Outsourcing of U.S. Jobs Abroad Very Unpopular

Outsourcing of U.S. jobs to countries like China, India and Mexico where labor costs are much lower is very unpopular. Only 16% of Americans agree with President Bush’s economic advisor’s comment that it is "good for the U.S. economy" when companies use less expensive foreign workers to do work previously done in this country. A lopsided 69% to 17% majority would support a "special tax" on "companies that use less expensive foreign workers to replace American workers."

These are the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of 3,698 adults surveyed online by Harris Interactive^® between March 18 and 29, 2004.

Some of the findings in this survey include:

• A 68% to 16% majority of the public disagrees with the statement that "it is good for the U.S. economy when American companies use less expensive workers in countries like China and India to do work previously done at a higher cost in this country." Majorities of Republicans, Democrats and independents all agree on this. However, many more Republicans (25%) than Democrats (8%) support the minority view that this is good for the U.S. economy.
• However most people recognize that protecting unskilled or semi-skilled jobs is not the key to a successful economy. A 71% to 13% majority agree that "the long term success of the U.S. economy requires that we have a highly educated workforce who do highly skilled jobs here which cannot easily be done abroad."
• Reluctantly, perhaps, many people accept some of the arguments for outsourcing jobs. A 49% to 38% plurality agrees that "if companies get work done less expensively abroad, that reduces their cost which means American consumers pay lower prices."
• A similar 45% to 35% plurality also agrees that "if we prevent American companies from getting work done wherever it is least expensive, that makes it harder for them to compete with foreign companies."

Substantial majorities think that all of the following are bad ideas:

• Using India’s information technology and data processing staff to replace American staff (by 73% to 15%).
• Using Indian workers in telephone centers to replace American workers in telephone centers here (by 72% to 16%).
• Using Chinese workers to manufacture things previously made here (by 64% to 21%).
• Using Mexican workers to manufacture things previously manufactured here (by 59% to 24%).

This is an issue which many Democrats would like to exploit this fall, but to do so they will have to work hard to give it traction. When asked who – President Bush or Senator Kerry – is likely to have the better policy on this issue, many people say "neither" (18%) or "not sure" (26%). On balance, Senator Kerry enjoys a modest advantage over President Bush on this issue (by 32% to 24%), but the surprise may be that Senator Kerry’s advantage on this issue is rather modest given that it is a naturally Democratic issue and one on which the President has been somewhat embarrassed.

TABLE 1

"A well-known economist said recently that on balance it is good for the U.S. economy when American companies use less expensive workers in countries like China and India to do work previously done at a higher cost in this country. Do you agree or disagree?"

Base: All Adults

"Do you agree or disagree . . . ?"

Base: All Adults

Note: Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding.

"How do you feel about American companies doing each of the following? On balance, do you think it is good or bad to . . .?"

Base: All Adults

Note: Percentages may not add up exactly due to rounding.

"Who do you think is likely to have the better policy on the issue of American companies using less expensive workers in other countries like China and India – President George Bush or Senator John Kerry, if he is the Democratic candidate?"

Base: All Adults

The Harris Poll^® was conducted online within the United States between March 18 and 29, 2004 among a nationwide cross section of 3,698 adults. Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. "Propensity score" weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.

In theory, with probability samples of this size, one could say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision of ±2.4 percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult population had been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (non-response), question wording and question order, and weighting. It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors. This online sample is not a probability sample.

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W20842

Q605, Q611, Q616, Q620