Molly Ivins: Red alert at the White House

[Dudley_DUright]

How much fun can one administration have? More dead GIs. New record trade deficit. Stock market plunge. Defeated ally in Spain. New Spanish prime minister says the occupation in Iraq is a "continuing disaster" and he's pulling his troops out. Still no jobs. And then they guy who was supposed to be the new jobs czar turns out to have laid off 75 of his own workers while building a $3 million factory in China to employ 165 Chinese people. Whoever has the aspirin concession at the White House must be making a fortune.

The unfortunate matter of the would-be jobs czar came at a particularly awkward moment. More than six months ago, President Bush promised to appoint a "manufacturing czar" at the Commerce Department. As the Center for American Progress points out, since then we've lost another 250,000 manufacturing jobs. Bush was on his way to Ohio last week, where the economy has just been hemorrhaging jobs, to "focus on jobs." He actually claimed, "We're creating jobs -- good, high-paying jobs for the American citizen."

The guy is living on some parallel planet. Bush chose Anthony Raimondo, CEO of a manufacturing company in Nebraska, to be the jobs czar, which would have worked out better if Raimondo hadn't just outsourced those 165 jobs to China. The website Daily Misleader found a truly impressive convergence between Bush's top campaign contributors and the corporations that have outsourced the most jobs abroad. Bush has gotten $440,000 and the Republican Party has gotten $3.6 million from the corporations that have outsourced the most jobs, including American Express, Bechtel and several computer companies.

Here's the catch. Even if the globalizers are right, and outsourcing every manufacturing job in America -- which is pretty much where we're headed -- is a terrific idea, what does it take to get the "good, high-paying jobs" Bush claims they're creating?

more...

http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?itemid=16600

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. As usual Molly is impressive

We are blessed to have her around

[RobertSeattle]

2. Great Stuff - Molly Rocks!

The whole prescription bill conspricacy should be grounds for impeachment alone. (It certainly would be if Clinton has blatantly hid figures like this)

[phantom power]

3. scratch the surface

I'm repeatedly amazed that nobody *ever* asks the obvious follow up questions:

1) what jobs, specifically, are we supposed to train for?
2) how are we supposed to pay for it?

It's crystal clear that they don't have an answer for either. Any reporter could bring these jokers to their knees with those two simple questions.

[Miss Authoritiva]

4. Oh, but they govern very wisely indeed.

Molly's on target again: the Bush Administration's contempt for government means they just don't govern well. But they "don't govern well" only in terms of the average (and less-than-average) citizen,

For the very wealthy, the very powerful, and those in key business sectors, the Bush Administration governs very, very wisely indeed.

The purist capitalists focus on only the very short-term return. They'd risk a second Bush term to get what they can get now. Look at what they've already gotten!!

Sometimes I wonder if the American citizenry gets some sort of sadistic kick from this abuse -- because the best responses to this epic pillaging seem awfully clear.

[Disturbed]

5. Any Reporter

Too bad we don't have any like Molly that have the spine to ask any real quesitons.

Seem like the only indictements of crimes that may surface re: Bushco will be the V. Plame outing case.

[Sugarbleus]

6. Just curious...........

ASIDEfrom CHEAP labor abroad, what other reason is there for outsourcing these jobs? What is the missing link, if any?

I mean, we are being asked to take less pay, no overtime, etc etc. which means the corps would get to pay US less...soooooo what OTHER reason is connected to this outsourcing and offshoring?
Any info on this?

[HEFFA]

8. The other costs of doing business in the US are also too high for most

corporations to accept, especially with all the financial advantages of outsourcing jobs.

1. The environmental regulations in most foreign countries (especially those competing for US jobs) are minimal compared to what we have here in the US. The companies that are exporting jobs do not have to worry about higher costs for the reduction of their pollution or for the disposal of any hazardous wastes.

2. The workforces generally aren't unionized, and regulation and oversight of working conditions is minimal. Compared to the US, it's a lot easier for companies to prevent unions from forming in most of those other countries too. As a result, wages are low and will stay low.

3. The government provides tax breaks for corporations who outsource jobs. In other words, an "American" company can still receive the support of our government in the form of certain tax advantages and freedoms from protective measures against foreign corporations, even if they're not actually doing the bulk of their work in this country or mainly employing American workers.
In the next town over from me, there is a huge old G.E. plant. My grandfather worked there and retired from there after 40 years. It used to be the lifeblood of our local economy, employing a few thousand people. Now, it's got a skeleton crew of just over a hundred workers, most of the plant is closed off from use, nearly all the workers have been laid off, and their jobs have been sent to Mexico. G.E. keeps its plant here open (mainly for the assembly or packaging of parts and goods produced abroad), and still conducts its business as an "American" company.

[radfringe]

7. regarding the "outsourcing" manufacturing czar

" And then they guy who was supposed to be the new jobs czar turns out to have laid off 75 of his own workers while building a $3 million factory in China to employ 165 Chinese people...."

this is still blowing my mind... Perhaps I am naive...but I was under the impression that before people are appointed that there is a vetting process. Proposed appointees are checked out not only for their ability to handle a given job, but also for "potential" political landmines

given that the former-proposed appointee laid off employees and shipped production to china seems to me have a political landmine. Why was he on the list at all - let alone the "chosen czar"?

three possibilites come to mind:

1. bush* inc. knew about the lay-offs/china factory and didn't care

--or--

2. there was gross incompetence in vetting this guy

--or--

3. both of the above, but the guy raised a gazillion dollars to bush*/GOP and the appointment was his reward

on edit: opensecrets.com -- campaign contributions

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?Order=D&txtName=Raimondo&txtState=&txtZip=&txtEmploy=Behlen&txtCand=&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&txt2000=Y&txt1998=&txt1996=&txt1994=&txt1992=&txt1990=&txtSoft=N

Anthony Raimondo, the chief executive of Behlen Manufacturing Co. of Columbus, Neb.
Search Criteria:
Donor name: Raimondo
Donor occupation: Behlen
Cycle(s) selected: 2004, 2002, 2000

Total for this search: $14,800

[wabeewoman]

11. Its # 1

their arrogance knows no bounds. They are so totally arrogant they don't care if we know. And too stupid to know it makes them look REALLY bad. This misadministration continues to amaze me...

[On the Road]

9. The Jobs Czar is an Outsourcer?

Himself? Personally? How unbelievably stupid! :silly:

Don't they realize they're just setting themselves up for ridicule? No way Kerry is going to miss this softball.

[WorkingClassTV]

10. Molly Ivins is always great

Her book about Dubya was great too