Posted by ...And on March 28, 2003 at 11:48:41:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: UMI strike posted by Dan Schultz on March 28, 2003 at 09:49:17:
Even service is being farmed out. Call Dell Tech Support (and I think HP/Compaq is starting to do this too) and you'll most likely talk to a very pleasant person located in New Delhi, India.
In the name of fair trade and globalization, we've made it very difficult for manufacturing jobs to stay in the USA, given the tax and labor cost advantages afforded by producing in a third-world country. I don't think there's a thing wrong with a protectionist tariff system to preserve our own manufacturing jobs. Having strategic non-domestic production forces us by necessity into some alliances that we might otherwise not be in.
I don't fault the industries for jettisoning their unions and moving operations to countries where union organizing will result in prison time. Industries are capital-producing machines and are moral, ethical and caring with regards to their employees only to the extent that the law forces them to be.
And Charlie, keep the "America, love it or leave it" knee jerk reaction under control. Criticism is part of the American Way and is very necessary. The first time I heard the "This is America; if you don't like it, leave" was back in the 60's when this pink-cheeked lad asked why black kids weren't allowed to attend white schools. I've heard it a lot in the intervening years. Thank God, no one takes that comment seriously.
In the meantime, why not patronize a good American manufacturing industry? Why not go out and buy a "made in San Francisco" Reunion Blues gig bag? Oops! I guess they didn't love America--they left.
But I'm still here.