Schwarzenegger vetoes bills that would Ban Job Outsourcing

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation Wednesday that attempted to prevent the outsourcing of California jobs to foreign countries, claiming the measures would erect "artificial barriers" to economic growth. "There is a right way and a wrong way to expand economic opportunity in California," he said in a statement on one of the three vetoed bills. "The wrong approach is to implement measures that restrict trade, invite retaliation or violate the United States Constitution or our foreign trade agreements." The vetoes were immediately praised by Republicans and the California Chamber of Commerce, which called the legislation "job killers." But Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, said the vetoes would send the "wrong message to Californians who look to Sacramento for job protection." "The governor had a choice: Protect hardworking Californians or protect multinational corporations. He chose wrongly," Nunez said. "Now the people's tax dollars will continue to support jobs in India and Mexico." [more ]