[Eala]

The only winners in this race to the bottom are the corporations profiting from this global exploitation of workers.

No bias or blindiness in this piece, no sir.

[anniegetyourgun]

"I used to think that President Richard Nixon set the gold standard for secrecy, paranoia and corruption. But President George W. Bush is coming up fast on the rail." -Randolph Holhut, 6/11/03

The author is a real fave over at Smirking Chimp. That makes him a bonafide Bush-hater with no credibility. Along with others who post his dogdoo.

[meandog]

Think it's going to happen? Probably not. When Bill Clinton was president, the U.S. economy gained an average of 239,000 jobs per month. Since Bush took office, jobs have disappeared at a rate of 69,000 a month.

Pure tripe! Beelzebubba inherited a robust dot.com industry in its infancy...near the end of his term it blew up. I oughta know, I lost a bundle in the NASDAQ in 1999 and 2000--and I still haven't recovered. Folks around FR know I'm no Bush fan, but I can't blame him for what happened. The economy was pure Beelzebubba "I'm gonna focus on the economy like a lazer" bull in the form of smoke and mirrors! Remember, we were told by Albore and company that the internet was the best American economic engine since the transcontinental railroad. Too I fell for their lies!

[InterceptPoint]

Blah blah blah, blah, blah, blah.

To all of those libs who think we are running out of jobs you had better think again. There is no end of work until (perhaps) we all live a Disneyland life in our own castle. We are not there yet.

As long as we seek to improve our life and our lifestyle there will be work to do and therefore jobs to do. In my opinion, there is an inexhaustible supply of the stuff. We will never run out.

Think about it: If we could export the job of building a house to China and buy them for $1.00 it would put a massive number of people out of work. And we would all rush right out and buy a new house. That is an exaggeration but you get the idea. The people out of work would eventually find jobs and in the meantime we would all enjoy our 4000 square foot $1.00 houses. That is a plus not a minus.

[.cnI redruM]

Willie,

US jobs arn't leaving the country, they are being filled by people that are willing to work harder for less money. Illegal aliens are destroying the cartel arraingement that labor unions had with industry.

This is not a disaster, nor an evil plot. It is the basic laws of economics reasserting themselves over an unnatural condition created by a variety of cartel arraingements by industry and government.

Hating this process is like hating the laws of physics for kicking your butt after you've driven off a cliff.

[Alberta's Child]

One of the things I've noticed over the last couple of years is that I have never seen a realistic examination of employment and trade issues done by an objective author who understands even the most basic principles of economics.

Disconnected comments like these are a good case in point:

When Bill Clinton was president, the U.S. economy gained an average of 239,000 jobs per month. Since Bush took office, jobs have disappeared at a rate of 69,000 a month . . . such as financial analysis, software design, tax preparation are now being done in India and the Philippines.

During the Clinton administration, the employment picture in the U.S. was particularly bright because hi-tech companies were investing a lot of resources to upgrade their technological capabilities and enhance their productivity. The jobs that the author mentions are moving to India and the Philippines precisely because the technological impediments to this job shift have been removed over the last ten years.

I don't know what the answer is when it comes to keeping Americans employed, but the incessant complaints from people like this author border on the absurd. His approach to this issue is the equivalent of a government official who celebrates the dramatic decline in his state's unemployment rate when 10,000 people are hired to build a 12-lane freeway across the land but then expresses alarm over the "devastating environmental conseqeunces" when people actually go out and start driving on it.

[Jumper]

9.3 million Americans that are jobless out of of an economy of 290 million people. In Germany the unemployment rate is 12% or about 5 million in a population 1/3 the size; in France unemployment is also at 11-12% (officially) in a population 2/5s the size of the US. We have 6% unemployment - big deal when one considers the US is reported to not be in a recession while the likes of Germany, France (Europe), South Korea and much of the Industralized world is in a recession. I would say based on the strength of our trading partners, BUSH is doing one hell of a job just to have US(A) in the BLACK instead of the Red. But then, come to think of it, Capitalism equates to profits (Black), while Socialism equates to deficits (Red). Freedom is good, socialism is bad.

