Posted on 03/10/2004 4:43:33 AM PST by 1rudeboy
President George W. Bush hit back at Democratic critics of his administration's job-creation efforts on Tuesday, branding them as "economic isolationists" who would raise new trade barriers and damage the US economy.
The comments came as part of what appeared to be a co-ordinated administration effort to respond to growing political pressures over the slow pace of US job growth, which has helped push Mr Bush's likely Democratic opponent, John Kerry, ahead of the president in several recent polls.
In a speech in Virginia, Mr Bush said: "There are economic isolationists in our country who believe we should separate ourselves from the rest of the world by raising up barriers and closing off markets. They're wrong. If we are to continue growing this economy and creating new jobs, America must remain confident and strong about our ability to trade in the world."
Robert Zoellick, the US trade representative, similarly warned Congress on Tuesday that "given the fact we're now in a stage of an economic recovery, the absolutely worst thing we could do would be to turn to economic isolationism".
Mr Zoellick told the Senate finance committee that increasing US exports to countries such as China and India, encouraging foreign investment in the US, and helping workers adjust to the loss of some jobs abroad were better responses than "bureaucratic interventions that will increase prices to our people".
Mr Bush's comments came less than a week after the Senate passed legislation aimed at preventing US government contracts from being carried out by workers in developing countries.
The administration has been uncertain over how to respond to the continued slow pace of job creation. Mr Bush has sought to distance himself from recent remarks by a senior economic adviser, Gregory Mankiw, that outsourcing of jobs is just a part of trade and therefore good for the US economy. But the administration now appears set to mount a more robust defence of companies that move US jobs abroad.
"US companies with foreign affiliates now account for about 58 per cent of our exports," said Mr Zoellick. "So the companies that do business overseas are also exporting overseas."
"I think the challenge is: How do you help people in a way that doesn't hurt or kill other jobs?" he said, pointing out that the US currently runs a $60bn annual trade surplus in the service sector, which has seen a growing number of jobs moved to lower-wage countries.
They think if there is a socialist country everyone will be happy. The government should never be in the job creation or retention position. The Fair Tax is the only true way to compete.
Maybe not free on their end, but free on ours. And that's all that matters. As long as our markets are free, we will continue to greatly outpace them economically as we have for decades.
Subsidies to the sugar people forced companies into Canada from this country.
Wealth is being destroyed in this country by the regulatory juggernaut of bureaucratic government. Take drug manufacturers as an example: How many dollars do they spend on research to meet a market demand only to have to jump the hurdles of the FDA? When and if they come up with a product, how many years does it take for FDA approval? When the FDA announces, as if they are to be thanked, "this new drug will save 15,000 lives this year," why doesn't anyone ask: "Does that mean you killed 45,000 people over the last three years before you would give it your stamp of approval?
I'm a sole proprietor. Based on the strangle-hold the State has on me--in fact, I'm being forced to take a business law course so I can continue working as my father before me--along with the other regulations I must comply with--I say one would have to be out of his mind to gointo business in this country.
Or are we all going to suggest that our regulatory government is non-existent?
Yep. "Underlying every argument against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself." -- Milton Friedman
Patently ridiculous. Who would you say is taking the "emotional" stand on this thread?
Well... then that's just Bush's fault - plain and simple.
Kerry holds the EXACT SAME POSITION as Bush, and his voting record proves that fact. Bush/Rove should be outing him as a liar (and actually USING that word)
Bureau of Labor statistics:
January 2001 Employment - 136.0 million
January 2004 Employment - 138.566 million
Perhaps.
But Walmart is a powerful organization and when they feel threatened they will respond. Look at the current string of ads that they are running to improve their image. A company that will spend that kind of money on image will not fail to educate their employees and their customers on which side of the bread the butter lies. IOW, that cheap stuff imported from China is the life blood of the organization and you had better not let anyone fool with it if you want to keep your job or keep buying the goods at Walmart that you couldn't otherwise afford.
People aren't stupid. Well at least most of them aren't. Well, I just hope that at least 51% of them aren't.
Please.
We're all doomed. Hilarious.
Well, Tex, perhaps we should add each other to our "I told you so" list.
Though, in truth, I hope that you turn out to be correct.
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