As a boy in my early teens-I had the misfortune of reading every Allen Drury book ever written ( At least through the early 70’s). And that’s a long list. As I grew older, and came under the influence of some really dedicated teachers and professors-I realized how really bad these novels were. ( You know-those teachers that are now the enemy of the Galtian paradise our McKinleyesque overlords want to set up for us).
With the exception of Advise and Consent, Drury spiraled downward into a teabagger’s wet dream-with dreams of conspiracies between the media, liberal politicians, and the United Nations. Most of his characters were very shallow-more stereotypes really, and it was relatively evident that he didn’t like black people very much. ( Witness his treatment of some of his black characters in The Throne of Saturn and Preserve and Protect). His prose was long-and turgid. And his endings were entirely predictable. In those days it was the Russians who were behind the conspiracy. Nowadays, one has to assume it is Islam, I guess.
However I always consoled myself with the fact that it was just a work of fiction. The real world did not play out that way.
Until now:
Last week, the New York Times reported that, despite making $14.2 billion in profits, General Electric, the largest corporation in the United States, paid zero U.S. taxes in 2010 and actually received tax credits of $3.2 billion dollars. The article noted that GE’s tax avoidance team is comprised of “former officials not just from the Treasury, but also from the I.R.S. and virtually all the tax-writing committees in Congress.”
After not paying any taxes and making huge profits, General Electric is expected to ask its nearly 15,000 unionized employees in the United States to make major concessions.
This year, 14 unions representing more than 15,000 workers will negotiate a new master contract with General Electric. Among the major concessions GE has signaled that it will ask of union workers is the elimination of a defined contribution benefit pension for new employees, a move the company has already implemented for its non-union salaried employees. Likewise, GE is signaling to the union that it will ask for the elimination of current health insurance plans in favor of lower quality health saving accounts, a move the company has already implemented for non-union salaried employees as well. (Skippy comment-health savings accounts suck-my company has been trying to sell them as the greatest thing since sliced bread.)
In addition, General Electric may ask some workers for a wage freeze. Since the recession began in 2007, GE threatened to close plants in Schenectady, NY and Louisville, KY unless workers took wage concessions and adopted two-tier wage structure.
$14 billion in profits, $3 billion in tax credits, and instead of celebrating, they are instead trying to screw their workers. They can’t even use the poverty excuse-because GE had a great year in 2010. They just can’t share any of it with the people who made them successful.
I’m sure its all Frankly Unctuous’ fault. And Orrin Knox would approve.
All while we wage war against Felix Labaya in Libya.
Come Nineveh Come Tyre indeed.