[B.O. Plenty]

"When workers don't earn enough to buy the products they make and corporations hopscotch the globe searching for ever-cheaper labor, you have a recipe for an economic disaster. But neither the Republicans nor the Democrats want to talk about this."...This sounds kind of ignorant to me. If the workers don't earn enough to buy the products now...they are going to be able to afford them when the AFL/CIO is in charge of wages???? The assumption here is that when workers suddenly start making more money due to manufacturing jobs prices will not rise much!

Labor is the main cost that drives the price of everything....so it makes sense to me that those who cannot afford things now will certainly not be able to afford the higher union prices. Does anyone here think that people should be paid $25 or $30 an hour to bolt fenders onto Fords, or the same to sew up shirts?

What is accomplished by, say, a double wage when prices double?

Maybe someone can explain....

[FITZ]

9 million jobless is pretty high ----we've got a government intent on sending out as many jobs as possible but at the same time has determined we need many more unskilled immigrants moving in. It doesn't add up.

[OrangeDaisy]

Everybody who needs a job should head to Nashville. I know an insurance company who can't hire salesmen fast enough to keep up with their expansion plans. I know someone who designs and installs whirlpool tubs, & cultured marble countertops who says he can't find installers. Our restuarants never have enough waiters. These jobs all pay well if you're willing to work hard. I've decided Americans don't want to work for a living anymore. The professionals who have lost their jobs are going to have to figure out a way to make their money in healthcare or home construction/remodeling. This is where the jobs will be as we baby boomers age.

[ex-snook]

The U.S. economy would have to generate an average of 300,000 new jobs a month from now until the end of 2004 to create 5.5 million new jobs "

MISSING 16 WORDS

"FREE TRADE NEGOTIATORS HAVE SECRET PROOF THAT 5.5 MILLION JOBS WILL BE GAINED IN AMERICA'S ECONOMY."

But these words were removed because President Bush could not document them but he has previously given many other reasons why his job creation policies will be successful.

[eno_]

It's equally frightening for people who still believe that a college degree or senior executive experience is protection against long-term unemployment.

Horror! They might actually have to get educated, instead of drinking. Or choose a real profession instead of a trade that is barely skilled dressed up as a profession.

[Xenalyte]

The best job security I've found is the possession of superior writing and grammar skills. You can outsource all our math, but the job of writing clear, concise, correct English copy won't ever be sent overseas.

[ArneFufkin]

Willie Green. Welfare Queen.

[A. Pole]

When workers don't earn enough to buy the products they make and corporations hopscotch the globe searching for ever-cheaper labor, you have a recipe for an economic disaster. But neither the Republicans nor the Democrats want to talk about this.

Bump

[Texaggie79]

Anyone who looks to the government to secure jobs and keep employement up is a socialist. Plain and simple.

[Wolfie]

Seriously people, don't worry about it...until your job becomes one that third worlders will do for less than minimum wage. Only then will it be a problem.

[Final Authority]

As usual, a great post. I spoke to an MSN customer service person on Tuesday. There was a strong accent. I asked where her location was. I was told that she could not answer that question. I suspect India.

What allowed this venue and the liberty to espouse our views, the fiber optic facilitated network, has also allowed companies to outsource their office labor to over seas locations. We need a counter attack.

[Paul Ross]

Holhut is a GWB-hater. But he has finally latched onto a legitimate issue. Granted, it was an issue created by Clinton...but GWB has yet to change the Clinton policies, and in fact has roundly and enthusiastically been continuing to implement them. Now that the Left is finally noticing this issue, ...and purporting to take a patriotic stand, the real battle for 2004 presidential election will commence.

I am willing to bet that Hillary WILL run in 2004 and she will make this very issue the center-piece of her campaign. And GWB, with his huge donation's-base from CEOs that are outsourcing Big Time will have his hands tied. Hillary of course, will be practicing duplicity, as she has no intention of actually doing anything about this problem, but she will ( using the RAT SOP )get the necessary votes to win by demagoguing it. And it might work.

GWB will not be able to paint Hillary into Buchanan's corner. He will undoubtedly try the old liberal tactic of scaring the electorate...saying we need our 'trade partners' and our 'free trade' and more INAPPLICABLE NOSTRUMS. And his silence on what to do about the issue will reveal in starkest terms that, he too, is conflicted about carrying out his oath of office.

[iconoclast]

Bump