The nativist backlash against global interconnectedness and diversity is not unique to the United States. In Great Britain, that “us versus them” resentment found expression in Brexit; here, it has given us the candidacy of Donald Trump.
Both pose threats to national security, as well as the global economic order.
Before Trump secured the Republican nomination, Benjamin Wittes of the Brookings Foundation–a person who has previously avoided endorsing or denouncing political figures–was concerned enough about Trump’s negative effect on national security to write, among other things,
He is an unapologetic yahoo who quite literally has no idea what he’s talking about much of the time. He appears to have no interest in learning anything either about the complex international security environment in which the United States has to operate on a daily basis. And that is a very dangerous thing in a man who would be president.
Now that Trump has become the presumptive nominee, Wittes’ concerns have been amplified by those expressed in a letter signed by 121 Republican foreign-policy and national security leaders. No comment I could make would improve on that letter; accordingly, I paste it–in its entirety–below.
We the undersigned, members of the Republican national security community, represent a broad spectrum of opinion on America’s role in the world and what is necessary to keep us safe and prosperous. We have disagreed with one another on many issues, including the Iraq war and intervention in Syria. But we are united in our opposition to a Donald Trump presidency. Recognizing as we do, the conditions in American politics that have contributed to his popularity, we nonetheless are obligated to state our core objections clearly:
His vision of American influence and power in the world is wildly inconsistent and unmoored in principle. He swings from isolationism to military adventurism within the space of one sentence.
His advocacy for aggressively waging trade wars is a recipe for economic disaster in a globally connected world.
His embrace of the expansive use of torture is inexcusable.
His hateful, anti-Muslim rhetoric undercuts the seriousness of combating Islamic radicalism by alienating partners in the Islamic world making significant contributions to the effort. Furthermore, it endangers the safety and Constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of American Muslims.
Controlling our border and preventing illegal immigration is a serious issue, but his insistence that Mexico will fund a wall on the southern border inflames unhelpful passions, and rests on an utter misreading of, and contempt for, our southern neighbor.
Similarly, his insistence that close allies such as Japan must pay vast sums for protection is the sentiment of a racketeer, not the leader of the alliances that have served us so well since World War II.
His admiration for foreign dictators such as Vladimir Putin is unacceptable for the leader of the world’s greatest democracy.
He is fundamentally dishonest. Evidence of this includes his attempts to deny positions he has unquestionably taken in the past, including on the 2003 Iraq war and the 2011 Libyan conflict. We accept that views evolve over time, but this is simply misrepresentation.
His equation of business acumen with foreign policy experience is false. Not all lethal conflicts can be resolved as a real estate deal might, and there is no recourse to bankruptcy court in international affairs.
Mr. Trump’s own statements lead us to conclude that as president, he would use the authority of his office to act in ways that make America less safe, and which would diminish our standing in the world. Furthermore, his expansive view of how presidential power should be wielded against his detractors poses a distinct threat to civil liberty in the United States. Therefore, as committed and loyal Republicans, we are unable to support a Party ticket with Mr. Trump at its head. We commit ourselves to working energetically to prevent the election of someone so utterly unfitted to the office.
Sheila,
Great post. We’re now starting to come about into a very strong wind, so that we can proceed on a new tack. As a sailor growing up on both the ocean and the river, it’s vital that we understand both the VELOCITY OF THE WIND and the STRENGTH OF THE CURRENT so that we’re not pushed back into the same old direction. It’s not going to be easy.
I forgot. I also lived on Lake Melrose when I was in law school at the University of Florida. It was a great sailing lake that’s now dried up and looks like a desert.
OMG; that 121 REPUBLICAN Foreign Policy Experts have authored the perfect description of a TERRORIST! There is no other word in any language to fit the list of “requirements” to be named a TERRORIST. His primary weapon is his mouth; no license necessary and his years-long “background check” his been totally ignored and dismissed…until this last minute effort to bring it to the public forum or remind those who have forgotten.
