Kerry's Plan to Slow Outsourcing - ARRGGHH!

[Gringo]

I really want to get behind Kerry, but then he comes up with garbage like this:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=564&e=1&u=/nm/20040225/ts_nm/campaign_kerry_dc_17

Like merely forcing companies to REPORT their upcoming job exportation is going to stem the tide! How about a big-ass TAX for every job outsourced overseas, to be used for the worker's severeance, and job retraining? Something that will make the outsource LESS appealing to the employer - DUH! While you're at it, levy a huge tax on companies that set up fake headquarters in overseas tax havens.

I can vote for Kerry in the general election, but nonsense like this puts me in a mind to vote Kucinich in the upcoming primary.

[Skittles]

1. yeah, I thought it sucked too

sounds like faith-based ideas

[lcordero]

13. he supports faith based initiatives

http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/urban/

Invest in Faith-based Solutions. John Kerry believes that a strategy for enhancing our common life in our cities should include room for faith-based solutions. While making certain to honor the Constitutional guarantee of separation of church and state, Kerry's faith-based initiatives will make communities and families stronger. Kerry will provide new funding and support for faith-based charities or centers that provide social services for our children, families, seniors, as well as HIV/AIDS education, shelter, and programs for ex-offenders, drug prevention and job training.

I don't want any of my tax dollars to go to a church for ANY reason. I don't go to church and I shouldn't be expected to have to go to church to use a taxpayer service that I paid for.

[redqueen]

17. FCOL!!!!

:grr:

[Skittles]

21. I'm not a big Kerry fan

I find it absolutely appalling that it is very possible I will end up voting for someone who voted for IWR, which I find unforgivable. However, at this point I would vote for a rotting rat carcass if it were the Democratic nominee.

[Scott Lee]

66. Well this about figures.

Ugh. just when you thought he coudlnt get more rethuglican.

[BL_Zebub]

2. But that would mean he would have to levy a huge tax on

<-- this company!

(I'll bet a lot of the Kerry fans didn't know about that :evilgrin: )

[SahaleArm]

5. Free BSD is a company?

On Edit: Oops, Ketchup I guess. The picture didn't show up.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

6. Ketchup won't kill you. I'm more concerned about this company

[BL_Zebub]

22. Ketchup killing you wasn't the point.

Heinz locating their corporate office in Bermuda to avoid paying taxes was.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

30. Guess that means they'd be precluded from government contracts

under his plan. The marines will have to put Del Monte Catsup on their hot dogs instead.

[BL_Zebub]

48. That won't work either

When I was at the Heinz site, I saw that they were attempting to buy Del Monte.

Yep, more corporate consolidation.... And Mrs Kerry's company in the center of it.

Who owns Hunt's ketchup these days? Hopefully not a tobacco company or something. :shrug:

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

62. Really? Is Theresa one of those "Benedict Arnold" CEOs?

Meet the new boss...

[mhr]

3. Patriot Act, IWR, And Half-Ass Measures Like This Are Why I Cannot Support

Kerry.

The democratic party needs to get serious about being democrats not shills for corporate America.

[redqueen]

9. Get serious about it?

Hell, that's not even on the table!

[KittyWampus]

15. Do You Even KNOW What Kerry's FULL Plans Entail?

or are you just reacting to this bullshit post and your own prejudice?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. Don't know the actual impact of this sentence

Also, he would ensure that federal contracts were not being outsourced overseas.

[redqueen]

7. Yes! Please do VOTE KUCINICH!

It's the ONLY way to let the party leaders know that you don't just LOVE centrist doublespeak about issues.

You know why he won't tax outsourcers -- don't you?

I wonder why it is that so many are so dissatisfied with the party leadership ... but then an election comes around, and it's a 180 degree turnaround.

:crazy:

[KittyWampus]

16. Where Does It Say Kerry Won't Tax Outsourcers?

It DOESN'T... all this article does is mention PART of Kerry's entire plan.

[ShimokitaJer]

23. So you're saying he WILL tax outsourcers?

Gee... funny how he's never mentioned that. It must be part of the secret progressive plans Kerry supporters are sure he'll institute AFTER he's in office.

But it wouldn't be prudent to mention it now, would it?

[woofless]

68. You are not listening.

EVERY speech he says (paraphrase) "We will scour the tax codes and remove every incentive and giveaway for Benedict Arnold corporations and CEO's."

