Without a balanced economy there is no strong middle-class.
We cannot as a country have our GDP dependent on the consumer making up 70% of it by buying imported merchandise and we cannot be strong by trying to transition to a service economy.
I strongly feel a reset is coming, probably in the form of a economic collapse and/or a bond default.
China is slowing dramatically, Europe cannot buy it's goods and we won't be able either soon enough which means that China's big money surplus won't mean squat.

[ex-snook]

"Well, no. Not in a thousand years. The fear of outsourcing and international trade is economic nonsense and moral blindness. More than that: this anti-profit attitude is un-American. "

No Harry putting money before country is unpatriotic. This is patriotic.

[3Fingas]

Corrupt politicians of both parties have ceded authority to the World Trade Organization. We may not technically have free trade with China or other countries hostile to our national interests, but since we are now subject to the dictates of the WTO, that is the practical effect.

As for this list provided, some of these countries deserve a favored trading status with the US, but none should have unfettered access...nobody deserves that.