Traders Are Not Traitors (Outsourcing is good for America--and the world.)

The Weekly Standard ^ | March 29, 2004 | Cesar Conda and Stuart Anderson

[neutrino]

Let's see now. No facts. No figures. Just lots of words about how wonderful outsourcing is. And then we have Friedman: "Friedman warned: "There is more to outsourcing than just economics. There's also geopolitics."

That's the same argument one might use for any other welfare program - i.e., pay them off so they don't burn down the 'hood.

Outsourcing - another UN backed global welfare program, paid for by American workers.

[Jim Robinson]

Darn toot'n! Doggone profiteering corporations! Ought to be a law against it. Down with capitalism! Yankee Go Home! mutter sputter pfft!

[Lurker]

Apparently the names Smoot and Hawley are lost in ancient history to some Freepers.

Sad, ain't it.

L

[SupplySider]

Free trade in goods and services can be an important tool for accomplishing peacefully what our soldiers are, in part, fighting for in Iraq, namely a transition to a freer and more prosperous world that, in turn, will make Americans more secure.

A great point. I wish the dictator thugs of the Arab world would look to what the Indians and the Chinese are doing.

[dennisw]

Apparently the names Smoot and Hawley are lost in ancient history to some Freepers.

Since trade involved only 5% of our economy in 1930, the effect of Smoot Hawley tariffs were nil.

[jocon307]

"Of course, the entire preoccupation with call-center jobs is a bit strange, since Kerry and other members of Congress had previously passed "Do Not Call" legislation that, according to telemarketing industry estimates, could eliminate as many as two million U.S. call-center jobs."

LOL, I never thought of this!

[StolarStorm]

Customers are informed that if they press the "India" button, their loan will be processed in one day, while the U.S.-based work may take two days or longer.

Of course customers are told that the Americans may take longer... because eloan saves money using the Indians. They have a vested interest in putting the American based workers in a bad light.

[CompProgrammer]

Things have changed. Again, I want to ask Cesar what technical career should we study for to ensure a good income in the future? Should I go into engineering? No, that's all going offshore. Should I go into computer science? No, that's all going offshore. I know, I'll be a radiologist. No, that's all going offshore, too. All of the technical jobs are going offshore.
We had tariffs a long time before Smoot-Hawley. We need a tariff now on imported goods. The Internet has changed the economic equation radically.

[RWR8189]

What is the benefit of tarrifs?

Don't you think the country you slap it on will respond in kind?

[StolarStorm]

India already has very high tariffs on American good and services, around 70% (one of the highest in the world). If we slapped tariffs in kind, there wouldn't be an issue.

[null and void]

Don't you think the country you slap it on will respond in kind?

Bingo! LET'S RESPOND IN KIND!!!

[CompProgrammer]

Benefits of tariff
- Cost of imported goods and services go up. Relative cost of domestic goods and services goes down. More jobs go to Americans (that's us!)
- More money generated for Treasury. Can use this for wage insurance (instead of pitiful unemployment benefits)

We won't have any technical jobs unless the cost-benefit ratio is changed.

Again, if I am wrong, just tell me what technical job I should train for in order to generate a good income.

[1rudeboy]

. . . just tell me what technical job I should train for in order to generate a good income.

Technically, you should start by looking at the want-ads.

[Poohbah]

Cost of imported goods and services go up. Relative cost of domestic goods and services goes down.

Nope. Domestic providers simply increase their prices to the new set-point.

Everyone (that's us!) spends more money for fewer goods and services

More money generated for Treasury. Can use this for wage insurance (instead of pitiful unemployment benefits)

So you're in favor of ever larger amounts of government largesse.

[AM2000]

You didn't really answer CompProgrammer's question.

What exactly are those jobs that will appear in lieu of the jobs currently going away?

Hasn't that been the promise of free trade all along?

[1rudeboy]

I "didn't really" answer? Don't be shy, I ignored it . . . .

I have some money to invest. Can you tell me exactly where I should do so in order to make a profit?

[AM2000]

Choosing an investment has a very high degree of uncertainty.

So you're saying that choosing your profession should have the same high degree of uncertainty?

If the former doesn't quite pan out, you can always sell, cut your losses and reinvest. If the latter doesn't work out (say, because most of the jobs in that sector have gone to China or India), it's not that easy. Reinvesting is infinitely less time consuming than retraining.

[Veracious Poet]

Wonder when FreeRepublic's maintenance will be outsourced, seems like the "American" thing to do...

Sheesh, I wonder if there are any patriots left - Capitalism is great, but not at the expense of the country.

[Veracious Poet]

NEO-CONS: MAKING THE WORLD A SAFE PLACE FOR GLOBAL-CORPORATE BUSINESS SINCE 2001.