The President on Outsourcing

From last night’s debate:

SCHIEFFER: Mr. President, what do you say to someone in this country who has lost his job to someone overseas who‘s being paid a fraction of what that job paid here in the United States?

BUSH: I‘d say, Bob, I‘ve got policies to continue to grow our economy and create the jobs of the 21st century. And here‘s some help for you to go get an education. Here‘s some help for you to go to a community college. We‘ve expanded trade adjustment assistance. We want to help pay for you to gain the skills necessary to fill the jobs of the 21st century. You know, there‘s a lot of talk about how to keep the economy growing. We talk about fiscal matters. But perhaps the best way to keep jobs here in America and to keep this economy growing is to make sure our education system works.

Dan Drezner argues: “Bush gives a decent response on TAA and education”.

Brad DeLong scoffs at this idea that NCLB is a jobs program: “Not for anyone over 17, it isn’t. It’s kind of interesting to write off people over 17…”.

What got me was “we talk about fiscal matters” with him trying to paint himself as the fiscal restraint candidate. Actually, part of the problem goes to Schieffer’s question. Imports have risen only as fast as overall GDP (which is not much), while exports have fallen. And yes, I still blame the fiscal recklessness of this Administration for crowding-out exports.