layoffs and greed

I had asked myself these types of questions for years.
Then I read "Kapital" vol 1. by Karl Marx, an excellent explanation of the system that you and I live in.(although from a mid 19th century perspective) Another book was Labor and Monopoly Capital by Harry Braverman, taking a more modern look at business today. I highly recommened these- They will boggle your mind. Keep in mind that these are not "communist" propaganda books but actual scholarly investigations that are used in universities today.

Don't kid yourself-- lots of upper management, executives and high paid employees of firms suffering layoffs have been let go. Don't kid yourself into thinking this is some conspiracy of the "haves" vs the "have nots". It's simple economics.

just want to compliment those who post good articles

sure some upper management twits have gotten laid off, but that doesn't change the fact that the economy -- in good times and bad -- is organized in the interests of those with capital. After 9/11 the airlines got their legions of lobbyists to wine and dine "our" elected reps and in less than a week they got a $5 billion bailout and $10 billion in gov-backed loans. Part of the criteria for receiving these loans is that the airlines prove that they are able to extract concessions from their employess. So, for instance, Boeing will be a recipient of the state's largesse while posting $650 million in profits in the third quarter of this year. And guess what? They just announced that they're gonna lay-off 30,000 workers. That's your innocuous little economy at work, Ryan (punk).

I have 1 basic comment in regard to the Wall Street
Approach meant to keep the masses weak...

1) All those that have been layed off due to the 9/11
tragedy and now cannot afford to pay the bills, should
defy eviction notices and force the flag waving Patriots
to come by with their hired guns for some high profile Media Events to expose the underbelly of this corrupt system. No, I do not suggest violence. I urge those that
are faced with homelessness in times like these, to consider the option to defy the system, and remain where they reside rather than to join the ranks of those that face Forced Relocation to locations unknown.

"The Economy- in good times and in bad-is organized in the interests of those with capital."

That's deep. Real deep.

Tell me about the wining and dining. Let's hear some details. It was more about begging for a bailout to keep our nation's air industry afloat. If the airlines and Boeing did not do layoffs, they would be: OUT OF BUSINESS.

As it is, they (Eg United and others) will be OUT OF BUSINESS if things don't improve in the economy in the next 6-12 months...Already several Airlines (eg Midway airlines is gone, SwissAir stopped flying) are OUT OF BUSINESS.

What part of "OUT OF BUSINESS" don't you understand? Margins are extremely small in building and flying airplanes as a business. That's why so few companies survive in that industry-- so don't start whining about layoffs as some kind of corporate greed conspiracy-- it just sounds stupid.

I guess the vast majority of us Americans are indeed punks-- we just haven't figured out your special brand of economic theory that provides bounty for everyone through magic.

Ryan: imputing conspiratorial thinking to those who argue that the moving force of capitalism is the drive to maximize profit is tedious and, ultimately, a sign of your weak-mindedness. It might fly on the Rush Limbaugh show, but not here. Do you disagree that corporations seek to increase share-holder value? Is it conspiracy theory to think they do? Do you believe that corporate lobbyists are hired to promote the common good? Am I succombing to conspiracy theory to think otherwise?
The New York Times had a surprisingly informative piece on the airline industry's lobbying efforts to get a huge bailout. The article, I'm pretty sure, was in the Wednesday October 10th edition. It reported how even jaded "inside-the-beltway" politicos were taken aback by how quickly the airline industry kicked into high gear to convince our erstwhile reps that only a massive bailout would save america. Interstingly, the wife of Dem. Senate Leader Tom Daschle lead the charge for the carriers (although she didn't discuss the subject with her husband!).
Anyway, i'd like to continue but my baby is crying and gotta go.

Nowhere do I disagree that shareholder value of is or primary concern to companies operating in a free economy. I also happen to believe that "shareholder value" is an intelligent and proper goal for all businesses, since the goal is to remain solvent and profitable-- vs hemmoraging cash and going out of business. This is relative common sense. Can't buy jet fuel or pay employees or service aircraft? Then, shareholder value declines. Shareholder value is a direct correlation to the health of a business.

I love how you dared to quote the NEW YORK TIMES re:lobbying efforts of Airline industry. Anytime I've seen anyone quoting the New York Times on this site-- they are branded as suckers and believers in the "vast corporate media conspiracy". I think if the same credance was given to some other articles in the NYT, there wouldn't be so many naive and conspiracy minded opinions posted here. I guess it's a case of: "use 'em when they somehow bolster your warped opinion, and slam 'em when they don't".

Yes, it is conspiracy to ignore simple economics and bottom line figures as the motivation for layoffs, but to instead imagine that some elite group is coordinating non-economic driven measures against the masses.