I say before and will say again, and again, and again – TRUMP’S SUPPORTERS ARE MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE MAN HIMSELF; THERE ARE MORE OF THEM AND THEY ARE OUR FAMILY, OUR FRIENDS, OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR STOREKEEPERS, OUR MINISTERS AND PRIESTS AND MANY OF OUR ELECTED LEADERS. It took many years for the Nazi takeover of Europe and the horrors of the Holocaust and years to end it. It took even more years to spread what was called the “red menace” of communism and more years to end it. America and Americans suffered through Joe McCarthy and J. Edgar Hoover’s “a communist under every bush” philosophy. It has taken barely over ONE YEAR for Trumpism to take over a vast number of Americans and become the REPUBLICAN presumptive nominee for President of the United States. What is wrong with this picture?
Why are we just now recognizing the dangers of this man? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist – or “121 REPUBLICAN Foreign Policy Experts” to tell us what we have seen, heard and read 24/7 on every form of media in this country. Trump is now in Scotland spreading his idiocy and hatred abroad.
I Googled “European Union” to better understand what just went on in Great Britain this week (wish their voters had researched the EU to know what they have done); I agree with the comparison of Brexit and Donald Trump…and he touted it in Scotland not bothering to learn what it means to the world economy. Either and or both can and will destroy the world economy and bring about the collapse of nations.
The GOP is to blame for allowing Donald Trump to reach these heights. WE are to blame for allowing the GOP to reach the heights that have allowed them to rule the President and this country since 2010. WE are to blame as much as the GOP and WE must arm ourselves with knowledge that is before our eyes in the form of Donald Trump. Those FIVE “Trump” lawn signs I can see from my front door are a warning along with the many of them in all of our neighborhoods. I have seen two “Bernie For President” lawn signs, my own and my next door neighbor’s. I have seen NOT ONE Hillary Clinton yard signs…another warning to all of us.
JoAnn,
ditto
This should not surprise anyone. If Trump does get the nomination at the convention, I think you will see all 121 endorse Hillary.
The Brexit vote only shows how short our collective memories can be. Those who voted to leave ignored two world wars and massive devastation of the 20th century to come to their conclusion.
Here at home we have forgotten all about HUAC and about Joe McCarthy. Someone should ask the Donald if he has, “.. not one shred of decency…”
I’ve said it before, and probably will again: a party that not only allowed, but enabled the likes of Donald Trump to become it’s presumptive nominee for President of the United States is not fit to govern. At any level- federal, state, or local.
Thanks you Mr Sullivan. I agree. Only complete and utter defeat will convince the remains of the GOP to join the rest of us in the 21st Century.
If times were good economically, we wouldn’t resent cheap immigrants serving us. The problem is that the “us” [the masses] are truly economically challenged & see as causes immigrants & international trade that permits cheap labor from the outside [de facto immigrants]. Combine those grievances with centralized distant politicians [Washington, Brussels] who are perceived as corrupt, you end up with hyper-nationalism & isolationism. Or as you put it, “People just don’t trust their elected leaders.”
To me it’s perfectly clear that all Americans should regard Donald Trump for what he is: a mere entertainer, a diversion from reality, a spoiled brat.
But some of us apparently have lost the perspective of the seriousness and difficulty of governance in an exceedingly complex and connected world, so we confuse the trivial and important and essential.
Through most of my life the proposition of a clown governing any country would be a good joke but now it’s actually being seriously considered here.
This extreme dream is not the result of normal human evolution. It has causes. It is self inflicted.
It is business without ethical, moral, humanistic borders. It is apex make more money regardless of the impact of others, the one commandment in Donald Trump’s life.
Like climate change we allowed this to happen. We failed. We forgot our stewardship of what’s essential for humanity.
The fact of Trump’s election or defeat is not the essential point here. Even if he loses big, as I expect, the fact that he was considered by our democracy still needs to be addressed with maximum urgency.
It is WWII again. Every resource needs to be mustered. There is nothing more important than figuring this diversion of human spirit out and addressing it with all due energy, consideration and urgency.
I Michael, “The problem is that the “us” [the masses] are truly economically challenged”
What is the evidence of this compared to the population of the world all over today and throughput history?
They’ve said it all. The Russians are rejoicing over the UK leaving the EU since they think it will weaken Europe and also weaken our influence on the Continent. For them to make such a statement is very telling. I hope the ‘buyer’s remorse’ that is growing over this vote in the UK continues to build. The geopolitical ramifications of the outcome of this vote are stunning given the power balance between Europe and Russia and tensions that already exist and are still growing over the Ukraine and the western borders of Russian influence.
