With rising costs, a down economy, and the credit crunch, new reports say that businesses are increasingly looking to outsource some of their workforce. Of course, if you were to believe some news pundits (ahem, Fox News), outsourcing is a crime that should be punishable by death, or at least crappy profits.

Here's my question though: when did outsourcing become synonymous with inferior service? Let's face it, while there's of course moral and patriotic arguments for hiring American workers, the quality of what they turn out isn't any better than what's made abroad (well, maybe with the exception of toothpaste and cat food). Think about it—when's the last time you thought seriously about buying an American car? There's a reason American automakers are hurting, and it's not just because they're high on the fumes from their SUVs.

Here's the reality: if you're starting a business these days, there's a lot of reasons outsourcing makes sense. The main reason? It's cheaper, and it can keep you from having to cut costs where they count, like on marketing and advertising. When you work the numbers out in your business plan, it's obvious why so many businesses choose this route. Ditto if you're looking for funding. For an investor or banker's dollar, if you can get the same quality of work completed for less money, you should.

What do you think? As an entrepreneur (or hopeful) would you conisder outsourcing if you thought it could save you some bucks? Be honest.