The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 30, 2004
7:42 PM
CONTACT: Kucinich.US
Matt Harris 216.403.3980

Kucinich Blasts Outsourcing Remarks by Treasury Secretary


WASHINGTON - March 30 - Democratic Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich labeled as "outrageous" statements made this morning by Bush Treasury Secretary John Snow that outsourcing is good for the American economy.

"Three million Americans have lost their jobs, and the Bush Administration tells us - again - that's a good thing?" Kucinich said. "Their insensitivity to the economic devastation that their trade policies have inflicted on American workers is staggering. The only thing more outrageous is that they are so insulated from everyday Americans that they may actually believe what they are saying- because they keep saying it."

Kucinich pointed to the remarks a few weeks ago by N. Gregory Mankiw, chairman of President Bush's Council of Economic Advisers, that shipping U.S. service jobs overseas was good for the economy. Mankiw was forced to apologize for his comments and retract his statement.

In an interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer this morning, Snow is reported to have said outsourcing is "part of trade. You can outsource a lot of activities and get them done just as well, or better, at a lower cost."

"Better? Lower cost?" Kucinich shot back. "That's an insult to American workers. It's also a governmental pat-on-the-back for U.S. corporations that have put millions of Americans out of work and enslaved millions of other workers in foreign countries to boost profits and increase stock value so corporate officers can reap huge incentives and bonuses."

"It's obscene," Kucinich said.

Kucinich has called for the repeal of the North American Free Trade Agreement, as well as other similar trade pacts, and for the U.S. withdrawal from the World Trade Organization. Sen. John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic nominee, voted for NAFTA and other trade agreements and has not called for their repeal.

"As soon as the voters unemploy Secretary Snow and the rest of the Bush team in November," Kucinich said, "maybe then we can begin to put the rest of Americans back to work."

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