US gives India Assurance on Outsourcing - The Economist

[Dems2002]

I hope and pray some of our Presidential Candidates will jump on this issue with both feet. Dems


<http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?artid=22887>

A senior US official has said Washington is against any attempt by state governments to legislate a ban on outsourcing on the lines of what is being considered in New Jersey and other states.

The official, US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick...

Zoellick, he said, was alert to the brouhaha the issue had caused in India and conveyed to him that the Bush Administration opposes the states’ move and is persuading them not to go ahead with it.

In at least half a dozen states, state legislators are considering legislation to put a crimp on outsourcing claiming it is taking away local jobs. Outsourcing to India is projected to be a $ 20 billion business in the next five years, mostly from the United States.

"The essence of market access in services really is individuals and companies -- that people are entitled to the most efficient service at the best rate -- and if these efficient services are provided by India and some other country, we feel it will not be appropriate for legislation to impede the market forces," Jaitley told correspondents after his day-long meetings in Washington.

[FlaGranny]

1. Much work in my own field

is being outsourced to India and the Philippines. A handful of companies do refuse to outsource, but most of the big ones do. Do you know that your medical records, including sometimes your personal identification and social security numbers, are processed in India and the Philippines? I doubt most people would be happy about this if they knew.

[The Zanti Regent]

17. Can you say MASSIVE ID theft?

That WILL happen if government jobs are shipped overseas!

[patdem]

2. What about America Love it or Leave it?

I guess the Corporations and the Repugs have chosen the leave it?

[MaineDem]

3. Whoaaaa

Wait a minute here. The Administration is placating INDIA at the expense of US workers????

I don't begrudge any country trying to get jobs for its citizens - and that includes my own. I wish Boy George and his cronies would understand what this means for the workers in the US who had these jobs before...and who might have them again and even become self-sufficient, tax-paying citizens again.

Yep, my head is exploding now.

[salin]

8. Didn't I read that India was one of the countries being pursued to send

troops to Iraq? Is this seperate or a part of the buying mercenaries (and US footing the bill) operation currently being conducted by the Administration?

[LoneStarLiberal]

16. Whore-Mongering, Not Bribery

Pursued but has refused to send troops without a U.N. mandate.

This is just bare knuckles corporate whore-mongering by the Bush administration.

Cheap labor Republicans hate working class Americans! Spread the word!

[dusty64]

21. This deserves mention in

the media, I haven't heard a word.

[NYC]

4. This is detrimental to the country.

Articles like this should travel hand in hand with articles re unemployment, foreclosures, etc.

The economy is improving or on the verge of improving? How? Massive unemployment is what I foresee. How can it be otherwise? How long will it take to turn this country into a land of paupers? I fear not that long.

If I find the latest unemployment article, I will post the link here.

[Fovea]

14. The economy is improving for the rich

and that is all that matters to the NeoCons.

[jos]

5. GOP states rights hypocrisy

They always whine about "states' rights" until it adversely affects their corporate masters.

[NYC]

6. Link to unemployment article:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=46685&mesg_id=46685

Outsourcing and unemployment go hand in hand. Read the unemployment article at the link above.

[Zero Gravitas]

7. It would be nice

if Botch* put US worker's intersts above that of those in India, but obviously the corporate botom line is more important than good jobs for Americans.

Cheap labor Republicans are anti-American.

[cprise]

9. What this is ultimately about

Free access for US corporations to cheap foreign resources (material and labor).

In the tech sector, this means cheap labor in India will make software so US corporations can sell it back to them at a huge profit. A strong foreign competition to the US software corporations will not be allowed to form. The success of Japan et al is considered a mistake by conservatives.

This is government for the corporations.

[cprise]

10. Interesting quote:

So the H1-B arrangement is unfair in their view:

"Each year, Indian businesses and workers are estimated to pay a staggering $ 500 million to the US Social Security system. Although many of the workers become immigrants and stay on to benefit from their contribution, the process is unfair on the increasing number who return to India after having debited up to 15 per cent of their salary into the US system."

Of course, this isn't very good for US workers either, since S.S. is being looted for unneeded military adventures.

[ramapo]

12. This gets me sooo angry

This link should be posted for the Freepers. They hate this as much as we do.

Here we have *, our "President", standing up for the corporations and India.

This is sickening.

[Generic Other]

19. What the hell good does paying into the social security system do?

If Americans can't pay into it because they don't have jobs, they won't get any when they retire either.

[Bonhomme Richard]

11. Get Real - they have to outsource

There isn't any skilled labor here to handle the work. At least that's what boy george said the other day at the press conference.

[headlouse]

13. time to freshen up on your burger flipping skills!

hmmmm...

manufacturing jobs gone a long time ago...
data entry jobs gone to india...
it jobs gone to india...
middle management downsized due to recession...
arts funding chopped to nothing due to state budget crisises...

So basically all that will be left in america are minimum-wage service sector jobs and executive positions. Thus, no middle-class to shoulder the tax burden, which translates to less tax revenue and a smaller budget. All with the end result of a a massive wealth divide and a shrunken government with no power to reign in corporate power -- seems like the neocon agenda to me.

It all seems like Enron scam. Sell Americans on how great America is, try to get them to keep shopping and throwing money in the stock market, engineer a massive money transfer to the rich, then the rich get out quick while the American economy crumbles to the ground. This scenerio is becoming more and more plausable in my eyes: namely, with the coming natural gas crisis this winter, the potential bursting of the housing market and the potential economic growth wall of Peak Oil in the next couple years. Good luck ya'll it's gonna be a bumby ride for us non-millionaires.

[ikojo]

15. The middle class does more than shoulder tax burdens

The middle class also acts as a buffer between the very well off and the deeply impoverished.

[MUAD_DIB]

18. Hey freeps and lurkers: translation time is here!

The essence of market access in services really is individuals and companies --
(Translation: Really, it's just companies, and they don't care about you if you are an American unless that is you buy their goods.)
that people are entitled to the most efficient service at the best rate --
(Translation: we will go out of our way to cut your job and send it overseas if it will save us a bundle in payroll expenses and taxes...hell we don't even pay taxes any longer! Don't worry. The goods that we, as American corporations, bring back into the country to sell to you will be of the highest sweatshop quality.)
and if these efficient services are provided by India and some other country, we feel it will not be appropriate for legislation to impede the market forces...
(Translation: Don't even think of fucking with us on matters of law. We own all of the legislators anyway (Especially the top Chimp), and we will fuck you and your family, your cousins and neighbors if you get in our way. We own you so who gives a damn what you think! Buy American or be UnAmerican. It's your choice!)

[raifield]

20. Makes college look like a dumb idea

I mean, I'll graduate, but no one will want to hire a database administrator, especially a new one. Sheesh.

[jamesinca]

22. Good more jobs overseas

That will help decrease the unemployment and welfare roles of other countries. That just goes to show America is not the bully that was portraid during the lead up to the war in Iraq, we do care about other nations. For those of you who missed it (sarcasm)

[gulliver]

23. Bush against U.S. workers.

This has got to be an issue in 2004. I'm starting to see references to it all over, including major news sites.

[aquart]

24. Bush is loyal but not to America.

Oath breaker.

We ought to start calling him "warlock." Warlock means "oath breaker."