[Deaner1971]

24. Only way???

I think I have a phone, email, and a mailbox so I am pretty sure that I can find other ways to communicate my felings than voiting for DK. I have no problem with the man and I think he does my state a huge service but, I don't think I have to vote Kucinich to be heard. Thanks anyway.

Actually, while speaking in Ohio Kerry said specifically that he would use existing and changed tax codes to prevent companies from benefitting from moving to tax havens.

[redqueen]

34. Yes it's the only way.

I've been donating money and time for years, writing letters, and sending emails, and making calls... and they still couldn't care less about my progressive opinions.

I'm one of those weird people that thinks that repeating the same actions and expecting a different result is insane.

[unfrigginreal]

8. Did you really believe that Kerry would do anything about outsourcing?

Whatever he says about it now will only become an unfulfilled campaign promise if he gets elected. Kerry is more beholden to the DLC's corporate interests than he is to yours.

[papau]

14. I disagree - Kerry will stop Fed outsourcing, tax corporate outsourcing

and make health ins loss occur everytime there is a job loss.

what more can he do?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

20. People are MAD at him for not promising what he could NEVER

deliver. Frankly, it IS imperative to see just how much is going to offshore interests and it is impossible to know with an administration that has been cooking the books and doing closed door deals. Second, the money Bush has sent in faith based discretionary funds alone OUTSIDE the pursestrings of congress is another area of revenues.

Saying he will take the first 3 months of his admin to investigate and address this is pretty proactive...most presidents have programs for their first hundred days.

Evaluating and halting federal contracts to offshore companies can mean billions back into the job market but shhhh...don't tell anyone.

[lovedems]

27. A voice of reason amidst an argument where only portions of the

plan were revealed.

You have to discover the problems before you can find real solutions. Kudos to Kerry for recognizing there is a real problem that needs real solutions, not just sound-bite promises.

[unfrigginreal]

32. Interesting

I guess Kerry holds no responsibility for being part of the culture that has ignored and even exacerbated the problem. People are supposed to trust that he has had an epiphany.

[redqueen]

35. Hell, it's working, isn't it?

It would be funny if it weren't so freaking tragic.

[lovedems]

40. You know what my response to that is?

I have been struggling to understand NAFTA because I do not know all the facts. What I do know is that NAFTA turned 10 years old this year and for the first 6 years of it's exsistence under Bill Clinton, jobs were created and unemployment was at an all time low. Why is it that in the last 3 years we are having these problems? I don't think there is anyone here who totally understands NAFTA. I have seen opinions all across the board and that is what they are to me, opinions. At least Kerry has the balls to say yes he supported it and yes there are problems. What is wrong with having a plan to correct mistakes? It is a start in the right direction which is more than I can say for this current administration who applauds jobs going overseas.

BTW, I know that Kerry does not want corporations in the NAFTA court of law to be able to claim that they cannot claim a profit because "human rights or environmental laws" get in the way. God damned those environmentalists who get in the way of corportate profits. Since I am sure you will want proof:

http://pennsylvania.sierraclub.org/lv/Archives/StopNAFTA.htm

I am calling to urge the Senator to support the Kerry Amendment to fast track. The Bush administration plans to use this fast-track bill to expand provisions in NAFTA that allow foreign corporations to sue US taxpayers for billions if our environmental laws interfere with their businesses.

If fast track passes in its current form, Congress will be virtually helpless to stop the expansion of NAFTA’s corporate lawsuits to many more countries. Lawsuits against our own environmental laws and costs to taxpayers will skyrocket if this happens.

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) is sponsoring an amendment to help fix these dangerous fast-track corporate lawsuit provisions. His amendment would ensure that foreign corporations never have greater rights than those provided to US citizens under US law. That standard will both protect legitimate property rights and safeguard our environment.

Here is what happened to the amendment

http://www.mentata.com/ds/retrieve/congress/vote/VC107S7

Long story short, Kerry has been trying to fix part of the problems he has seen with NAFTA to no avail with republican controlled senate. I am sure you will notice the partisan votes.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

44. Just like we would have had to trust that Dean had a liberal epiphany

following years of centrism and a 100% rating by the NRA..one of the MOST RACIST political lobbying organizations in the United States, ala the many BIGOTED statements made by figureheads such as Wayne LaPierre and Charlton Heston.

