Trump scores a huge PR coup
Remember this moment from 9 months ago?
Obama and Hillary had no answer to this.
Today, Trump had an answer.
On Thursday, Mr. Trump and Mike Pence, Indiana’s governor and the vice president-elect, plan to appear at Carrier’s Indianapolis factory to announce a deal with the company to keep roughly 1,000 jobs in the state, according to officials with the transition team as well as Carrier.Mr. Trump will be hard-pressed to alter the economic forces that have hammered the Rust Belt for decades, but forcing Carrier and its parent company, United Technologies, to reverse course is a powerful tactical strike that will hearten his followers even before he takes office.
“I’m ready for him to come,” said Robin Maynard, a 24-year veteran of Carrier who builds high-efficiency furnaces and earns almost $24 an hour as a team leader. “Now I can put my daughter through college without having to look for another job.”
It also signals that Mr. Trump is a different kind of Republican, willing to take on Big Business, at least in individual cases.
We are pleased to have reached a deal with President-elect Trump & VP-elect Pence to keep close to 1,000 jobs in Indy. More details soon.
— Carrier (@Carrier) November 30, 2016
So in 3 weeks as president-elect Trump has done more for the working class in the Rust Belt than Obama has done in the last four years (while he was trying to strong-arm TPP through Congress).
If this continues, the "Blue Wall" will go the way of the Dixiecrats.
But at least Dems can still chant "Racist! Sexist!"
It doesn't win elections, but it makes you feel morally superior, amirite?
Comments
Mission Accomplished for Obama
Remember when people were saying that the Republican Party was going to be dead for decades, yet they got back up within two years of Obama's election and now holds all 3 of the branches of the government.
Great job, Barack!
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
And just as important...
Republicans control 2/3rds of state legislatures and governorships. That gives them the catbird seat on redistricting. With a census coming up in 3 years, Republicans can further lock in their chokehold on government. Meanwhile, Democrats are doing an Alfred E. Neuman-esque "What, me worry?" as they plot Chelsea Clinton's future presidential run.
Trump saved 1K jobs but we don't know what the deal was.
For a president to directly interfere in a business decision sets a precedent that could explode. What was the deal, tax breaks, deregulations? Other companies will expect the same.
To thine own self be true.
Trump is a crook and a con man
but this is still a PR coup. People will notice.
He's a crook and a conman,
but Hillary would never have saved those jobs, or any others.
"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."
Very Important Point. nt
"Love One Another" ~ George Harrison
Reminds me of Robert Heinlein’s “The Man Who Sold the Moon”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delos_D._Harriman
Harriman is a crook and a con man, but he gets humankind to colonize the moon.
He's already promised cutting corporate tax rates to
what, 15%? That had to be part of it.
United Tech
currently has billions in defense contracts. That was suggested to be a negotiating strength for the Trumpster. I hope we are able to hear the details of the agreement.
Politicians will lower taxes on corporations and help them
hide their money in tax havens anyway--that's what "government" currently is.
The difference is, in this case, instead of a personal payoff, Trump asked for jobs for workers.
People won't forget that.
And however we view it, it's true that neither Hillary nor Obama nor any of the Bushes would ever have done that.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Heh.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
It is on TV now - full credit to Trump...
Lots of speculation about the cost of the deal.
I know so far it has cost us one-party rule, and the end of public education, social security and medicare. Now that the Carrier guy can afford to send his daughter to college without getting a second job, she'll be too stupid to get in.
One-party GOP rule is a disaster beyond Trump as President. Lame duck in Michigan is about to go in and vote to end the current teacher pensions. They already voted to end it for new employees two years ago. Once they do this, they will destroy the only thing keeping experienced teachers in their jobs. White flight will look like a trainee compared to the exodus of teachers that will take place. Add in Betsy DeVos with her vouchers, which will be capped of course while prices not, and public education will certainly die.
MI has been dismantling is schools one brick at a time. Charters have ZERO regulation and oversight, and they are performing far below public schools - even the mediocre ones. Once they get your voucher, good luck if they go belly up or expel your kid.
