Tech professionals group wary of offshoring

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"He can complain all he likes about the outsourcing that's happening, but the truth is he voted for the systems that make it easier to do it.

What systems are you talking about? There is no "offshoring" system. He did vote NAFTA, but hey, the majority (dem and repubs) at the time thought it was a great idea."

I believe he voted for the Uruguay Round of GATT as well.

Both agreements lowered our trade barriers to foreign-produced products and services, hence making outsourcing easier. That's what I was referring to.

"Something he could try, that would be different, would be to give tax incentives for companies to hire here.

Companies already have enough "tax incentives". I simpler solution is to raise tarriffs so foreign products and services are competively priced in our market."

Raising the price of doing business is not a pro-growth policy, Stan. Without growth, there will be less jobs. We're not just talking about goods and services that end consumers buy. We're also talking about goods and services that businesses buy and use. You may get a short-term boost from the tarrifs, but in the long run we'll suffer long-term job/wage stagnation, and a loss to our competitive edge in the world. I know what I describe sounds like what we've been going through, but this is temporary. We had similar conditions in our economy from 1990-1993. Look at what happened afterwards.

Besides, I don't believe Kerry is actually the kind of person who would put up tarrifs. Like I said, it would sour our relations with other countries, which supposedly Kerry is against (referring to his stand on our policy in the "War on Terror").

"Foreign countries would respond, "Okay, fine. We'll do some of that, but first you've got to do away with all of your agricultural subsidies before we budge an inch."

The united states is the worlds #1 food exporter. Are you trying to say that foreign countries want us to charge them more for food we sell them? Wouldnt that be a tarriff on their part? Sure, lets do it. As long as they dont mind those we put on their products."

Poorer countries care about their economies too. They see our agricultural subsidies, and indeed those of the EU as artificial price caps, which make them (the poorer countries) less competitive in the global agricultural market.

In some countries agriculture makes up a majority of their economy, so they care a lot about this issue. The other disadvantage they have is they don't have near the safety net infrastructure that we do. If their farmers go out of business, they have absolutely no place to go. I'm not saying that they shouldn't be forced to adapt, just as we do and are, but that's how they look at their situation, right or wrong. Their economies probably aren't that competitive to begin with partly because of the barriers they have. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the reason they're not richer than they are. But if we're going to deal, we have to deal with them partly on their terms. That's how negotiating works.

The reason I brought up agricultural subsidies is they've been a major sticking point for further trade negotiations that have been attempted of the last few years. They've broken down and gone nowhere because we've been unwilling to budge on this issue.

Posted by: Mark Miller   Posted on: 03/19/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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