[Dr Warmoose]

Wasn't this Pat Buchanan's platform?

The problem is that the the power brokers within the GOP were terrified that someone like Pat Buchanan would get the GOP nomination so they went on a smear campaign to ruin his chances at winning more than New Hampshire. Such was the origins of the policy of screwing Americans through the practice of job exportation. Ironic though that in their infinite wisdom they thought it was OK to push factories out the country since union rats weren't going to vote 'R' anyway, but in their philosophical position that "free trade" meant that all jobs were subject to exportation (a position designed to marginalize Pat) they ended up screwing their own voter base.

[swany]

Did the companies just start leaving the country in 2000?

[bimbo]

Wasn't this Pat Buchanan's platform?

Yes! … and Perot’s platform before him. … and it’s always been America’s policy until Bush I and his New World Order.