"We already have the reputation of a progressive company, having been one of the first retailers to offer affordable comprehensive health coverage to all full time and eligible part time employees and their families, as well as stock grants for all. we have a big push in workforce training having trained more then 700 disadvantaged young Americans in retail and customer service. We have pledged to help employees earn their bachelor degrees a commitment that will likely cost tens of millions of dollars. We have pledged to hire returning vets. Making the company a preferred employer keeps turnover costs low and service quality high. Corporations have a duty to help people realize the American Dream. The private sector needs to take a larger role. Our responsibility goes beyond the P&L and the price of our stock. We have to take care of the people in the communities we serve. If half the country or at least a third of the country doesn't have the same opportunities as the rest going forward then the country cannot survive. That's not socialism, that's practical reality".......
Howard Schultz CEO Starbucks Corporation.
Unfortunately, very few CEO's or corporations will follow Schultz's lead.
I believe it was Robert Bosch who said "I do not pay my workers well because I am rich, I am rich because I pay my workers well".
ReplyDeleteI think the middle class will do well again in my lifetime, and it will have a lot to do with 1) reaching a point where American labor has been destroyed enough to be competitive with third world labor, 2) Boomers will be forced out of jobs by age or death and young smart people will be able to have upward movement, 3) Decreased birth rates and 4) A backlash from the average person when they realize how that because of our fucked up tax code, they are subsidizing business while getting nothing in return.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime, it will remain a historically golden time for the wealthy that, when over, will probably not return for a long time.
I want all levels of income to improve. I loathe the progressives promotion of class strife. This is not what America is about.
DeleteI'll take you at your word on that William. Nonetheless, it is an undeniable reality that after massive tax cuts, wide open borders for trade, endless FED meddling and massive deregulation of the banking industry, there has remotely been income improvement for 90% of America. Do you not think something is wrong with this?
DeleteOne problem is that people like yourself are basically apoligists for those who have used their money to reshape the entire economy to their liking. You and I agree on the damage the FED has caused, but then you go into your Marxist bomb throwing anytime anyone points out that it's not just a matter of one segment doing better than others, it is instead a matter that just one teeny fraction of America has done thousands of times better than the average. If you want to see all levels of income improve, what can we do that will help the 90% percent of America that has eaten shit for the last 30 years?
Max,
DeleteDo you honestly think business doesn't pass the cost of taxes to consumers in higher taxes?
Open borders encourage unskilled workers to flood the country which skews the supply and demand equation for labor and wages.
A third issues. Boomers retiring. The boomers are middle class so you substitute an old middle class person for a young middle class worker in most cases making less.
The free Trade Agreements bringing cheap goods into the US has a price and we are paying it with middle class jobs.
"Do you honestly think business doesn't pass the cost of taxes to consumers in higher taxes?"
ReplyDeleteWe can play the game and claim that America has the highest corporate tax rate in the world, but the reality is that next to no corps actually pay that rate. Tell me Lou, have we gotten some big break on pricing? Business can and will at all times price their good for as high as it will sell regardless of where taxes are. Your premise does not hold true at every level. At extremes, of course there is a point where taxes are so high, a given business can no longer make enough profit. We are no where near that point, at least I don't think so when current profits are where they are. My long standing opinion is that we have, through current tax levels, created a situation where few with capital will take any risk because they can continue to earn and safely sequester a lot of money for little risk.
"Open borders encourage unskilled workers to flood the country which skews the supply and demand equation for labor and wages."
This would suggest to me that business, rather than communists like me want as many illegal workers as possible to enter the country. I don't dispute your point. For years we have spent billions on creating a border army, but have spent next to nothing on punishing those employ illegals. It's all the rage to claim that they keep coming for the free shit Obama is giving out, I think that's bullshit.
"A third issues. Boomers retiring. The boomers are middle class so you substitute an old middle class person for a young middle class worker in most cases making less. "
Not sure what you are getting at here. My point is that until boomers start to retire, I don't see a ton of upward movement for younger people today. I'm hoping to do better after I complete my degree, but there are already a ton of very educated people who can't get jobs. We've created a ton of shitty, low paying jobs that have no benefits and provide no security. We have little for unskilled workers to do because there isn't much willingness to rebuild shit that's falling apart, nor is there really any money for investment in individuals for education. Some of this is complex, but I think there is a lot of low hanging fruit we aren't even bothering to pick.
