Comments on: Apparently, my friend who just got laid off imagined the whole thing http://knoxvilletalks.com/2008/07/10/apparently-my-friend-who-just-got-laid-off-imagined-the-whole-thing/ Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:01:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Jim http://knoxvilletalks.com/2008/07/10/apparently-my-friend-who-just-got-laid-off-imagined-the-whole-thing/#comment-3364 Jim Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:04:32 +0000 http://knoxvilletalks.com/?p=2228#comment-3364 There's a very good reason big business is sending US jobs overseas, and it's not the cost of labor. The cost of labor in the overall scheme of things is a minor item on most big company income statements. Take a look at them and see for yourself if you don't believe me.... The biggest reason they go overseas is because the U.S. has one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world, one of the most dysfunctional legal systems around which allows them to be sued for just about anything and everything (McDonald's coffee ring a bell?), a dizzying array of conflicting state, local and federal regulations, abusive and inflexible union demands, and the list goes on and on. People keep complaining about jobs going overseas and assume it's some big conspiracy by evil CEOs when in fact it's a completely rational decision driven by the hostile business environment we've created here in the U.S. And let's not forget that through our 401(k) plans and other investments, it is increasingly us - the average Joe - who is the ultimate owner and responsible party for these sorts of bottom line decisions. Corporations are not nameless, faceless entities: they are owned by the thousands of shareholders (you and me) who demand that every drop of profit be squeezed out of every dollar of revenue or we're screaming for the CEO's head on a platter. Want jobs to come back to the U.S.? Then look at your own responsibilities for the situation we're in. Push your representatives to lower corporate tax rates, reform the tort system, streamline regulations, pass right to work laws, and so on. The problem we have in this country is that anyone who recognizes economic reality and pushes for these changes is labeled "evil" and "being for big business and against the working man" by the very same people who are gnashing their teeth and complaining the loudest about the jobs going overseas. How many jobs have to leave the country before people stop being hoodwinked by simplistic political slogans about the "evils of big business"? There’s a very good reason big business is sending US jobs overseas, and it’s not the cost of labor. The cost of labor in the overall scheme of things is a minor item on most big company income statements. Take a look at them and see for yourself if you don’t believe me….

The biggest reason they go overseas is because the U.S. has one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world, one of the most dysfunctional legal systems around which allows them to be sued for just about anything and everything (McDonald’s coffee ring a bell?), a dizzying array of conflicting state, local and federal regulations, abusive and inflexible union demands, and the list goes on and on.

People keep complaining about jobs going overseas and assume it’s some big conspiracy by evil CEOs when in fact it’s a completely rational decision driven by the hostile business environment we’ve created here in the U.S.

And let’s not forget that through our 401(k) plans and other investments, it is increasingly us - the average Joe - who is the ultimate owner and responsible party for these sorts of bottom line decisions. Corporations are not nameless, faceless entities: they are owned by the thousands of shareholders (you and me) who demand that every drop of profit be squeezed out of every dollar of revenue or we’re screaming for the CEO’s head on a platter.

Want jobs to come back to the U.S.? Then look at your own responsibilities for the situation we’re in. Push your representatives to lower corporate tax rates, reform the tort system, streamline regulations, pass right to work laws, and so on.

The problem we have in this country is that anyone who recognizes economic reality and pushes for these changes is labeled “evil” and “being for big business and against the working man” by the very same people who are gnashing their teeth and complaining the loudest about the jobs going overseas.

How many jobs have to leave the country before people stop being hoodwinked by simplistic political slogans about the “evils of big business”?

]]> By: Steve Campbell http://knoxvilletalks.com/2008/07/10/apparently-my-friend-who-just-got-laid-off-imagined-the-whole-thing/#comment-3360 Steve Campbell Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:32:19 +0000 http://knoxvilletalks.com/?p=2228#comment-3360 "Beating the reigning champ Spider-Man 3, The Dark Knight set box-office records this weekend, bringing in a more than $155 million from the widest opening ever - 4,366 theaters." http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/movies/news/bal-te.to.batman21jul21,0,5897440.story Does this sound like a nation in a recession? You decide. My wife just got laid off too, but I do not attribute this to a recession. Maybe it is because of big business sending US jobs overseas, or in the case of GM, high oil prices forcing them to cut the gas guzzler form production. “Beating the reigning champ Spider-Man 3, The Dark Knight set box-office records this weekend, bringing in a more than $155 million from the widest opening ever - 4,366 theaters.”
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/movies/news/bal-te.to.batman21jul21,0,5897440.story

Does this sound like a nation in a recession?

You decide.

My wife just got laid off too, but I do not attribute this to a recession. Maybe it is because of big business sending US jobs overseas, or in the case of GM, high oil prices forcing them to cut the gas guzzler form production.

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