[unfrigginreal]

50. I never saw Dean as a liberal

Big deal on the NRA rating, its a red herring and you know it. I'm sure that you really believe that Dean and LaPierre are on the same ideological wavelength.

[KittyWampus]

19. Why Don't You Inform Yourself About The Candidates ACTUAL Policy Positions

Because the article posted here only mentions a PART of Kerry's entire plan.

[unfrigginreal]

39. I'm well aware of Mr. Kerry's position

He wants to do a study.

[redqueen]

49. He wants to do a study?

What's he been doing in washington all this time????

[unfrigginreal]

56. I guess he's been too busy running for President

but have no fear, he'll get right on it as soon as he's elected.

Democratic Proposals Do Little More than Attack Outsourcing at Margins: But even as the Democrats denounce the phenomenon, the proposals they offer do little more than attack it at the margins. Massachusetts Senator John Kerry calls for a study to examine the problem and possible solutions. He would discourage outsourcing federal contracts and would require employees from outsourced call centers to identify their location so that consumers can respond to that information as they see fit. (His own campaign was embarrassed by a firm it had hired that was routing calls to Wisconsin voters through Canada.) North Carolina Senator John Edwards would also try a combination of browbeating and suasion: he would create a new Office for Corporate Responsibility at the Commerce Department to encourage companies to keep jobs here rather than outsourcing them, TIME reports.
http://www.time.com/time/press_releases/article/0,8599,593537,00.html

[KittyWampus]

57. Apparently You DON'T But That Is Typical At This Point

Yes, Kerry wants to do a study among OTHER THINGS.

[redqueen]

61. Are you surprised few trust him?

That's the problem. Lack of trust.

edit: also you seem to keep insisting that he has other proposals. If so, just post them and be done with it. It would save you some time and energy, I'm sure.

[LizW]

10. Glad I'm not the only one

who thinks this is weird.

How does giving workers more notice of their impending job loss help?

The company my husband was just laid off from gave everyone FIVE MONTHS notice. The only thing that did was screw them out of a severance, because they had to stay the full five months to get it. In today's market for mainframe programmers, no one had the luxury of waiting out the five months. They all had to hit the streets and start looking for other jobs.

[aquart]

11. Yeah. All he wants is a note?

Dear President, we'll be firing 10,000 Americans next week and hiring cheap Thais. Yours truly, Corporate Fatcat

Somehow, that doesn't work for me. I would have no problem capping exec salaries at 100 times the pay of the lowest paid worker ON CONTRACT to supply labor and product to the corporation.

Also, defund exec bonuses and suddenly there's money to pay American workers.

And if they want to move headquarters to India and Thailand, wave goodbye.

[KittyWampus]

12. It Is Bullshit Posts Like Yours That Make Me Want To PUKE

It says this particular idea was AMONG Kerry's plans to deal with the problem.

He also proposes using tax code.

But you KNEW that... and just wanted to stir shit up.

[redqueen]

18. He proposes using the tax code?

How? Link please?

edit: maybe providing an argument will work better than just shouting down the opposition? I think it would be more effective, but maybe it's just me.

[KittyWampus]

25. Why Don't Poster Use Their God Given Power Of Discrimination?

Here is one quote pulled off the top of the Google page:

"Both Kerry and Edwards have put forth a set of proposals that focus on the tax code—closing loopholes that make it more profitable to move jobs overseas, offering new incentives to keep them here."

If you want to critique Kerry's proposals and record, how about finding out what it actually IS first. Or is that asking too much?

Posters on DU like to imagine they are more informed than the average Joe or Freeper and yet many of us consistently react without THINKING or INVESTIGATING.

Frankly, on the Economy, many people here have the same kneejerk reactions based on Emotion rather than Reason.

[redqueen]

37. Yes, it is asking too much.

He's been on the hill for decades, and he's just now proposing to do something about this now?

Sorry, I wasn't born yesterday.

He's been voting for corporations for most of the past five years. I don't expect that he's suddenly found religion. He's blowing smoke up our asses trying to get elected.

This is the oldest story in the political book, but people on this board seem to be buying it hook line and sinker.

Remember Clinton's promises to get the fairness doctrine back?

Did he do it? He had a dem congress for how long after he took office?

The biggest problem we face is media consolidation and the effect it has on the disinformation fed to the electorate.

