I object to the term: "business-friendly".........

[Wetzelbill]

It's simply a nice way of saying: "bought off."

Oh so and so is a "business-friendly" Democrat. The Republicans are a "business-friendly" party. The Bush administration is, you got it, "business friendly."

No, they are bought off shills who would sell off their family to corporate interests if anybody let them.

Clearly Republicans are way worse them Democrats on this issue, but there is plenty of selling out to go around. Just look at the number of Congressional members from both parties who voted for the Bankruptcy Bill or CAFTA for example.

Right now, look at the Democrats waffle, as Paul Krugman wrote about today, on "whether managers of private equity funds and hedge funds should be subject to the same taxes as ordinary working Americans."

Look at our health care system, most Americans would like to have national health care, but very few politicians are in support of any type of single-payer insurance. Certainly not the leading candidates running for president.

You know, a few years ago, NY Times reporter David Cay Johnston reported in a Times series called "Class Matters" that "It's no secret that the gap between the rich and the poor has been growing, but the extent to which the richest are leaving everybody else behind is not widely known."

Do you know, that from the years 1990 to 2002, that every dollar earned by the bottom 90 percent of Americans, the top .01 percent earned an additional 18,000 dollars? And I would bet anything this is getting worse. It's stark. And embarassing.

So how can the richest most powerful country in the history of the world allow this to happen?

It's easy to figure out.

Greed is so pervasive in our country, among the status quo elites, that being a blatant sell out is called being "business-friendly."

I could do without "business-friendly" politicians. Business will always do fine. The system is set up for businesses to do well. They don't need the system rigged for them by a failed economic ideology like supply-side economics. They don't need politicians and government officials giving them carte blanche to screw their workers, make inferior products and destroy the environment.

Business doesn't need anybody to sell out to their interests, because as long as the American people are strong and doing well, then businesses will be doing well. It's the people who matter.

So I'm looking for "people-friendly" politicians. Those who will stand up and fight for the American people, not corporate America. Those who will give us health care, education, clean air, clean water, and a safe country where we are not living in fear of each other or anybody else.

So yeah, I object to the term "business-friendly" because I object to those who are willing to sell out the vast majority of Americans for the interests of a greedy few.

[zabet]

1. 'Business friendly' = Corporate Whore eom

[Wetzelbill]

14. Hey

Thanks for always replying to my threads! :hi:

[FormerDittoHead]

2. Don't you see? We want jobs, Jobs, JOBS!.... to go to China...

You're right. I don't know how much more damn "business friendly" we can get without COMPLETELY becoming a banana republic used only to export raw materials...

The high industrial money is going to Western Europe, for crying out loud. Why? Hint to right wing lurkers: not because they're white, or because those countries have lower taxes or fewer regulations. Money's flowing to Western Europe, because over there is a rich pool of well educated (college is free!) people who don't have to pay for health insurance...

[Wetzelbill]

3. exactly

Well educated and with health care already taken care of. I remember nearly two years ago, so big automaker forego making a plant in the U.S. in favor of Canada, because of the health care issue.

I was talking to my uncle about how Indian reservations should market themselves to businesses. Many Indian reservations have very good 2-year schools, some which are moving towards becoming 4-year colleges. Not only that, Indians get free health care through the Indian Health Service. Plus, tribes get to set their own tax rate. I was telling my uncle that if Indian Tribes started partnerships with certain businesses, some of which have trouble finding properly skilled workers in the field here in the states, they could get those businesses to develop a specific curriculum for the colleges, plus hold fun workshops and camps every summer for kids from K-12 etc. Then they would be creating a highly skilled workforce for their own company, highly educated and with health care coverage already taken care of. Not if it would totally work, but it would be worth a shot.

But that is definitely a key. Education and health care. Companies jump at situations like those in Western Europe.

[madokie]

6. I wonder what percentage of the profits are the labor rather than the raw materials

all that money is leaving here when it isn't made here. We definitely need to stop and look around us and see what the hell we're allowing to go on because we have just about lost everything we, Americans, ever had. bushco* is working real hard, diligently actually to make that happen

[FormerDittoHead]

11. Very little. Thom Hartmann and Tshirts, and look at toothpaste....

Many months ago, Thom Hartmann referred to how the difference between making Tshirts in the USA was like 21 CENTS more per shirt than China.... (but it adds up?)

But I look at the recent scandal with tainted toothpaste imported from China.

Now, you're not telling me that, outside of the brand names, the cost of actually making toothpaste isn't like pennies on the dollar. (I happen to know, for example, that a Snickers bar costs less than 5 cents to make). It's not like they're hiring the Chinese to put the toothpaste in a piping bag (like the ones used to decorate cakes) and inject the tubes by hand!

My point is that, given that it's so damn cheap to produce in any case, why the HELL isn't it being done HERE...

[Wetzelbill]

13. there is no valid reason

It should be produced here! It's crazy. I like how we are supposed to by the line that because we can save a few bucks buying cheap socks from Wal-Mart or someplace, it's ok that jobs are shipped out because we all come out better in the end. I think most people would rather have a good job with a solid living wage as opposed to cheaper socks. It doesn't necessarily have to be one or the other too, but we're led to believe that.

[WinkyDink]

12. And Argentina and India and ....

[madokie]

4. I like it when its used in reference to a state county city or town

but then when I think about it maybe I don't like that afterall.

[annabanana]

9. It means that the whole infrastructure of the town is in the pocket

of the Chamber of Commerce.

[Wetzelbill]

16. you are so anti-american

:)

[Wetzelbill]

15. yes, as if there would be one whole state, city or town

that was absolutely, virulently anti-business. It would just be a place for old grouchy people to sit around and act wistful and talk about the weather or something. :)

[JHB]

5. And "pro business", too...

...is just another word for "pro-swindler".

And let's not forget that when politicians praise "entrepreneurs", pirates and theives would fit their definition of "entrepreneur" (taking on a high-risk, high-gain venture).

In a saner world, anyone who accused a member of the US Congress, state governor, or other high-profile pol of being "anti business" would discredit themselves as a ranting crank just for that statement alone.

[Wetzelbill]

7. yes, that's a good point

Pro-business is a classic.

[billyoc]

8. Amen. Although it does help me to identify my enemies easily.

Like those die packs that explode in bundles of money they give to bank robbers.

[Wetzelbill]

10. haha

good one! :)

[KG]

17. the concerns of working class america; jobs, wages, unions, safety,

healthcare, etc. are basically off the rader of the DLC leadership of the dem party.

don't hold your breath if you're looking for real help from the dem party on these causes.

[Wetzelbill]

18. some are there

Unfortunately we have all too many that hold us up on everything. They sell out to failed ideology and fearmongering. It's a tight spot our country is in because our lack of leadership all across the board is a tragedy.

[KG]

19. if the issues are brought up, the context of of the discussons seems to

always lean toward making sure solutions don't adversely affect business, the concerns of working folks be damned.