Preparing America to Compete Globally: A Forum on Offshoring

Transcript

SENATOR MAX BAUCUS (D-MONT.): You open any newspaper these days and you're likely to see a story about a U.S. service job moving overseas—let alone the manufacturing jobs—offshoring has become the issue.

Dramatic improvements in communications technology have allowed workers in India and China to provide services that before had to be provided by workers in America. This has resulted in cost-savings for businesses, but dislocation and anxiety for American working men and women.

Those who support trade have long argued that trade eliminates some jobs, but creates other, better paying jobs. Economists say that we needed to move up the value-added ladder from agricultural to manufacturing, from manufacturing to services.

We did. And it worked. Our economy grew. But now we're losing service jobs. Some wonder whether we have run out of rungs on the ladder. Where will the jobs of the future come from?

I believe the Administration is wholly out of touch with these concerns. It offers no comprehensive approach to cope with the real fear that exists among working American men and women.

Instead, this Administration assures us, grimly, that offshoring is good for the economy and that we should encourage—even accelerate—the movement of U.S. jobs overseas.

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