SNIP
>>
>>We sure are getting used to poor quality, and the way "the system" works now, there's no real way to correct the problem.
>>You see, YOU can sell all of your Sprint shares and so can everyone else here on UT. What does that amount to, in terms of both volume and voting rights??? Next to nil! The institutional investors are the ones who matter here and it is them that is forcing corporations to outsource!!!
>
>Institutional investors will 'react' if they think they see the start of a trend. We need to find people in elected positions and make it absolutely clear that Sprint Corp. has become Persona Non Grata. Let’s lobby and cajole Sprint's big customers – who is Sprint’s biggest customer? Let’s also boycott them!

Naw, institutional investors will react to only one thing - more $$$ available elsewhere.

I wholeheartedly agree with your position that we need our elected officials to rectify this situation. "Globalization", in the disguise of "a rising tide raises all ships" and "we're creating new markets for our good by creating wealth in poor countries" and "capitalism will inevitably bring democracy to China (and other countries)" is a fraud aimed ONLY at increasing profits regardless of social cost here or afar.
Again, however, "the system" is geared against us! The politicians need cash and they get their cash from corporations, including institutional investors. So these are the people that the pols take their marching orders from.
The media is also integrated into this whole scam... the media *IS* large corporations too, don't forget. While they do report demonstrations at 'economic conferences' they really only do so when there is rampant hooliganism and they focus exclusively on that hooliganism and NEVER get to the real issues being objected by the demonstrators. While they do report boycott movements, they do so only briefly and with an air of 'here's another nut thrying to change the world'.
And corportaions have been very shrewd at keeping workers busier and busier (downsizing, gotta compete with offshore, 'team', etc. etc.), giving people very little time to do anything meaningful as regards boycotts or other actions. The media then reinforces that demonstrators are really societal DEVIANTS and promote the "thank god I'm not like that" mentality that so many of us fit into.

But you're absolutely right that something has to be done! And despite all of the above, I'm all for getting something going. I do think, though, that we do need to know who the enemy is before we can make any serious impact.
Boycotting a product/service should work if we can people to ignore the mockery that media report such activities. But at this point one would wish that there was some alternative product/service out there that does represent what is 'good'. There isn't a whole lot of use to boycotting one outfit in favour of another if the other entity(s) are basically carbon-copies of the boycotted company (i.e. the alternate is doing exactly the same thing).

I keep watching for something that looks like it can have impact. I haven't been fortunate enough to come across it yet.

regards