[A. Pole]

I've heard of voodoo economics, but this is the first time I've ever encounterd cargo-cult autarky economics. The world economy is here to stay.

Soviet Communists were saying the same - the Soviet system "is here to stay" ("you cannot stop the progress"). So where is the Soviet system now, Mr. Jones?! Where is it, huh?

The outsourcing and "export" of jobs is based on four assumptions:

1. American consumers will be able to buy the output of outsourced production with reduced wages

2. The property rights of owners will be respected even if the most of manufacturing base will be in China or India and no regulation/expropriation/nationalisation will happen over there.

3. American dollars will retain its value even with the huge deficit.

4. American workers will accept meekly the collapse of their status or they will be supressed in Latin American style.

Free traders think that Argentinian model or Dickensian England is the ideal and that Switzerland will give them permanent visas if things go wrong.

[Mulder]

that Switzerland will give them permanent visas if things go wrong.

Of course, Switzerland, or any other country will give them (the Clintons, Bushes, Doles, Gores, etc....) visas if things go wrong here in the states.

Hell, Bush even has family members stationed in other countries like China.

[templar]

4. American workers will accept meekly the collapse of their status or they will be supressed in Latin American style.

I would suggest, or possibly add as an addendum to #4:

A heavily armend and rapidly gropwing American underclass will remain too stupid to realize that they are an underclass.

[bvw]

Spot on irony, yet " that Switzerland will give [the free traders] permanent visas if things go wrong" is off, as they do not look that far ahead. Their vision is very narrow, and where not narrow, short.

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

So where is the Soviet system now, Mr. Jones?! Where is it, huh? >>

It surrendered. To guys like me, thank you very much, serving in uniform when guys like you were whining and groaning about how we were losing to the Stalinists.

Your apology is accepted, Captain Needa.

[quebecois]

Bravo....one of the most succinct dissections of free trade that I have ever seen.