Makes me think of what a fellow named Sir Halford Mackinder once said…”He who rules the Heartland rules the World”. The Mackinder reference might not be totally appropriate over 100 years later but it came to mind anyway as the Russians see this as a way to buffalo the remaining members of the EU. Meanwhile, ‘The Donald’ toured his golf course in Scotland yesterday extolling how the UK’s exit from the EU night be good for the golf course business.
I misspelled “J”. Should not be “I”.
“Throughput”, although it’s a useful word and concept is the result of my phone thinking that she is smarter than I am. On many things she is right. On the appropriate word for my thought she is wrong. Please substitute “throughout”.
Brexit might spell not only the end of Europe as a world power but also the end of Great Britain.
Western civilization is crumbling. Donald as US President would move that right along.
As J. Michael wrote above, “People just don’t trust their elected leaders.”
With the advancement of communication technology and the ready access to news, current events, and social media across the globe via the Internet, there are fewer ‘low information’ voters (a trendy vague and genteel euphemism for the ignorant and the uneducated – the no college demographic) than in the past, including the recent past. Even a cursory reading of news and current events and/or a daily dose of television national and world news, for the slow reading crowd, provide sufficient information for the masses to discern the trustworthy leaders from the untrustworthy leaders.
The masses may be asses, but they are informed asses. Little is more frightening to the establishment status quo than a large mass of informed asses.
At 8:57 am, J. Michael posted thoughts that align with my thoughts, both about Brexit and the US 2016 Election.
The masses may be asses, and they are misinformed asses which are the worst kind. They fell for Reagan, Bush and Romney, Palin and Bachmann, and now Trump. The outcomes of what they chose as a result of being consumed by misinformation is on record except for Trump except for his failures as a person.
Knowing stuff doesn’t inform. Being a skeptical critical thinker is necessary to sort the stuff into truth and lies.
Pete,
Please remember that the asses and the masses are not limited or confined by partisan boundaries. Let’s encourage open partisan borders to incubate diverse ideas and to acknowledge that fluidity and flexibility of thought outrank the traditional, narrow, old-school litmus tests in our current two-party system.
The Brexit vote was very close , 48-52. That is the same scenario that gave Pence a win. From what I have gathered, those who were once middle class in GBR have fallen on hard times just like we have here and there is anger against the elite and wealthy who haven’t seemed to suffer at all.
In the U.S. the powerful corporations and elite have bought tax loopholes, subsidies, and lucrative government contracts – especially for the military. They continue to purchase members of congress to obtain more and more wealth and power.
They have broken the spirits of the former middle class members. These people are very angry, but are unable to recognize that they are being mislead by the very people who abused them and who have been using fake non-profits that claim to support their interests. People believe what they want to hear, whether it is true or not. Think Americans for Prosperity as an example.
The bottom line is that the extremely wealthy have obtained such a high percent of the actual money in this country that they can and will continue to buy politicians and will lie to and trick the general public. Until the general public is willing to open their minds and search for factual evidence that will back up what they are being told or uncover that it has all been lies, we will continue to travel down the path to ruin.
The most disgusting thing about the Republicans in Congress that are backing Trump is that they know how dangerous he is, but will put us all in even more peril in order to have complete power.
Nancy,
“The Brexit vote was very close , 48-52. That is the same scenario that gave Pence a win. From what I have gathered, those who were once middle class in GBR have fallen on hard times just like we have here and there is anger against the elite and wealthy who haven’t seemed to suffer at all.”
Good summation of Brexit and why it passed with the UK voters.
Greetings Nancy. Very good. Much of what I read here is over my head but your statement is down to earth and clearly stated. But the people who should be reading what you have written are on their I-phones or reading the sports page or whatever and are thinking
Trump will solve their problems.
Spot on Nancy – thanks!!!! Party and control instead of the welfare of the country as a whole is their mantra. It ‘trumps’ everything for them – pun intended!
Nancy, very well put.
“those who were once middle class in GBR have fallen on hard times just like we have here and there is anger against the elite and wealthy who haven’t seemed to suffer at all.”
This is IMO exactly true and we liberals love to point it out as evidence of the results of unfettered businesses having their way with us while shoveling money at politicians for doing precisely nothing.
