The American Spectator

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p> HOMING IN br> Re: William Tucker's Outsourcing Is Out of Sight : /p>

I walk down the trench like Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory, looking at the faces of the outsourced, waiting to blow the whistle that will take us over the top to fight the likes of William Tucker...

Mr. Tucker speaks of the mythical beast "the American consumer." By using his logic, a "consumer" is not one who "consumes" but one who pays less for medical insurance because some poor schlep's job has gone to Bangalore. That's an excellent display of "compassionate conservatism."

The Corn Law analogy is a good one -- the free traders have been reading their history! However, it's only so good. Yes, the cost of goods do reduce when they are manufactured abroad, witness the massive decline in the cost of computer technology. However, if Mr. Tucker thinks the cost of his insurance is going to go down because someone in India is reading his X-rays he has another thing coming. When you go into business providing a service, you can bet someone else is providing that service. When all the costs are pared so far down that all the X-rays are being read in India there are usually no more costs to pare other than either the CEO takes a pay cut (excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor from laughing) or else you cut the price of your policies. And if that ever happens, I will happily eat my words.

Yes, public education would be improved. However, these are some positive pointers that might persuade Mr. Tucker that it's better to keep jobs in America. Firstly, unlike China, America is not a Communist country whose wealth is held in the hands of a favored favorite sons of the Party. Unlike India, America does not sit next door to a country whose national hero is the guy who built their bomb which he subsequently sold to anyone willing to show him a dime. And America, unlike Russia, is not a kleptocracy where the Head Man is gathering more power to himself in a deliberate assault on a fragile democracy.

p>If Mr. Tucker requires more reasons for keeping jobs at home. I'll be happy to oblige. br> -- Martin Kelly br> Glasgow br> SCOTLAND

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