Are Un-American Activities, Corporate Sabotage?
As America enters into another year of economic hardship the corporate sector seems to want to blame everything from the European markets to the Social Security program. The Tea Party has even suggested putting an end to SS. It’s a source of anxiety for an inflated baby boomer retirement populace but shut it down and the government has to find a new source to barrow from. You’d see the government literally go broke within months. Also, be prepared to absorb the costs of grandma and grandpa moving back in with you.
Corporate America also wants to vilify the ‘occupy’ movement for pointing out corruption in the banking industry. The movement itself was so disorganized it did little to change anything economically. But to call them un-American is like Lindsey Lohan calling Charlie Sheen irresponsible.
During the Civil War era Lincoln could’ve saved millions by shipping in lumber from Europe. He resisted and railroad ties were made from American lumber thusly keeping income and jobs here. When soldiers saw the ties being shipped they referred to them as ‘Lincoln logs’. That’s where the popular toy of the 50’s took its name.
The point is where is the loyalty when companies outsource to other nations rather than pay minimum wage? Isn’t this un-American activity? At the very least it’s economic sabotage. The laws against industrial espionage can land an individual in prison for up to ten years and a half million dollar fine. Companies can be fined up to ten million. But there’s virtually nothing to keep company’s from turning on their own nation financially.
For a company to outsource jobs overseas they should have to prove economic hardship. I’m not against outsourcing if it saves a company from going bankrupt. Take a look at some well known outsourced corporations. I doubt any are on the verge of insolvency.
These companies include; ADC, Aetna, Alamo rentals, Alcoa Aluminum, Apple, AT&T, Bank One, Bank of America, Capitol One, Citigroup, Coca Cola, Walgreens, Time Warner, Sprint, Safeway, Sun Trust Banks, Quest, Pepsi, Nike, Nabisco, IBM, Home Depot, GM, Ford, Exxon/Mobile, and a host of others.
People like Michael Jordan who’ve made millions off Nike should be particularly ashamed. The company has long been under suspicion of forced slave labor and sweat shops overseas. Considering his heritage this is an appalling situation.
The entire garment industry has moved to Cambodia, Vietnam, and India. To find more desperate people they’d have to teach aboriginals living in mud-huts to sew. Today loyal brands like ‘Union House’, ‘Pointer Brands’ and others are attempting to bring the industry back. But the bottom line is these companies are rare.
The American corporations moving jobs overseas are truly disloyal to their own nation and they should take responsibility for the recession they’ve help create.
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