Two pieces in the Times this week; Sunday’s How Oldsmar got global influence and today’s editorial Questions for Obama, McCain have prompted me to comment on what I think of outsourcing.

Having an IT background and designing websites for the past decade has given me some personal experience with this topic. I have bid against offshore companies, been solicited to hire them and know numerous small businesses that use offshore work.

I personally refuse to… When solicited, I turn them down or simply do not answer the email.

I have chosen to do this; not because of some idealist idea that everything should be made in America.

I do this because I am in competition. I choose not to compete on price but rather on relationships and service. The clients that I have understand that and are not willing to compromise the relationship simply to save a few bucks.

So what’s wrong with the bigger picture?

The American consumer has by in large decided to shop and thus reward corporate America on price. By demanding products at the lowest price we have taken sevice and loyalty out of the equation.

By outsourcing and taking production and portable services overseas, corporate America is only doing what the American consumer is directing by removing themselves from the free market equation.

No body seems to be willing to accept that this is self inflicted.

As Americans we want the lowest price, the highest quality and unlike our founders we are unwilling to give up stability in our lives for the potential of great rewards.

Regulation is absolutely not going to fix this.