|
"If we want to bring back jobs from India, wouldn't it be fair to tell Honda, Toyota, Mercedes, and BMW to close their US plants and send jobs back to Germany and Japan?"
These manufacturers have plants here (Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, etc.), not because they wish to pay higher labor wages, but because they don't. These sites don't pay union wages. They also reduce transportation costs; the markets for these cars is here - makes sense. Many parts vendors are also here so that helps the employment figures a little.
If our employment figures are so high, why then all the fuss about outsourcing? So there is no problem? Or maybe the lost, higher paying jobs are replaced by lower paying jobs. Employment net = zero loss. Have you called tech support for your HP or Dell computer? Guess who you're talking to? It's not Fred from West Virginia. It's "Fred" from Bombay. Where are the computer programming jobs these days? Same place. "Fred" now crunches code for Microsoft and other corporations. My cousin, a programmer, is now out of work because "Fred" is now doing it. Not to worry. There's a lower paying job down the street where he could work if need be. The global economy includes us, and as with most things in economics, the possible solutions may or may not produce the effect we want.
Bush's solution to the outsourcing problem is ...... (drum roll), education. Yes it is, but that's in the long run. Apparently education is his answer for minimum wages too (debate #3). How does that help the Freds of America who have a current family to support, a current mortgage to pay and current children to raise? And GWs answer is to enroll them in night school. BTW, who pays for that? Wouldn't some corporate incentives provide a win-win situation for everyone? Any MBA types here care to offer a possible solution?
Anyone check the cost of going to college lately? Yeah, I know, student loans. More debt for Fred. I don't see GW's leadership to reduce the cost of his primary solution to outsourcing. I have my doubts his eye is on this.
Tabs,
Your rationale of the war for losing jobs. Maybe another detail GW didn't anticipate when he signed off on it. Or maybe he thought it would create an abundance of wartime jobs.
Jyl,
thanks for the lucid explanation about job growth and decline.
Brian,
Congratulations on your impending wedding. Best wishes on your next job too. Hope things are better after 11/2.
Sherwood
|