New Surge in Outsourcing

As usual, Jim Hightower is ahead of the pack when it comes to news and analysis about outsourcing. He sees all to clearly that when it comes to corporate authored globalization of trade, it isn't just low skill workers, but in the long run, it's all people who work for a living that will be the losers.

OUTSOURCING AMERICA

Thursday, June 21, 2007
Posted by Jim Hightower

Maybe you've noticed that America's call-center jobs are largely being outsourced to India. Well, you say, I'm more skilled than that, so I can't worry about it. Then you note that our accounting jobs, legal research, and architectural drafting work is being taken to India, too – but, hey, you do sophisticated stuff, so you can't sweat those losses. Lately though, you've also seen that our country's high-tech computer jobs are being shipped to India – and uh-oh, that's getting close to what you do. Still, you say, I'm a professional, by gollies, so I'm okay.

Well... good luck. The latest surge of jobs heading to India might well include yours. Such outfits as Citigroup, Boeing, and Eli Lilly are now moving out the work of white-collar elites – including investment banking, aircraft design, and the clinical testing of drugs. "High-end outsourcing" is the new wave, and it's pulling away the professional work of well-educated Americans who've been enjoying six-figure salaries, nice homes, and the good life. ...

... It used to be "them" who had to worry about outsourcing. Now it's "us." Our politicians have got to quit pretending that this is not a problem – and start developing policies to revitalize American's middle-class.

"India's Edge Goes Beyond Outsourcing," New York Times, April 4, 2007.

Today India and China are on the upswing, but have no doubt that as average wages climb with their growing economies, international corporations are already looking to the next set of 'low wage' nations. As long as corporate lobbyists are writing the rules for "Free Trade", trans-national corporations will be the winners and the other six billion of us will be the losers.

Conservative Republican (pinhead/dupes) are very fond of quoting (what they think) Ronald Reagan said about a rising tide lifting all boats. But instead of the that right-wing fantasy; the reality of, corporate written, Globalized trade rules, is that the yachts of the elite are being lifted while everyone else is being tossed overboard to tread water or drown.