Here’s additional insight from an article in “Salon”.
“What tricks low-information voters into believing that Donald Trump is a conservative can be condensed to a single word: authoritarianism. Republican leaders have been flirting with authoritarianism since Jerry Falwell uttered the words “Moral Majority.” There is a rabid Evangelical Christian subset of hardcore fundamentalists who want to use the government to impose the Christian equivalent of Sharia law upon the United States. Reasonable everyday Christians are terrified of them, and for good reason. But GOP leaders saw an opportunity and bought off this fundamentalist segment of society by completely bowing to their extremist social demands on issues like abortion, racial equality and LGBT rights during the 1980s. Many of the party officials never gave a hoot about these issues in reality. Their interests were with big business.”
Malinformed voters have been taught that business is good because it makes jobs and government is bad because it taxes and supports lazy people and immigrants and homosexuals and who knows how many “others” if you know what I mean.
So the bottom line is that conservatives, taught to hate government, now feel that they need power over others to halt progress and return to the nostalgic past. Those two conflicting ideas cannot be rationalized. Power requires government.
The element that has been completely misrepresented to them is that democracy is the answer to the puzzle. We can choose people who have what it takes to find solutions to big complex tough problems and give effective control to the people who elect them.
To the man on Main St business should be considered as a necessary evil because it’s powered by extreme inequitable wealth distribution. It can only be managed by strong capable government which makes that another necessary evil. What closes the loop to make the evils tools rather than masters is democracy, the governed chosing the governors.
Only some people are capable of governance and politics. Only some are good at science. Only some are good at parenting or policing or military or medicine. We need to trust to experts as long as the benefits of their results are evident to us. We need to be skeptical voters and consumers and citizens. We need to understand evidence not how to perform every task because that is impossible.
We cannot control change, another necessary evil. We can only adapt to it using democracy to pick the experts.
This will only bring more cred to those willing to vote for Trump. What the pundits,the political class,the investor class and apparatchiks don’t get is the public is tired of the status quo.
Speaking of Brexit and the old saying all politics are local.
If you look at Marion County,the roads are terrible. If you travel to Cincinnati and Louisville( two cities that share weather conditions much like Indianapolis) their roads are in much better condition. So the question begs,where are the monies going to? Well,it’s obvious many members of the PTB live in Hamilton County –many of the professional class do as well because of racism and an aversion to those they feel are beneath them. When the roads of Marion County appear to resemble the surface of the moon whilst monies for public schools are being tightened,well it’s not a secret as to whom the PTB consider to be their true constituents. There are always millions to be handed out for the purpose of stadiums. There are always millions to be handed out to business’ in the form of tax abatements. There are always millions to be spent on frivolous aesthetics.
The peasants are told they must receive less services from their representative government. Instead of monies going to schools,we must accommodate the whims,desires and wants of those such as Jim Irsay. That is why the residents et al must pay the Irsay Tithe for meals and beverages within Marion County. I wont belabor the reader with more,but on a macro and micro level,folks are just tired of the outlandish public subsidizing of the wealthiest (status quo) whilst the public is being told to accept the shit sandwich it’s being given.
“public is tired of the status quo.” This is something that we can all agree on.
I can’t wait to restore Congress and therefore the Supreme Court and many of the state houses back to functional.
Pete,
” We need to trust to experts as long as the benefits of their results are evident to us.”
Honestly to me, this sentence sounds more than vaguely similar to the Catholic Church’s long-standing stance that the average parish member simply does not possess the mental ability to understand, to comprehend the ‘true’ meaning of the scriptures; hence, the Vatican and the Pope, as the expert, will interpret the ‘true’ meaning and then pass the ‘true’ and ‘expert-approved’ meaning to all the parish priests across the globe who, in turn, will tell all the peasants and serfs what is true and what is not true. I’ve always had big problems with that concept.
I’ll try not to hog the dais….. but..
These 121 “insiders” have absolutely no credibility. Where the hell were they when Bush decided to attack Iraq? Where were their signatures when billions went missing from the Iraq debacle? Where were they when the US decided to sell arms to the dictators—er,monarchy of the House of Saud? Some on this list are those that had no problem fomenting the clusterf*ck in the ME.
