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Jan. 19, 2004 - 19:28 MST THE WONDERING JEW TANSTAAFL It was years ago that I ran into TANSTAAFL in a science fiction story. But it remains in my mind to this day. It makes me think of Big Steel, no longer in the running, because its infrastructure is pretty well gone as well as the ongoing developments in the field that have taken place since they gave it up. So it is gone and probably will never be back in our country. It disappeared, I think, because our steel companies would not up-date and improve their plants and processes to become competitive with foreign companies. It is my feeling that we could have done it too. There is an article in the Rocky Mountain News of January 4, 2004 by Rachel Konrad, which is titled "Backlash brewing over outsourcing" There are a few items of interest therein. "Politicians can't outsource the vote, said Scott Kirwin, founder of the Wilmington Delaware based lobbying group, "Information Technology Professionals Association of America," which compiles data fom nearly 100 anti-outsourcing Web sites Kirwin who launched ITPAA after a large investment bank asked him to train the Indian worker who then replaced him, said only broad consumer revolt will reverse the trend." "In the 1980's, many people boycotted companies that did business with the apartheid regime in South Africa," Kirwin said. Many of those same peple have more money today and don't like doing business with companies from countries that work against us politically, like France, or economically, like India and China. Consumer activism is an important part of putting the brakes on the outsourcing movement." "After his software development job was terminated in 2002, Florida's Mike Emmons decided to run for Congress on an anti-ousourcing agenda. His meager campaign funds come mostly from unemployed programmers who visit his Web site, OutsourceCongress.org He is trying to get on the ballot for the Democratic primary this summer." "This is hitting medical transcribers, financial analysts, radiologists, every one," said Emmons, 41. "If you work at a desk, beware -- the foreigners are coming after our job." "Fear of a backlash was a major issue at a technology summit this month in Hyderabad, India. Indiana's failed contract with Tata Consultancy Services, and customer complaints that prompted Dell Inc. to re-route some help desk calls from India to Idaho in November, worry Indians, who have received billions of dollars in outsourcing contracts." ""The idea of a backlash makes for great press, and it makes for great rhetoric in an election year," said John C. McCarthy, vice president of research at Forrester Research. "But the reality is that every day there's a new customer with new cost savings from this. The economics are hugely compelling, and its not going away." "Earlier this month, executives from Dell, Intel Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co. and other companies urged the Bush administration to maintain its hands-off approach and not regulate outsourcing." "There is no job that is America's God-given right anymore," H-P chief Carly Fiorina said. "We have to compete for jobs." "Proponents also say outsourcing develops work forces -- and in turn, consumers with buying power -- in fast growing markets such as China, India and Russia." "People are tired of everything being based upon the bottom line, where companies are getting richer and everyone else is losing out," said Marcus Courtney, organizer of Seattle-based Washington Alliance of Technolgy Workers. "Indiana can save some money if they go with the Indian firm, but there's a cost to that savings -- it could put state residents out of work. Free trade is not free."++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ What can be done about this outsourcing ? Some things could be done, forcing the foreign companies to pay exactly the same wages and the same taxes as the workers in the United States were getting. Force them to live up the safety and health parameters as the American workers have. otherwise our people are not on a level playing field. And why not them paying income tax and FICA ? Hell if those jobs were in America the workers here would be paying that. What was it an oil filter commercial where the guy behind the counter said, "You can pay me now or you can pay me later." If push comes to shove, in our country the unemployed and those who have had to take grinding wage cuts to keep a job will in no way be able to "pay me later." And the words staying in my memory for this long time, "Tanstaafl," THERE AIN'T NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH, it has been a free lunch for the biggies at, "We the peoples," expense and I think the biggies should pay for awhile. In the long run it will always be true. TANSTAAFL . . . . . . . . . . � 0 comments so far
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