Clinton (DLC) did not care. I don't expect Kerry to be any more serious about anything than Clinton was.

Which means yes, we'll get some special interest stuff, sort of. But pushing back to the left against the massive push to the right that's happened these past three decades? Not going to happen.

We'll just keep sliding to the right.

I guess that's what democrats want, right? They keep voting for it.

[Deaner1971]

47. Aren't you a Democrat?

You speak of Dems "I guess that's what democrats want, right? THEY keep voting for it." as if you aren't one.

Having different opinions does not make any of us more or less Democrats.

I am not going to push my personal beliefs farther to the left to make up for the far-Right wackos. Do we really benefit if we can create as many left-extremists as they can right-extremists?

[redqueen]

52. I have been all my life

Voted straight ticket, actually.

But after March 17, I'm switching to Independent.

[lovedems]

58. Read my post above and tell me he hasn't done anything!

He TRIED to protect the environment under NAFTA and failed! Why did it fail? Because we are living under a republican controlled congress and WH.

Here is a little more information to enlighten you to Kerry's conservatives ways. This is a peice of legislation from 2002.

snip
Concerns about the impacts of investor suits on environmental, health and labor standards -- and on the sovereignty of state and local governments -- generated strong support for the Kerry Amendment from a broad coalition of groups, including environmentalists, labor unions, taxpayers advocates, and state and local government officials.

http://www.charitywire.com/charity51/03074.html

I would hardly call this a vote for the corporation. It is a vote for labor and the environment. Your charges seem rather baseless.

[redqueen]

60. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't he still vote for fast track

despite his amendment not passing?

That would indeed qualify as pro-corporation.

It seems his amendment was nothing he cared too much about, if he voted to pass fast track without it.

[lovedems]

64. Yes, you are correct

(First, my response was so late because I had to pick up my kids from school and do homework) Kerry did vote for fast track (so did Max Cleland and Bob Graham). And while I do have issues with that (but not to the point of holding it against him), it would be a stretch to imply that he didn't care about the Kerry amendment, he worked hard for that peice of legislation. Kerry obviously believes in free trade but I also think that Kerry is working dilligently to find the balance between free trade and labor/environmental rights. I read somewhere that without fast track, many nations won't do business with us. Fast track isn't pro-corporation as I read it, fast track grants the president the power to engage in trade deals and then congress approves it or votes the deal down. Obviously that gives Kerry the power of his vote to say "no" to a trade deal that he doesn't agree with. In the end, I think that Kerry is being realistic in saying that globalization is here to stay, let's find a way to make it work.

Here is a manifesto Kerry signed

Kerry signed the manifesto, "A New Agenda for the New Decade":
Write New Rules for the Global Economy
The rise of global markets has undermined the ability of national governments to control their own economies. The answer is neither global laissez faire nor protectionism but a Third Way: New international rules and institutions to ensure that globalization goes hand in hand with higher living standards, basic worker rights, and environmental protection. U.S. leadership is crucial in building a rules-based global trading system as well as international structures that enhance worker rights and the environment without killing trade. For example, instead of restricting trade, we should negotiate specific multilateral accords to deal with specific environmental threats.

Goals for 2010
Conclude a new round of trade liberalization under the auspices of the World Trade Organization.
Open the WTO, the World Bank, and International Monetary Fund to wider participation and scrutiny.
Strengthen the International Labor Organization’s power to enforce core labor rights, including the right of free association.
Launch a new series of multinational treaties to protect the world environment.


Here is one quote from Kerry on the issue:

I support free trade, but I don't support what the Bush administration calls free trade. I will order an immediate 120-day review of all trade agreements to ensure that our trading partners are living up to their labor and environment obligations and that trade agreements are enforceable and are balanced for America's workers. I won't sign any new trade agreements unless they contain strong labor and environmental standards.
Associated Press policy Q&A, "Trade" Jan 25, 2004

I guess the point I am getting at is you can find a balance between corporations and the environment and NAFTA and I don't fault Kerry one bit for trying hard over the last several years to do just that.

[Deaner1971]

26. See my previous post.

I actually heard Kerry's speech so, I am afriad I don't have a link, however.

[Caution]

28. hmmm gee i know how to sway those moderates

advocate more taxes! good call.