Since when should anyone listen to what anyone from the GOP has to say? Especially those that have enjoyed the dividends of war in the ME.
BSH, accepting that experts define what is known about their fields has an alternative. Knowing more than they do yourself. Unfortunately most of us can only guess about most fields and that misses the mark more often than hits it.
Oh boy 121 Republican foreign-policy and national security leaders signed a letter.
American foreign policy has been since the 19th century one of stamping all over nations, first the people of Latin America and then since WW 2 the whole world. The guiding principle of US Foreign Policy has been and is the preservation and expansion of Corporatism. Nicaragua, Columbia, Panama, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Brazil, Guatemala, and Chile have all felt the heavy boot of American Imperialism. I will not list all the other countries that have been stomped by the American Boot. The Democrat and Republican Establishment have both eagerly embraced a NEO-CON Foreign Policy.
There is the shallow comparison of those who voted against the EU, to the Trumpets of the USA. Some how the people who voted against the EU are just an over seas franchise of Trumpism. Most of the pundits here in the USA are convinced the “Leave” Voters were not sufficiently turned to stay in the EU because of a failed marketing plan. Some of these pundits went off the rails by their dark hints that now Great Britain is more vulnerable to expansionist Russia and the War on Terror. Some of our pundits here in the USA lamented the fact that a simple yes or no winner take all vote happened rather than some counter force intervening like Super Delegates or an Electoral College to over ride the majority.
Oh, one other thing BSH. There are no experts in faith as there are no facts in faith. It is by definition what cannot be known.
I would vote for replacing the idea that experts can’t be trusted because they can’t do anything flawlessly with the idea that the best prepared only are the most reliable guessers that humanity has.
Pete,
I like that. Reliable guessers, actually love the term. Can you imagine the courtroom scene when Attorney #1 calls his ‘reliable guesser’ witness to the stand? Likely would save a helluva lot of money to have a ‘reliable guesser’ witness than an ‘expert’ witness from afar.
Whatever one thinks of experts, pro or con, the fact that 121 Republican insiders with an interest in foreign policy would publicly sign and make public a letter that trashes Trump is a meaningful occurrence.
There are some terrific comments today that make valid points. I would suggest that all who care share this blog however they are able through social media and email. If we don’t want the masses to remain ignorant asses someone has to get the word out. Let us all begin right now.
You guys had a good discussion while I was at the market & working in the yard. lol.
Below are generalized extensions…
“[Texit], Brexit, The Donald, Bernie, Cruz, Occupy Wall Street, Tea Party – The dissatisfaction with big banks & big corporations co-opting & literally buying the political establishment is much deeper than the ruling monied aristocracy realizes or admits. A tsunami is coming & it may be ugly.”
Trump questions America’s worldwide miltary empire and its costs. How radical of him. Its actually been nice to see someone express something different than the average interventionist pablum. Too bad he is actually batshit crazy.
The Star had an article on the closing of the Carrier plant on the west side of Indianapolis recently. The result of the closing will have a devastating effect on the workers at Carrier and their families. There will be the ripples as the newly unemployed will be unable to maintain their former lifestyle, which in turn will have the down stream adversity on businesses that depended on these workers.
The article carefully avoided any details why Carrier is able to relocate to Mexico, which of course is NAFTA. The politicians that bought into and voted for NAFTA are not going feel what it is like to be unemployed. We are pawns. Ross Perot was right about NAFTA in 1992 –
========================
We have got to stop sending jobs overseas. It’s pretty simple: If you’re paying $12, $13, $14 an hour for factory workers and you can move your factory South of the border, pay a dollar an hour for labor,…have no health care—that’s the most expensive single element in making a car— have no environmental controls, no pollution controls and no retirement, and you don’t care about anything but making money, there will be a giant sucking sound going south.
…when [Mexico’s] jobs come up from a dollar an hour to six dollars an hour, and ours go down to six dollars an hour, and then it’s leveled again. But in the meantime, you’ve wrecked the country with these kinds of deals.
Yawn! The effects of the Brexit vote are overblown. Western civilization is not crumbling. The paper economy of Wall Street is not the one we live in; ours will hardly be affected by the Brexit vote other than marginally in our export trade. Cool it – the EU will survive and the UK has two years in which to change its mind, or if not, two years to make new deals that render the Brexit vote virtually immaterial. Sleep tight.
