PD CEO Guest Columnist: You low-paid slobs need to "COMPETE"!!

[HughBeaumont]

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/06/setting_a_competitiveness_agen.html

Our latest bag of right wing PD dog droppings comes from Alexander Cutler, recently ranked 96th in CEO pay by Forbes.com. Speaking at the City Club on June 11th, Alex laid down some science as to what America needs to do to foster an environment of "competitiveness". Needless to say, it sounds like the same old right wing claptrap:

(snip)

Let's start with the basics: We need to create and sustain good jobs in the private sector -- not simply grow the number of government jobs. In an ever more global-connected world, American companies and Americans must be able to compete effectively not only in the United States but also in international trade, which now makes up 30 percent of global trade. While growth in the developed nations of the world has slowed, the emerging nations of the world hold the promise of fast-growing markets fueled by growing populations of consumers.

(snip)

First, we must create and maintain the best framework for doing business in the United States. Comprehensive financial regulatory reform is necessary -- but our aim should be to stabilize, not paralyze, our banking system. In corporate governance, populism shouldn't replace thoughtful, fact-based analysis of corporate principles and regulations. So many of the current governance proposals will further fuel short-term thinking; instead, we need increased focus on long-term U.S. investment.

Second, we must ensure international competitiveness for U.S-based companies. Many of the current tax proposals circulating in Washington will significantly hinder America's competitiveness. Our patchwork international tax system has produced the second-highest corporate tax rate among major nations. Many of the current proposals are founded upon the misconception that free trade negatively impacts domestic employment. This concept belongs back in the 1930s. The world has changed, dramatically, and we need thoughtful, balanced trade agreements to ensure U.S. access to the world's fastest-growing economies. Every day of delay allows jobs to be created in other regions of the world at the expense of U.S. jobs.

Third, we must strengthen our educational system because every child deserves at least an adequate education. We are not delivering that. More importantly, we must provide outstanding educations to ensure our global competitiveness. We must build on best practices from here in Cleveland and other cities to ensure our children can compete at the highest levels. Fast-growing economies -- and companies -- face constant transitions within business and requisite skills. We need a contemporary local retraining capability to ensure Americans meet the requirements of the next job.

Fourth, we must deal with the impending debt bomb. In the United States, deficit and debt implications of the proposed federal budget are staggering. Instead of 20 percent of GDP to pay for our federal government, we're headed for 24 to 25 percent. These revenues will come from consumers and businesses -- reducing savings and investment, competitiveness and U.S. jobs.

What I find most intriguing about these screeds is that these leaders, when rattling off the laundry list of America's economic problems, seem to blame everyone and everything except themselves.

Exorbitant executive pay never comes into play (Alex "earned" over 6 million last year). Their fire-a-thons for the sake of firing never comes into play (Eaton cut 15% of it's 83,000 workers in the last recession and ordered the workers who remained—including top managers—to take a week off without pay each quarter). Job offshoring never comes into play. The obvious failure of Laissez-Faire economics (ironic he should talk about debt since it ballooned under mostly Republican rule) never comes into play.

It's always Washington's fault. I'd hire here, but those mean ol' Democrats TAX us to death. Incidentally, how many times are they going to continue milking this "second highest corporate tax rate in the world" garbage? Businesses aren't taxed as individuals are and the TMTR is the lowest it's been in 75 YEARS, so that Cato talking point is nonsensical.

Or it's the workers. American workers MAKE too much. American workers are dumb and not prepared. Job offshoring and globalization are a fact of life, and if you get left behind because I fire you for cheaper workers . . . that's not MY fault . . . it's YOUR fault.

Is anyone going to make these unfeeling sons of bitches own up that maybe, just maybe . .. this recession and zero job growth in ten years . . . IS their fault?

[HughBeaumont]

1. I know, I know, I need something new to talk about.

[JHB]

6. No, you don't. Not until the realities on this subject change significantly...

...so I think you'll have plenty of time to pick your "something else"'s before you actually need to talk about any.

In the meantime, we'll all do what we can to get to that point.

Cheers (if that's the word),
:yourock:

[HughBeaumont]

8. Thank you!! The Realities will change significantly . . .

. . . once the Alex Cutlers, Jack Welches, Larry Elisons and Lee Raymonds of the world perform an en-masse die off. Yet, I'm not optimistic that the new breed will be any less greedy.

[JHB]

9. That's why part of good breeding practices is...

...judicious neutering.

:evilgrin:

[Ilsa]

2. Alex is using the media to promote his brainwashing to the

recently unemployed that may still believe that Wall Street and others are responsible for the current economic mess. Alex has to get them believing that their plight is entirely their fault so they'll go to the polls and vote for the assholes who devised the plan to rip everyone off.

[Octafish]

3. Merkun CEO: If only we were like China, then we'd be competitive...

In China, one can be shot for tax evasion.



In Amerika, CEOs, the GOP, disaster capitalism and tax evasion are synonymous.

[HughBeaumont]

10. If we were like China, we'd practically be FREE to them.

If it weren't for that whole pesky "workers are your consumers" thing that Soshulist Hank Ford brought up years ago, Amurkin businesses likely WOULD pay us China wages or less. The "Peon" model is what they shoot for yearly.

They could give two bags of monkey crap where we sleep - Bushville, alley, 10 to an apartment - doesn't matter. As long as they show up for their shift the next day, that's all that matters.

[blondeatlast]

4. Cutler then announced his candidacy for California public office, expressing his

deepest respect for the superb management skills of Carly Fiorina and Meg Whitman. Reporters at the event tried gamely, but failed, to giggle.

[Enrique]

5. we need to start with the coal miners

let's call off the investigation into Massey mines, so our miners can compete with the miners in China and Colombia, who die bravely by the dozens. :sarcasm:

http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/asia/Dozens-Killed-in-China-Mine-Explosion-96788024.html
(...)
An explosion at a coal mine in central China has killed 47 miners and injured at least six others. The official Xinhua news agency says the blast occurred early Monday near Pingdingshan city in central Henan province.

(...)

China has the world's worst mine safety record, with more than 2,600 coal miners killed last year in accidents and explosions.



http://www.euronews.net/2010/06/18/70-feared-dead-in-colombian-mine-blast/

More than 70 Colombian miners are feared dead after they were trapped by an explosion that tore through a coal mine in the Antioquia province in the north west of the country.

[Mimosa]

7. Work faster, cheaper, serfs or we take your jobs to India, China or Mexico!

Neither Dems or republicans have penalised outsourcing. And the super-rich corporations aren't taxed enough.