[ShimokitaJer]

29. more taxes on corporate outsourcing

Yes, actually, I think this might be a way of appealing not just to moderates, but to many across the political spectrum.

Don't tell me the GOP has convinced you that any mention of the "T" word will cause mainstream Americans to go fleeing into the night.

[no name no slogan]

31. Screw the moderates-- just get the DEMS to the polls!

THe problem with this party is that they've spent the last 16 years fretting over what the "moderate" 5% of the eligible voting population will do, and completely neglected their base, who would as soon vote for a steaming turd as vote for a Republican.

We are STILL the majority party in this country-- most people support our platform. The problem is that we don't run CANDIDATES who reflect it! All we need to do is get our base support a reason to vote, and we win! We don't need the "fickle 5%" who vote based on soundbites to win elections.

[shivaji]

33. There is only ONE solution to the OUTSOURCING problem....

Actually this solution will not only help restrain
outsourcing, it will increase prosperity, increase
middle and lower class incomes, increase health
benefits, make corporations more competetive, reduce
corporate fraud, make products cheaper for consumers,
give all the workers a fair wage, and many more
benefits too long to list here.

No, it is not snake oil! It is actually a very simple
concept and very easy to legislate and police it's
compliance by corporations. I just don't understand
why it has not been tried before. Basically, we need
to pass a law which restricts the maximum total
compensation to minimum compensation ratio to some
reasonable figure. I would recommend 50, but will
go along with as high as 100 but no more.

This will reduce outsourcing because then the CEO's
will need to take a big paycut if they can't earn
more than 50 times what they pay a worker in India.
The rest of benefits listed above are easy to
understand.

[Armstead]

36. I had to read that a couple of times,but it's an interesting idea

Yep. If the head honchos had their own salaries and benefits impacted by exploitation, that'd be one way to curb their enthusiasm.

[redqueen]

38. Kucinich proposed this in an interview.

He's the only person worth voting for in this party.

[Uzybone]

41. Hahahahaha

its a great idea, but it will never work. How do you think the idea of a salary cap placed by government on private industry will go over? Are people on this board totally out of touch of what is going on out there?


edit: I laugh it off but its a great idea seriously. It just has no chance of passing any elected assembly in this country. Maybe Kooch should offer it up when he returns to the house.

[ShimokitaJer]

42. Nader has suggested this

As has Michael Moore, etc.

The reason it hasn't been tried before? Because neither the Republican nor the Democratic parties want it, and claim it places too much government control over business.

Personally, I think it could happen over time, if we started from the idea of wage slavery and created a legal definition of "effective slavery" based on salary differentials.

[Nederland]

43. Wrong

The only solution to the outsourcing problem is to raise the wages of people in foreign countries to the point where you don't save any money by moving jobs overseas. So long as US wages remain unsustainably higher than other countries you will have an outsourcing problem.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

54. Exactly and it would go further to actually BREAK UP multinationals

into smaller businesses that once again rate their productivity not on how much they CUT COSTS but how much benefit they produce and can sell...in a large corporation you are paying for a lot of buraucracy..in a small corporation you are PAYING for what they PRODUCE.

[w4rma]

72. So, how do we get China to force corps in their nation to pay a decent

minimum wage to their citizens who can make as little as pennies per day?

America can't sit around giving away our factories and knowledge base while we wait for China and other totalitarian counties, who are in this free trade market, to get their act together.

[Nederland]

76. Agreed

I'm a big proponent of free trade, but even I recognize the futility of letting dictatorships into the free trade club. For this reason I was in favor of NAFTA but opposed to letting China into the WTO. As much as I realize that Mexico has problems in the areas of labor rights, it is not China. Mexican workers at least have a chance of changing their situation via their electoral process. It is reasonable to assume that given time and encouragement by the US that Mexico could develop into a country where workers have the right to organize, make a decent wage, etc.

The problem, IMHO, is that US labor groups long ago lost their international flavor. They now exist to help American workers and American workers only. The idea of a global, international labor movement is dead. And no wonder, for American workers and Mexican workers have little in common. The Mexican worker is struggling to obtain the same rights that US workers have taken for granted for decades now. Mexican workers are struggling to figure out how to organize and achieve a decent wage--US workers are figuring out how to get a better dental plan. The gap is simply too big and the end result is that US labor sees Mexican labor as the enemy rather than a group they should be reaching out to and helping.

[papau]

51. I like the limit on CEO pay tied to average worker pay in Corp.

Infrastructure and transport to market costs evens final cost despite lower overseas wages, but the incentive removal to outsourcing, provided by this idea - does a great deal to end the remaining outflow,

But I suggest that there be a scale so low wage corp CEO'S ARE NOT DUMPED ON TOO MUCH!

otherwise you will get small high wage corporation CEO'S via makings those type - high wagre type -areas into subs so as to be CEO of the high wage sub, with being CEO of the overall corp being a $1 per year job! (folks would carry 2 titles and get 2 checks!)

[idlisambar]

70. I like it

:toast:

This would kill a lot of birds with one stone.

[OneBlueSky]

45. well, I still think this issue needs some RADICAL action . . .

such as that suggested by the good folks at The Daily Brew, to wit:

The idea is simple. Instead of threatening our trading "partners" with tariffs and sanctions, threaten the multinational corporations who are setting up shop in countries that allow the wholesale theft of American intellectual property. If IBM wants to move a million programming jobs to India, that's fine. But if India doesn't respect the intellectual property rights of our imports, then why should the US respect the intellectual property rights of companies who use Indian labor to produce goods for export? You want to program your software in India? Fine. The price for doing so is that your copyrights, patents, and trademarks become unenforceable in the US. Anything IBM makes in India can be copied for free, and if IBM doesn't like it, they can damn well program the code somewhere else. If China wants to turn a blind eye to manufactures who produce counterfeit goods, so be it. But if Levi Strauss wants to set up a blue jeans factory there, then the Levi trademark falls into the public domain. Were this to become US policy, the outsourcing of US jobs to nations that steal US intellectual property would dry up faster than you can say "Most Favored Nation Status."

yeah, it's radical, and probably not something any politico would ever propose . . . but damn, people, someone better do SOMETHING, or the only manufacturing jobs left really WILL be at Mickey D's . . .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=114&topic_id=5844

[Lydia Leftcoast]

63. Oooh, I LIKE that idea!

:7

[emulatorloo]

46. This article is LAMELY WRITTEN and is Missing a Lot of JK's Plan

and yet so many here are flying off the handle, saying Kerry just wants a notice from corps.

http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/economy/outsourcing.html

I am just quoting an excerpt, there is more on Kerry's site:

snip

Keep Jobs In America

Use Government Contracts for U.S. Workers.  Some states have begun outsourcing government contracts. For example, New Jersey has outsourced government services to help move people from welfare to work. The idea of using taxpayer dollars to send entry-level service jobs overseas to administer a program aimed at finding domestic entry-level service jobs for welfare recipients makes no sense. John Kerry believes that U.S. Federal contracts where possible should be performed by American workers.  He will direct his Cabinet Secretaries to look at procurement policies and assure wherever possible Federal contracts are not bring outsourced overseas.

Stop Giving Government Contracts to Corporations Breaking the Rules.  John Kerry will also make sure the Federal government does not give lucrative contracts to companies that have a record of accounting fraud – like WorldCom – or are moving offshore.

Consumers “Right to Know” on Call Center Workers. In today’s economy, consumers increasingly use the telephone or Internet to buy goods and services, inquire about transactions and bills, and get technical support or other information. More than 70 percent of customer interaction occurs in call centers and an estimated 6 million Americans work in call centers. In recent years, many call centers have shifted operations overseas, to places like India, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The US has lost 250,000 call center jobs since 2001. John Kerry wants to keep jobs on the booming call center market here in America, and help provide a measure of security for telephone and Internet consumer transactions. He believes that consumers should have a right to know where they are calling. The Federal Trade Commission enforces standards to ensure commercial compliance with “Made in USA” labeling.  Kerry believes a “consumer’s right to know” should also apply the same principles of disclosure to telephone- and Internet- mediated customer service transactions.

End Every Single Tax Credit That Gives Corporations Breaks for Moving Jobs Offshore.  John Kerry will close every single loophole that gives companies incentives to move jobs abroad, including stopping American companies from setting up virtual headquarters in foreign countries just to avoid paying U.S. taxes and stop tax breaks for companies that move jobs abroad.

[GreenPartyVoter]

53. ooh, ah! Yay, Kerry get that labor vote

*siiiiigh*

and YES, vote for Dennis!