Louie, as far as I know companies have always been able to locate their facilities where in the world they could find advantage. Was there some specific provision in NAFTA that tilted the scales for this move?
Good stuff today. We are again preaching to the choir, but it gets out a lot of our pent-up thoughts and emotions.
The circus peanut with the badger rug has managed free ad time once again even as he cruised and schmoozed with the Scots on his latest golf course (paid for with campaign donations???). Even though he’s in Europe, he managed to make the news while latching onto Brexit. Slick! Insider information?
BSH: great towns in West TN. Only Clarksville likely is in Middle Tennessee. It’s on all mid-state stations’ TV news and weather info and it’s close to Nashville. Still, great towns with colorful histories. Even Minton Sparks (spoken-word artist) recently included UTM and Pat Head Summitt (legendary UT women’s basketball coach, now retired due to early-onset Alzheimer’s) in her routine at The Basement (venue across from Reservoir Park in Nashville). Minton is one of us and she knows our story.
Louie, you have introduced a real-life example and a local manifestation of NAFTA occurring directly under our noses here in Central Indiana. Good jobs, as in jobs paying $24 per hour plus full benefits, for 1400 employees at the Indianapolis Carrier plant were erased in a nanosecond when a Carrier front-office manager announced the company’s decision to close the Indianapolis plant and its distribution center and move to Monterrey, Mexico. Of course, the closure was described to the 1400 employees as simply a business decision, a business decision based on Carrier’s paying Mexican employees $6 per hour with no benefits.
One Carrier employee happened to capture this announcement on her cell phone camera. After sharing her video of the announcement on social media, it’s been viewed over 1.1 million times. Personally, I consider the amateur video as an important piece of recent history that documents the real-time effects of NAFTA, the consequences of a highly touted bi-partisan agreement, an agreement entered into by our establishment elected officials, both Democrat and Republican. https://www.facebook.com/lakeisha.austin.9/videos/1006671252738025/?fref=nf
The NAFTA draft was ratified and initialed in October, 1992 by Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, U.S. President George H. W. Bush, and Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. The icing was put on the cake when The House of Representatives approved NAFTA, by a vote of 234 to 200 on November 17, 1993, and the Senate voted 60 to 38 for approval on November 20. It was signed into law by President Clinton on December 8, 1993, and took effect on January 1, 1994. Thus, the US manufacturing plant employees were screwed from both sides of the aisle when both the Democrats and the Republicans voted to favor their big business, corporate buddies rather than paying attention to the working class and the middle-class voters.
Louie; months ago there was an article in the Star with comments from someone here from Mexico (wish I had kept it so I could provide details); he was representing or merely providing information about a group in Mexico trying to STOP Carrier from moving there. The company was going to leave workers here jobless but was going to hire Mexican workers for $3 hourly and NO benefits which, he stated, was taking advantage of their poverty. Because Mexico does not have the social services and public assistance we have in this country, the jobs were not going to be to the advantage of the local workers.
My daughter-in-law had worked at Rolls Royce here for years; four years ago she was one of over 2,000 who lost those jobs. Months later they were notified they could reapply for their old job…at minimum wage, no health care.
A new version of the Golden Rule; “He who has the gold, rules.”
I can’t find much connection on line between the Carrier move and NAFTA. While all job loss has a devastating impact on individuals that’s regrettable let’s blame it on the cause of it not what we wish the cause of it was. Otherwise we will not solve any problem.
I have many friends seriously impacted by the extreme downsizing of Kodak. The reason? Better technology that customers love but nobody makes any money on.
The Carrier reason to move? Customers unwilling to pay a premium for locally made goods.
In today’s world it is no longer possible for our standard of living to be maintained at a level much higher than the rest of the world except where we can offer value much higher than the rest of the world. Simple fact of life.
The only solution is to compete. Make our workers more productive and specialize in what we are superior at.
That takes investment in the future something that conservatives believe that we can’t afford. If we follow their advice there will just be more Carriers moving to Mexico.
Louie; I forgot to include whoever the man was, he also said that Carrier’s move and the $3 hourly wage would not benefit the local economy. So; the only benefits seen by this move would be Carrier.
