Zoo Station

Most Indians seem a little befuddled by the U.S. reaction to outsourcing and the protectionist sentiment echoed by the Democratic candidates and even the Republican establishment (witness the way Greg Mankiw was shouted down). In my mind, this U.S. reaction is inevitable. The folks losing jobs this time around are not rust-belt blue collar workers, but politically sophisticated white-collar workers (though I am not sure how many, given that the call centre jobs are merely posh blue collar jobs in the U.S. and require very little skilled labour). Overnight, these former defenders of free-trade (while the economic boom lasted and technology had beaten the laws of economics) have all now turned protectionist. Today, I found a very pithy cartoon in the Hindu that pretty much captures the befuddlement Indians feel at the U.S. reaction. Worth a look.

You might need to save it and view it if it's not too clear. The accompanying article is a decent read too, if you have time to spare.