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This could very well be the issue with which the Democrats will retake the White House, if not next year, then in 2008. It is a real and growing problem, and, as yet, the Republicans do not even have it on their radar screens.

The offshore outsourcing trend has affected not only the high-tech (IT) sector, but is expanding in the financial services and telecommunications areas as well. American companies are hiring foreign workers at a fraction of American wage and benefit rates because it makes perfect, rational economic sense for them to do so in a globally competitive economy. What does NOT make sense, and what will (IMHO) ultimately result in a US financial crisis is that an increasing share of workers are paying no US taxes nor are they subsidizing the ever-expanding entitlement programs that Congress has mandated (SSI, Medicare, etc.) In turn, these same workers are not reinvesting their earnings in American goods and services, which means that future growth and job creation are being stunted. Meanwhile, our convoluted and literally insane tax code combined with bloated Federal spending is choking off opportunities for new American companies to produce new American jobs.

Even though the Democrats' likely prescription for all of this (more government/higher taxes) would surely be worse than the disease, many people will be receptive to politicians who seem to recognize problems rather than to those who seem to ignore them. Right now, the Republicans are ignoring them.

I sent an email to the GOP about a week ago and they said they were adding it to the Chairman's daily report. That may have been complete BS but I have to believe it's on their radar. I also suspect businesses are putting pressure on the Republicans to do nothing by providing sizable campaign contributions.

I have to think Bush has been simply avoiding the issue until he's forced to take a position. If he sides with labor then his campaign contribution pipeline will suffer. If he sides with business then he risks his voting base. So the GOP response should be very interesting both in timing and message.

This could very well be the issue with which the Democrats will retake the White House, if not next year, then in 2008.

It will be 2004. Bush did not win by the landslide, even against Gore! He got some votes of Buchanan supporters who saw him as a smaller evil while Naderites were to stubborn to vote for a Democrat.

This time Buchanites will stay home or write someone in while part of Naderites will come back to the fold.