Hightower Lowdown

For some years now, corporations have outsourced most
of America’s call-center jobs to India. Well, you
said, you’re more skilled than that, so you won’t
worry about it. Then you saw accounting jobs, legal
research, and architectural drafting going to India,
too—but, hey, you do sophisticated stuff, so you
can’t sweat those losses.

Next, our country’s high-tech computer jobs started
being shipped to India—and, uh-oh, that’s getting
close to what you do. Still, you said, I’m a
professional, by gollies, so I’m okay.

Maybe not. Such outfits as Citigroup, Boeing, and Eli
Lilly are now moving out the work of whitecollar
elites—including investment banking, aircraft design,
and the clinical testing of drugs. “Highend
outsourcing” is the new wave, and it’s pulling away
the professional work of well-educated Americans
who’ve been enjoying six-figure salaries, nice homes,
and the good life.

Economist Alan Binder, a former top official at the
Federal Reserve, says, “We have, so far, barely seen
the tip of the offshoring iceberg, the eventual
dimensions of which may be staggering.” How
staggering? Binder says that up to 42 million
American workers— about one-third of us— are looking
at a rude awakening.

What’s next? Binder says America needs to increase
jobs that have to be done in person so they can’t be
outsourced— jobs like doctor and police officer.
Yeah, well, I’m thinking we’ll need lots of police
work to employ everyone who can’t be a doctor!
And...how, exactly, are the rest of us to pay for
seeing the doctor?