American workers are productive. Production is up while wages have been kept down. Kodak was a victim of changing technology ,however, in the case of Carrier,it is simply greed and the desire for cheap labor by the company’s executives. If you can’t see a connection to NAFTA you’re not looking hard enough or are simply refusing to see the connection. That would not be surprising for someone that is basically a Republican and comes from a small town elite Republican family.
The excess profits will be divided between shareholders and the executives. As far as paying a premium for American goods,Carrier made millions upon millions in profits before the move. In the future,the retail cost of the products will not reflect the lower cost of production. Nike is a good example of this as well.
I understand there are some here that cannot shake their core Republican beliefs and its inherent hatred of working people. That disease has spread to the Democrats as well in the form of neo-liberalism.
Great article And to the point!
Hoosiers do not vote on proposals like that, nor on any State-around issues of property laws and uses, such as the permanent structures for revolving political signature authorities. Portable white collar supplies and equipment, seals and forms, files and media materials remaining where they are until the property is sold, leased, otherwise utilized as “wealth” — as all those military-purpose constructed workplaces, testing and proving grounds, consolidated and retired neighbors’ walking schools, villages abandoned or properties within units that bankrupted those remaining. Temporary students are not even being taught how to ride bicycles, operate wheelchairs, draw maps of Indiana and put legends on them for properties in common to them to manage, not own.
How can they be expected to label the Europe countries in their writing (notably Deustchland, The Netherlands, Scotland/Farland/Sutherland, Finland, Ireland/Eire) as places they may visit themselves as college students AND military volunteers this year as every last commencement year.
That should have read as SHED instead of shake. Oh well. Also,neo-liberalism has only two rules:
1- Because Markets!
2- Go Die!
Expanding a little on the job loss situation:
As the US and the rest of the world do what has to be done to save our only planet from our over-serving ourselves fossil fuels there will be several major investments required.
Mitigation. Converting to non fossil energy sources, distribution and end use. Think replacing everything on our roads presently.
Recovery. The cost in tax and insurance funds to rebuild what extreme weather knocks down through wind, floods, and wild fires.
Adaptation. Changing civilization however changed weather and sea level dictate. Think Miami below sea level, the Imperial Valley in southern California as a desert.
The slower that we mitigate the more will have to be spent on recovery and adaptation.
One of the mitigation costs is retraining and redeploying probably millions of fossil fuel related workers. As a example think no more gas stations.
What we are whining about now is a minor blip compared to what we will necessarily face over the next few decades.
If our institutions are inadequate now we are out of time to fix them.
William 1, why do you believe that Carrier would have survived at all as an overpriced commodity?
When the EU was first being formulated Denmark was the presumptive banker. Germany threatened to withdraw tanking the whole complicated process. Germany got the bank and the austerity measures that those in the know predicted would be the downfall of the EU if Germany held the bank have come to pass. It was predictable and unavoidable. Conservative measures in a downturn don’t wotk
William I:
Trump offers the biggest shit sandwich for the middle and lower socio economic class. He offers nothing but the status quo. He comes straight from the class that believes big business should be unfettered. He believes business should be unregulated, pay small wages and offer no health care. Though he is running for the top public job in this country, he can only think and speak about his private financial interests. Government cannot be run like a business whose only responsibility is making a profit.
He is using bigotry to appeal to the angry bigots only for their votes. He has no intention of serving their need of jobs that pay decent wages. His own products are not made in America by Americans. Trump’s bigotry is the only thing he has been consistent on in his campaign. Every other position he has declared, he has flip flopped at least once. He has offered no plans for how he will create jobs, defeat ISIL or anything else. He keeps the bigotry and racism going because it’s the one thing that can keep the anger and turmoil and turf wars going.
It doesn’t take education of any kind to be an expert Republican, Democrat — or to father a son, a daughter, even mathematics skills enough to look around to count if your son or daughter is following in your Republican or Democrat footsteps. Millions of Londoners wanted the “Brexit” drama; millions want the “Trump” drama or the “women vs men except our fathers’ daughters and our men’s daughters, etc. US vs THEM is still a well-balanced contest, turned around as THEM and US form only more US. Governor O’Bannon would answer personal postcard “petitions” but not from Commerce bundlers.