Trump is only half the disaster. One-party rule is the other half. This country is so fucked.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
"too stupid to get in"
Exactly, destroy elementary education, high school education, close down libraries and then expect those deprived children to be able to pass college entrance exams.
I haven't heard of Trump's promises to cut subsidized day care but that's likely too.
"this country is so fucked" - this is also a time for great change. Brought this far down, there's no where to go but up. I expect massive rebellion.
To thine own self be true.
Coupon. Not a Voucher, But a Coupon...
I suggest we go hard on the coupon moniker to describe the voucher system.
"You want to pay for healthcare and education with coupons?"
“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu
I hardly think it's a precedent.
It is my understanding that the reason we have employer provided health insurance is that the Truman admin was concerned with inflation & got the UAW to accept health insurance in lieu of (as big of) the wage increase they were after.
And shouldn't the role of our government be to provide good paying jobs for its citizens? Beats the hell out of supporting trade deals that ship our jobs overseas.
Oh the irony: "shouldn't the role of our government
be to provide good paying jobs for its citizens?"
Trump has promised to cut thousands of government/civil service jobs. Smaller government you know.
To thine own self be true.
I don't mean to be a jerk, but how is this different
from what goes on all the time anyway? Except that in this case, 1,000 workers get to keep their jobs.
The precedent is already set, except usually what the politician asks for in return for tax breaks, dereg, etc. is constant support in the form of campaign donations and other favors while they're in office, and a nice big golden parachute when they're done.
What Trump did is engage in what all of DC engages in anyway, except what he asked for in return was 1,000 jobs.
Yeah, people will notice.
I wish he'd keep doing this throughout his possible presidency, but I bet he won't.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Well... shit.
Looks like he's trying to resurrect the Reagan Narrative.
Cue Angry Laid off Workers smashing products made in other countries to the stirring sounds of "Born In The USA" (Yes, I do remember the 80's... and the irony inherent in the action.)
It's tailor made for the MSM. Everything that will cause lasting economic damage will be passed quietly while they lap this shit up.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
The Irony of the Song!
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
Wait until we have detail about the "deal"...
Their little victory could turn sour very quickly if it involves union breaking, wage cuts, massive tax breaks, or pension theft. Giving someone a bit of hope and then smashing it creates more resentment then any other thing ever could.
Details? On an "Old News" story?
Trump knows how the media works.
Anything that happens later will be ignored because there will be a NEW story to talk about.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
I think the internet made this clear,
I think the internet made this clear, If the Clinton campaign can't hide from the net neither will Trump be able.
As long as Trump keeps up with the Tweets...
People will have plenty of new outrages to hold their attention.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
There's truly no such thing as privacy
and Wikileaks isn't anywhere near finished.
"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."
I agree that how good a 'deal'
DT negotiated, depends upon the terms/details. Of course, to some degree, each of the negative aspects listed above have already began to occur.
BTW, the Kline-Miller Multi-Employer Pension Reform Act of 2014 was rammed through as part of H.R. 83 (113th): Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act (2015), during the 2014 Lame Duck Session.
This bill began the process of eviscerating the Multi-Employer Pension Plans, and affects about 10 million beneficiaries (Teamsters, etc.).
The final bill passed by a majority Senate Democratic vote in December of 2014--when Dems still held the Senate. It was co-authored/co-sponsored by former California (Dem) Congressman George Miller--on his way out the door, no less.
Regarding the terms, my 'guess' is that there will be adverse terms for workers (as part of the deal), but I think that corporate tax reform will come about (mostly) during the funding bills/appropriations negotiations this Spring, and/or during negotiations regarding the terms of the upcoming Infrastructure Bill.
IIRC, DT has tossed about the figure of 1 Trillion dollars, regarding increased spending on infrastructure--a sum which is at least close to the figure called for by Bowles-Simpson's proposal for cutting taxes--in return for so-called entitlement reform/cuts. So, this bill would make a decent vehicle for passing (at least some of) the cuts.
Thanks for this essay, gj.
