To: Neocon who wrote (147870 ) 10/14/2004 3:45:59 PM From: Michael Watkins Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 281500 Actually, he did answer questions about outsourcing: the answer is that many of the jobs going overseas are gone for good, and therefore we must emphasize retraining. Are you really so one-sided that you only believe the party spin? Even within republican circles there are great divisions over outsourcing, tax structure, the impact on knowledge driven industries. For example, Bush repeated retraining / education mantra, he didn't offer anything concrete on the issue. Kerry could have launched an effective attack in addition to his constructive comment - I had the perfect question for him to ask Bush rhetorically: Bush: "We'll retrain people and move them up out of low skilled jobs" Kerry: "You see, America, this president is out of touch with reality. He refuses to admit that his administration's policies are partly to blame for outsourcing by providing tax incentives for American companies to move certain jobs overseas. Americans in Boston, Silicon Valley, Seattle, Boca Raton and in all our high tech centers know that its not just low paying jobs that are being outsourced. Thanks to the President's tax incentives, companies like IBM and Hewlett Packard and Microsoft are encouraged to *outsource high paying jobs for skilled information technology workers* to countries that pay far less. That is simply not acceptable Mr. President, and we can do better. We'll close the loop holes and level the playing field." Bing, Kerry gets the IT vote.He answered on Social Security: we should privatize some of it to stave off crisis. He didn't provide any plan other than suggesting that private saving would take up the slack. I'd love to know how his plan for private saving will work in this consumer driven economy. Which breaks first, the economy, or people's ability to fend for themselves? We'll the programmers on welfare won't care, I guess.He answered on Roe v. Wade: he is pro-life, but will not use abortion as a litmus test in the selection of judges. Ah, that was a very masterful avoidance technique, suitable for those that don't think hard about issues. You'll never get him to admit that Roe v Wade is the law of the land and should be left alone.He answered on gay rights: he believes in tolerance, but not gay marriage, and he is trying to forestall a crisis through the courts imposing gay marriage nationally. What crisis? This is an issue for the States to decide, not the Federal Government. As a local rights lovin' conservative, I find his answer unsuitable and contrary to ideology for that matter. First marriage, then what's next?