Haloe Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 Australian Council of Trade Unions president Sharan Burrow's latest disgorgement to the press. Full article here: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story...5013871,00.html I guess she never heard that businesses cannot employ ANYONE unless they're generating positive returns for their stakeholders (the broad definition of the word) over the long term. Oh wait, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, CitiGroup, BofA, AIG.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McVey Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 (edited) I guess she never heard that businesses cannot employ ANYONE unless they're generating positive returns for their stakeholders (the broad definition of the word) over the long term. Oh wait, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, CitiGroup, BofA, AIG.... That's not really the main thrust of the article - it's more a case of the Mafia coming to collect from someone on the favour they did for that someone. Notice the title of the article. The point was that businesses had been taking oodles of cash from the government, and surprise surprise the government is being urged to influence the said businesses for sociopolitical ends. Pacific Brands wouldn't be in this hot water so much if it hadn't stuck its paws out for taxpayer money (even though the TCFU is one of the more vocal unions and would have kicked up a stink anyway). The solution is to stop corporate welfare, and that as part of ending all welfare whatever. Ms Burrow is right, at least, about the need for a moral compass. What is needed is institution of the morality of rational self-interest & laissez-faire, and the elimination of all forms of collectivist sentiment in all areas of life. Oh, btw, g'day, welcome to the forum! JJM Edited March 8, 2009 by John McVey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themadkat Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 I confess that, while I recognize that what the government is forcing these companies to do is morally wrong, I have limited sympathy for the leadership of many of these companies that actively solicited my money, taken from me by force, for them to run their operations, attempted to use the force of government to hedge their competitors, and generally bought into/supported the system that has gotten us to this sorry mess. Those that enthusiastically accepted government money to this point DESERVE to be told what to do, like the nutless wonders they are. There are far more Orren Boyles than Hank Reardens out there. That's not really the main thrust of the article - it's more a case of the Mafia coming to collect from someone on the favour they did for that someone. Notice the title of the article. The point was that businesses had been taking oodles of cash from the government, and surprise surprise the government is being urged to influence the said businesses for sociopolitical ends. Pacific Brands wouldn't be in this hot water so much if it hadn't stuck its paws out for taxpayer money (even though the TCFU is one of the more vocal unions and would have kicked up a stink anyway). The solution is to stop corporate welfare, and that as part of ending all welfare whatever. Ms Burrow is right, at least, about the need for a moral compass. What is needed is institution of the morality of rational self-interest & laissez-faire, and the elimination of all forms of collectivist sentiment in all areas of life. Oh, btw, g'day, welcome to the forum! JJM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake_Ellison Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 There are far more Orren Boyles than Hank Reardens out there. I doubt that's true. The Orren Boyle's may get the upper hand, but that's due to the people in power: the politicians who control the guns. If you want to blame someone, blame the people who are the source of that power: in a democracy, like Australia, that's everyone who ever cast a vote for any politician who is promoting statism. (even a little statism) It is absolutely ridiculous to expect big business to help the country, while the vast majority of the people actively promote injustice and evil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haloe Posted March 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 (edited) That's not really the main thrust of the article - it's more a case of the Mafia coming to collect from someone on the favour they did for that someone. Notice the title of the article. The point was that businesses had been taking oodles of cash from the government, and surprise surprise the government is being urged to influence the said businesses for sociopolitical ends. Pacific Brands wouldn't be in this hot water so much if it hadn't stuck its paws out for taxpayer money (even though the TCFU is one of the more vocal unions and would have kicked up a stink anyway). The solution is to stop corporate welfare, and that as part of ending all welfare whatever. Ms Burrow is right, at least, about the need for a moral compass. What is needed is institution of the morality of rational self-interest & laissez-faire, and the elimination of all forms of collectivist sentiment in all areas of life. Oh, btw, g'day, welcome to the forum! JJM Thanks for the welcome, mate. I know the thrust of the article was aimed towards goverment bail-outs but the statement I quoted was stand-alone. If you listen to the talk she says it as a definitive; sure it's mixed in with a bunch of stuff about executive compensation and bail-outs but that statement in any context is aborhant to me. I cannot justify it. Edited March 8, 2009 by Haloe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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