[Edited: Punctuation]
Mollie
“I believe in the redemptive powers of a dog’s love. It is in recognition of each dog’s potential to lift the human spirit and therefore– to change society for the better, that I fight to make sure every street dog has its day.”
--Stasha Wong, Secretary, Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)
The SOSD Fantastic Four
Available For Adoption, Save Our Street Dogs, SOSD
Taro
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Tax breaks don't seem to be controversial.
Intel got huge tax breaks to stay and expand in Oregon. So did Nike. And Oregon is very blue.
Possibly controversial,
but certainly not unusual. WalMart, etc. All the big corps are given them as incentives to come or stay. I don't think it's a practice we will see end any time soon.
Fujitsu (semi conductor plant) got large tax breaks in
return for so many local people being employed. They were also good corporate citizens, sponsoring the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival for many years.
But boy when it was in their best interest to re-home back to Japan, they were gone in a nano second with taxes left to be paid. Many employees turned to the behemoth, Intel, fifty mlies to the West.
The idea of pitting municipalities and states against each other for jobs, which are now almost nonexistent, is ludicrous.
Tax breaks to attract jobs, is controversial. It leaves corporations holding all the cards.
You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again you did not know. ~ William Wiberforce
If you can donate, please! POP Money is available for bank-to-bank transfers. Email JtC to make a monthly donation.
Tax breaks don't seem to be controversial.
Intel got huge tax breaks to stay and expand in Oregon. So did Nike. And Oregon is very blue.
You know, this is part of the evolution that had to occur
whether it was Trump or not. Think about it. How long could this country go like this without a move toward creating more manufacturing jobs. And how long did we talk about how the conditions were actually reversing, that the decrease in wages and benefits in this country would create third world country conditions and Americans could therefore compete for jobs again. Presto! Along comes Trump, like along came Obama, like along came Bush, like along came Clinton, and the progression that came with them.
Shit, they're paying twelve bucks an hour with minimal benefits and they get tax breaks from Trump, ya why not.
But you're right, this is big PR. This is actually fucking bad news except for the 1000 families in Indiana that will have Company Store jobs. We can't have a labor/working class movement set back based on illusions.
Carrier pay
Some jobs are $24/hr. Hope that didn't change with the agreement. I don't think it did. We'll see.
NYT
ha.ha.ha... you don't believe that, do you?
the so-called contracts allow to fire the higher paid workers and hire new incoming lower paid workers. Count on it. It's very easy to do and ... "freedoms" allow always for exploitation be dressed up in sheep clothes, nice clothes, warm, kudly and ... you want to believe that those clothes keep you safe and warm.
Sigh.
We'll see, mimi.
I don't think Trump would come to an agreement that will outrage the workers, cut their pay in 1/2, and blow back on him.
Isn't that what GM did?
Set up a lower pay tier for new hires? So the highest-paid workers can age out. Carrier moved the manufacturing facilities to Indiana from Syracuse, where Corporate still exists. Pay got too expensive in NY. SO they were following the bottom line.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Ahh, the Carrier Dome!
The only dome stadium in America Without A.C. Still, a great place to watch Orange hoops! Just bring your binocs.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Flexible Labor Markets...Get the Euphemism Straight. ;-) nt
“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu
LOL. Exactly. "We give
our workers flexible work schedules... " (so that we can keep them under 40 hours)
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
A Safe Bet
You know that We will be paying for whatever The Deal was...and it won't last long. Sorry, not ready to give tRump credit for anything.
Credit
It's hard to avoid giving Trump credit for at the very least licking the TPP can down the road. It isn't being implemented in the lame duck session.
Nope, no credit for even that.
Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.
This ain't no dress rehearsal!
If his cabinet picks sink him: not our problem. 1% vs 1%
"Heads I win! tails you lose" as explained in the Primary
We've always known it was a cold, $hit sandwich. So far, signs are worrisome that it is a loot and toot party, as the club is exclusive to 1%. They might as well call it the "Money on TV or Paper Admin". If someone doesn't make a horror, comic based on this admin-PR "Flash and Pazzazz" lineup, it will need to be done by all. Any minute now, an astrolger will appear, and a jar with St Ronnies most often quoted zingers.
