I’d agree with that - my jobs were very specific tasks with a complete set of specs and expectations. I was open to suggestions and input in every case.
The thing is, domestic freelancers and outsourced freelancers all had the same types of jobs (and in some cases, the same jobs), and the outsourced talent did much, much better at a much better price.
In the rigid environment that you describe, I'd believe that.
Wish my job was a little less freewheeling at times. We just had a client add "a little" to their data set. "How much is a little?", I replied, wincing already.
"Oh, maybe 20 or 30 Terabytes. Certainly not more than 50TB, but we really won't know until it all gets received, now will we?"
Everytime I deal with this specific problem (it happens all too frequently), I get the mental image of me sitting on top of an overstuffed suitcase, with things hanging out the sides, bouncing up and down, trying to get it to shut.