"The free Trade Agreements bringing cheap goods into the US has a price and we are paying it with middle class jobs."
You know that you and I are in complete agreement on this front. In true Marxist form, I have to say that consumption of cheap shit is as much an opiate as any religion. We have the ability to consume tons and literally tons of cheap shit from China and I honestly look at it like obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol. It's killing us. Not just our ability to earn a living, but I think it's also warped a lot of people's motivations.
Trillions of dollars held by corporations overseas for what reason? Hundreds of billions kept on balance sheets for what reason?
DeleteTreasury notes that pay less then the rate of inflation stacked up in safe deposit boxes for what reason?
Gold purchased for over $1250 per ounce hoarded in home safes for what reason?
One hundred years of progressive socialism.
Ongoing debasement of our currency.
Crony faux capitalism seeping from every DC pore.
Public education that promotes collective mindset.
Eco nazi's using the executive for promulgation of junk science.
Thousands of pages of incomprehensible rules to live our lives by.
Hundreds of millions added to our debt each and every day.
Party above country loyalists that have infiltrated the fifth estate.
Class warfare sending us back into feudal camps.
You talk about cheap shit from China.
You talk about static job markets that rely on the death of boomers to open positions as fry chefs for uneducated millennials.
You talk about open trade agreements causing stagnation.
You talk about the dearth or regulation.
You haven't a clue as to what is in our hearts and heads.
Not a clue.
1773-2009
Paranoia William, Paranoia. There are those out there who continually pound the drum of our nations demise and those of you who continually feed off of it.
DeleteLet me tell you a story. there is a man in this world who could tomorrow choose to run for president of the United States or maybe he wants to be the Primer Minister of Great Britain. His name is Boris Johnson and he is the current mayor of London England. Yes he holds dual citizenship, he was born in NYC and lived the first 5 years of his life in the US, he is native born isn't he and he has never renounced his American citizenship. Johnson is also a citizen of the United Kingdom. Johnson sold his London home a couple years ago. Since that time he has been unable to visit the United States, do you know why. IRS wanted a capital gains tax paid on the sale of the home. If he came here he was going to be met by IRS agents on the tarmac. Johnson is coming to America on official business so he has settled the dispute but this now poses a question William. If corporations are people too why is it they can make money in foreign countries, stash money in foreign countries and be held tax free. Obviously corporations aren't people are they William and are only considered people to help republicans finance their otherwise hopeless elections.
You continue to use examples no one cares about. Of course corporations are not people, but if the try to repatriate dollars their shareholders will pay dearly. Their shareholders are people. The point is why bother taking substantial risk if uncle sap is your blind partner? A hidden hand that expects it's vigorish to support it's bloated election machine.
DeleteBy the way, Republican ' s have a large majority in the house, and growing majority in the senate. They are one election away from wiping away decades of progressive largess. I would be worried.
I'm not. As long as we have the white house, which we will retain, I am not worried. The veto is the most powerful move in our government especially when it can't be overridden. Unless you run Jeb Bush I don't think the dems will lose the presidency. I also think you have your two years and as the electorate witness the horrifying stupidity of the next couple years they will reconsider. You see William regardless of what you think what you believe we all benefit from Americas progressive ideals. We all receive free shit in a plethora of different ways and we all like free shit. Repub? Dem ? William to me personally there is no difference in my life, up until now, the horrifying stupidity may change that for me. Otherwise I fight for those who like me in the past need a hand up to the first rung of prosperity. But we can't do it protecting the few who have at the expense of those in the middle and at the lower end of prosperity. William what is the difference between us and Russia? Very little, Russia is run by Oligarchy and so is America. We have a upper class Oligarchy trying to defend their privilege against the tides of change. They have convinced a large portion of America to back them by claiming right and title to most of the wedge issues that divide America socially. It was tried before and failed as it will eventually do this time. I guess the biggest difference William is that you get to have a gun in America but you can't have it in Russia. Otherwise the difference is limited.
DeleteI guess you just admitted it. All you want is free shit.
DeleteWhat Howard Schultz has done is created an environment within his company in which the dreaded trickle down could possibly work. If all CEO/ companies could bring themselves to create such an environment then Ronald Reagan will have been right. I ain't holding my breath.
ReplyDelete