This is not a new show, if it is the same, exact swamp now only drains into the oval orfice. Get real folks, it is all loot and toot. A 4 year pillage and tax payer funded party of the later 2010s. If any idiot pays for this, it is a political death sentence.
Fighting for democratic principles,... well, since forever
Obama didn't push manufacturers: Carrier & Trump -- David Dayen
Article yesterday on The Intercept
Trump’s Showdown With Manufacturer Exposes Obama’s Weakness on Outsourcing
For the Clinton's in the 1990's, Globalization had the place that for many is reserved for God. (Thomas Frank from "Listen Liberals")
I totally missed how badly they had trashed the country until this election season when the fruits of neo liberalism were in full bloom.
Obama continued that path from even before he was elected president. He was selected and then we elected him.
Obama's true colors were shown as he fought harder for TPP than for single payer health care.
Like the Clinton's who flourished under the cloud of controversy (and were able to pull off destruction of the New Deal), Obama faced a treasonous Republican legislature with the explicit objective of destroying his presidency (and by the way he expanded executive powers, wars, killing machines, etc. and did not prosecute banksters and war criminals which left the worst elements in power and the power of the surveillance state expanded and income inequality flourished)
David Dayen does excellent work as an investigative reporter. His main beat is finance, but he covers other topics and his gig at The Intercept is just one of many places. You can get a weekly email from him about what he wrote and some hints about other good stuff.
From David's article
President Trump is going to bring carrier jobs back
Globalization is inivedable! It is the power that will sweep all that stands in its way! So stick that in your ass Trump (Don's words)
And more like this in the article.
We can be sure that President Hillary would behave in a similar manner.
Maybe United Tech CEO will get a cabinet post
This is "extreme" fascism. Deal making with companies while jailing people for legally burning flags and having abortions. We are so screwed.
What does it matter?
United Technology fucked over Syracuse, NY years ago. During the reigns of Clinton & Bush II.
" In the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry, and is generally considered to have been a bad move. -- Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy "
Tax breaks and promises for more "defense" contracts.
Looks like it will cost taxpayers in the country and Indiana around 60 million which equals $600K per job. In other words, we're subsidizing a giant corporations payroll and strengthening the military industrial complex.
The rich aren't going to pay for this, we are. So in effect the Serfs are going to pay for their jobs to stay in country.
Lions and tigers and bears? No; think damper!
That Carrier caved without a fight means they probably got some compensation of some sort; otherwise they would have called Trump's bluff. I wouldn't be surprised that they proceed with the cuts later in the future or maybe more gradually; however, Trump will still have his PR coup.
Conning people is what The donald does for a living. He said he was going to "drain the swamp"; instead he's stocking it with alligators, piranha and infectious mosquitoes which will prey on the people.
I Got mine, so Screw you!
I've played the long con up to the last stage before the dénouement (I'm not one for keeping a con). So how about a demidénouement?
I started with nothing, no prospects, no future, period. If the next few transactions go well I should be able to live where I want to live on my own terms into the indefinite future. This all independent, for the most part, of how much shit hits the fan in the next few years.
From bitter experience, I have learned that most just don't care to understand how really screwed they will be in the end. But, hey I've got mine so why should I care, right?
My daughter said it best: They like socialism just fine until they think someone else might be getting a little bit more than their "fair" share.
Trump says A. Dems say not-A. Dems lose midterms.
I get the sense in reading TOP and other comments on Carrier, democrats are looking for any reason to oppose Trump on Carrier. This is not going to look good. Yah, dems oppose gummit help in keeping jobs. If democrats keep this up, they will end up looking anti-worker. Democrats will get so blinded they won't see straight on issues. What position will democrats end up on TPP if Trump walks away from it? Support TPP because that is the not-Donald position?? Demand war with Russia if Trump makes peace with Russia?
If they remain unreformed
Nobody cares if they lose the midterms.
"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."
The Dems will oppose anything
Trump does. Even if he cures Cancer. Sound familiar? Oh, the game of partisan politics. Same shit. Different channel.
There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier
Details of the deal
link