Dear Editor:
One of President Bush’s favorite songs that he likes to sing on a regular basis is the ballad of “Jobs for the People.” I’m sure you are familiar with the melody. It goes something like this “Oh, what we need is to create new jobs…do-dah, do dah…and the way to do that is to send our work over seas…oh do dah day.”…… (pff) (testing) (testing) (one, two) Is this Mic on? Hello?…can you hear me now?
According to the George W. Acapella Choir of Economics, the way to create new jobs is to send the work that could be done by the American worker, to places like India and China where the labor market is just an octave above slavery. In this way overhead cost can be kept to a bare minimum, (there is no need to comply with such burdensome regulations like clean drinking water, or even an semi-sanitary bathroom facility) no worries about pollution levels or other annoying environmental concerns, and where the royalties are paid directly to the producers with no need to share it with the orchestra of workers who should consider themselves fortunate that they are paid with a song and a dance in the first place.
I believe it was N. Gregory Mankiw, the chairman of President Bush’s Council of Economic Advisors who said, “Outsourcing is just a new way of doing international trade” and that it will enrich the U.S. economy over time, even if it causes short term pain. Short term pain? Please define “short term pain.” It would be funny if this guy wasn’t serious. I am reminded of the cartoon where the coyote is asked why is he hitting himself in the head with a sledge hammer. His answer is it feels good when he stops. Is that what we have been reduced to? A national labor policy that comes straight out of a Road Runner cartoon?
Let’s try this again. The only people who are going to be “enriched” are the corporate heads, not the employees. The only people to endure “short term pain” will be the employees, not the corporate heads. That’s it. It’s that simple. The CEA’s own report says ” Trade expansions will inevitably hurt domestic workers.” But they then try to justify it by saying that “Americans will be able to buy cheaper goods and services.” Guess what guys…you can’t buy cheaper anything if you don’t have a job. Duh! This is not rocket science. The only thing missing from this scenario is the anvil falling on the head of the coyote…or in this case, the Council of Economic Advisors.
Salvatore Baglieri
Crafts Unit President
Local 195, International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers