If you are interested in issues related to jobs moving out of the US go check out this Daniel Drezner post. Lot’s of links to more posts and related info plus good stuff in the comment thread.
Drezner appears to believe that this is not as big an issue as many are making it out to be. Make up your own mind.
Oh, and check out The Acorn’s discussion of this Wired article. You will find a wealth of additional commentary on outsourcing and India here as well.
Kevin Drum notes that:
every state except Nevada and Nebraska is seeing a shift from high paying industries, which are losing jobs, to low paying industries, which are gaining them.
If you haven’t noticed this phenomena open your eyes.
Now, I am deeply concerned about this trend and feel badly for the people who are living this transition (and working my but off to make sure (delay?) it does not happen to me.
On the other hand there are some folks that have jobs that should not exist and I apologize in advance for wishing ill on these people. Prosecuting attorneys, federal agents, police officers and anyone else involved in supporting this kind of stuff need to be sent immediately to jobs in low paying industries. Positions as Wal-mart clerks may be too good.
The latter link is via Talkleft.
Henry at Crooked Timber offers congratulations to Congressman Billy Tauzin a republican from Louisiana:
CT extends its hearty congratulations to Congressman Billy Tauzin (R-La), who�s demonstrating his sincere attachment to free market virtues by retiring from politics and selling himself to the highest bidder.
Well, yea, Henry is being a bit tongue in cheek. Tauzin’s retirement plans (R) do have a peculiar (though common in Washington) stench.
.
Henry also notes that:
Needless to say, Tauzin has been assiduous in his efforts to protect the interests of big pharma and the content industry over the last couple of years; it�s hard to believe that his grossly inflated salary is unconnected to services previously rendered.
If this assessment is true, and I agree with it, it appears to directly conflict any idea of “…attachment to free market virtues…” Rather more likely is that Tauzin has dedicated himself to both protecting the interests of his suitors not the citizens he his supposed to serve andstealing money from taxing you and I and finding ways to put the proceeds, unearned, into the pockets of others. This has nothing to do with free market virtues.
There is an interesting discussion in the comment thread regarding the causes of this long standing environment of subtle and not so subtle corruption that permeates the relationship between government at all levels and the clients the goverment protects regulates.
Update (Jan 25): Also see Marx, Incentives and Liberalism at Catallarchy.
The Angry Bear takes leave of his normal home to take a walk on The American Street and deliver this piece on comparative fiscal responsibility and the revenue impacts of bush’s tax cut.
The results do not look good for the current administration especially when joined with Kash’s piece previewing the budget for the next 5 years.
Countering views anyone?
Skimble quotes generously from this WSJ article and I give you just this little bit:
The program is supposed to encourage employers to retain prescription-drug coverage.
But companies are entitled to the subsidy regardless of how much of the cost they pick up themselves. As a result, it does nothing to halt the current rush by some employers to shift more costs to retirees.
In fact, benefits consultants are designing employer-sponsored prescription plans to save companies more money by unloading costs on their former workers without losing out on the new subsidy.
It makes me feel just so good to know that whatever part of my taxes is not going to support a Nevada swimming pool is going to help the bottom line of some government supported corporation.
Via Sisyphus Shrugged.