If corporations focus doggedly on sourcing from overseas, but negelect developing those markets themselves, then we have a problem. The ultimate goal is balanced trade, which 90% of the 'free trade' people neglect. What they promote is not free trade anyway.
I think if we have anything really resembling free trade we should pursue it. The agreements of "sourcing from overseas only" with the intent of merely importing should be abandoned.
Importing from overseas should have the focus and restrictions on business that promote development of overseas markets.
Its not the idea of sourcing, but the idea developing...Right now though its a rush to the bottom of the barrel, which sucks economically. They can cut costs like that but they are going to have a hell of a hard time adding $$$ to the top line like that. I want TOP LINE growth.
A common sentiment among people here on FR is as follows:
"Oh, for the days when [clothing, electronics, automobiles, appliances, etc. -- you name it] were all made here in the U.S.!!"
There is nothing wrong with that kind of nostalgic longing, but in most cases it is based on the erroneous presumption that the number of these items sold in the U.S. would be the same regardless of whether they were made in Malaysia or in the United States. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Back in the days when all those things were made in the U.S., there weren't very many of them being sold at all (at least the more expensive ones). I'm a Generation X-er, but as a kid I can still remember that monumental point in my family's history when we got a second car for the first time. Some Freepers may even remember when clothing was a major budget item in a typical American family -- now, the stuff is so cheap that a Nike logo on a T-shirt costs ten times as much as the T-shirt on which it is printed!
Just some food for thought . . .