[Azred]

True, Mr. Harris, companies do straddle both sides of the outsourcing fence and realize economic benefits for doing so. However, the end result of this will be to cause a dramatic rise in unemployment here in America because it will almost always be cheaper to move out of the country to take advantage of lower operating costs and reduced wages/benefits offered to employees. The only way to combat this right now is to offer tax breaks, because it would be illegal to lower wages or benefits here as many are Federally mandated. Are Americans willing to work for only $4 per hour? Or $1.50 per hour?
On the other hand, if a company moves elsewhere they might find that those employees will eventually learn they can unionize and strike for increased wages/benefits; at that point the cost of moving back might be prohibitively expensive.

In short, to remain competetive here then companies need to begin finding other ways of being more resourceful and trimming the expense budget--lowering executive salaries is one place to start while repurchasing stock to reduce investor dividends is another.

I still think many American companies don't have a rational or realistic long-term vision. Neither do they have the cajones to set one and stick to it that will propel them into the 22nd century.