[jmoss]

55. Just so you know...Edwards has a better plan than Kerry

..in terms of not only phasing out tax-loopholes that allow multi-million $ corporations to claim residency off-shore--creating almost no tax burden, but somehow retaining access to our court-system-- BUT, to also encourage Congress to pass new tax incentives only for companies who KEEP jobs in this country.

Go, Johnny, go!!!

[Nicholas_J]

59. Stopping outsourcing is impossible

Without causing a major depression in the United States, spreading to worldwide proportions. Protectionism has always failed. Even Bush tried it with steel, and the reaction of the Europeans was about to put the U.S. steel industry out of business permanently.

Germany and all of the other E.E.C. nations outsource a far greater portion of their economy than the U.S. They just deal with the consequences differntly. They heavily fund retraining and relocating workers if necessary and desired. They pay for businesses to retrain workers who are displaced by outsourcing. Simply protecting American jobs by protectionism or demanding that other nations abide by terms we set to do business with them will simply lead to them going elsewhere to do business, and the E.E.C. will benefit from out unwillingness to retool and re-invent our economic base. I like Kucinich, but there is no way this plan of getting out of the W.T.O and Nafta will work. Already, the Euro is becoming thr defacto world currency, and the dollar slipping rapidly to second place. We cannot be competative if we attempt to engage in protectionism. It is one of the reasons that we had a massive deficit and still have a trade imbalance. We need new industries, not to protect the old ones our parents could get with high school diplomas, that were considered skilled labor a few decades ago, but were turned into unskilled labor by technology. The major reason jobs have been outsources are not treaties, but the technology that has turned once skilled manual labor into unskilled labor. Trying to protect that is simply living in the past. And generally doing that leads to being left behind.

[idlisambar]

69. "Protectionism has always failed" -- not so

Britain, the United States, Japan, Korea, Germany, etc., all developed under the protection of highly regulated trade.

http://www.fpif.org/papers/03trade/index.html

Historically, protectionism is the proven model, and yet it is a dirty word. :shrug:

[w4rma]

74. outsourcing is *creating* a depression in the United States. (n/t)

[Scott Lee]

65. a real friend of labor that Botox, eh?

[DrFunkenstein]

67. End Tax Breaks For Outsourcers, Create Tax Credits For Jobs Kept Here?

Before slamming Democrats, why don't you do a little, you know, research and stuff?

As for off-shore tax havens:

"Just think - offshore tax havens and shelters enable corporations and executives to evade an estimated $70 billion in taxes each year. How can anyone in this country suggest we have a fair system when companies can take $70 billion off the table? That undermines the very essence of our government.

It’s a system only companies like Enron could love. And did they ever. Enron held over 800 subsidiaries in countries with no taxes on income, profits, or capital gains -- 692 in the Cayman Islands alone. I believe in opening new markets and I want American companies to win. But I know we can distinguish between legitimate businesses and sham transactions. Assets in offshore entities have climbed from an estimated $200 billion in 1983, to an estimated $5 trillion today - and too many are brass plate addresses with a fax machine in an offshore tax haven.

What does that say to the vast majority of Americans who actually pay taxes? And the silence from this Administration speaks volumes! They’ve dragged their feet and fought every attempt to crack down on corporate loopholes. It’s time we stood up and insisted on real reform and real tax fairness.

An SEC With Teeth

Unfortunately, while this President talks tough on corporate accountability - his administration has worked tirelessly to undermine reform and sabotage any meaningful oversight of the accounting industry. They even tried to cut next year’s budget for the SEC by $200 million - further weakening enforcement of corporate crimes.

Frankly, we need a President whose approach to abuse is a little more like Teddy Roosevelt and a little less like Herbert Hoover when it comes to keeping an eye on corporate America.

We need an SEC chairman who will put investors ahead of industry, an Accounting Oversight Board chairman who will make sure they correct the books, instead of cooking them. And we need to give the SEC the tools it needs to enforce the laws.

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2002_1203.html

[w4rma]

71. Outsourcing must be *reversed*.

"Slow" is like saying that unemployment will rise less under a Kerry administration than a Bush one, but unemployment (and outsourcing) will still rise.

[slinkerwink]

73. that's why I liked Edwards's position better---it mirrors Dean's position

[DrFunkenstein]

75. Can You Be More Specific?

Besides the fact that Dean said it, can you speak of its virtues?