Book

Take This Job and Ship It: How Corporate Greed and Brain-Dead Politics Are Selling Out America

2007

Synopsis

In "Take This Job and Ship It," Byron L. Dorgan presents a scathing critique of the economic policies and corporate practices that have led to the mass outsourcing of American jobs. He argues that the convergence of unchecked corporate greed and stagnant political leadership has created a system where short-term profits for shareholders are prioritized over the long-term stability of the American middle class. Dorgan uses various case studies to illustrate how established companies, often after receiving government subsidies or tax breaks, shuttered domestic factories to move operations to countries with lax labor laws and minimal environmental regulations, effectively "shipping" the American Dream overseas.

The narrative delves into the systemic failures of trade agreements and tax loopholes that incentivize corporations to abandon their domestic workforce. Dorgan highlights the absurdity of a tax code that allows companies to defer taxes on foreign earnings, essentially rewarding them for moving production away from U.S. soil. He contends that this is not merely an inevitable result of globalization, but rather a deliberate choice driven by "brain-dead politics" that fails to protect workers or maintain a level playing field. The book serves as both a warning and a call to action, suggesting that without significant policy reform and a shift in corporate ethics, the structural integrity of the American economy will continue to erode.

By highlighting the human cost of these economic shifts, Dorgan attempts to bridge the gap between abstract trade statistics and the reality of shuttered towns and displaced families. He posits that the erosion of the manufacturing base does more than just lower wages; it dismantles the social contract that once promised stability in exchange for hard work. Ultimately, the book argues for a "fair trade" approach over "free trade," advocating for policies that demand higher global labor standards and eliminate the financial incentives that make it more profitable for a company to leave America than to stay.

Suggested Reading

Exporting America: Why Corporate Greed Is Shipping American Jobs Overseas

"Exporting America: Why Corporate Greed Is Shipping American Jobs Overseas" by Lou Dobbs is a critical examination of the forces driving the offshoring of American jobs. In this book, Dobbs, a seasoned journalist and former CNN anchor, takes a hard stance against the widespread practice of outsourci...

Outsourcing America: What's Behind Our National Crisis And How We Can Reclaim American Jobs

"Outsourcing America: What's Behind Our National Crisis And How We Can Reclaim American Jobs" by Ron Hira provides a comprehensive examination of the outsourcing phenomenon and its detrimental impact on the U.S. economy and workforce. The book explores the reasons behind the rise of outsourcing, whe...

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