Time to Secede?
Philip Greenspun’s Weblog » Time for a new Civil War?.
Incompetence in the South leads to the management getting fired, the workers being laid off, and everyone in the community suffering lower wages going forward. Incompetence in the Northeast and Midwest leads to the rest of the U.S. being taxed so that employees continue to get paid the same, oftentimes regardless of whether or not they show up to work. Now would seem to be a great time for the South to secede.
While I’m not looking to secede, I’ve been thinking this same thing about the bailouts but could not put it in words near as well as Dr. Greenspun has.
December 20th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
You do realize that the south is a net drag on the federal budget in regards to taxes right? Most Southern states get more tax money from the federal government than they pay in.
The rest of the country might like the South or ‘the red states’ in particular to secede. It would be like saying goodbye to that slightly kooky Uncle that always borrows money from you.
December 20th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
I said “While I’m not looking to secede”. I don’t agree with the selective bailouts. Lots of people are losing their jobs every day now and the Big 3 are paying people to not work. That’s just ludicrous.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:46 am
Did I just get labeled as a “kooky Uncle” because I live in the South?
I guess that someone in the South could say that parting with the North would be kinda like saying goodbye to the uppity Aunt who knows all and doesn’t know when to shut up.
Funny how money has divided us all…well, it was our money until the gov’t got hold of it.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:26 am
I’m not all about bailouts, but I think this makes a little sense. If the big 3 go down then a LOT of jobs go with them. Jobs in places like Mississippi. There are a lot of people making parts for these companies, as well as selling the cars…
The real story here is that we’ve spent ~335 BILLION bailing out the finance companies. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? Those people needed to be allowed to fail. They are greedy. They needed to learn from their mistakes, but instead they were taught that acting unethical will make you more money than acting ethical.
Again, I’m not all about bailing out industries in a capitalist society, but it’s sad that we seem to be bitching about Detroit and not screaming about the financial industry. Then again, we’re not a capitalist society any longer. You can thank Bush for that
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:36 am
Bush lobbied, supported, and signed bailout legislation….but our wonderful Senate and House got the ball rolling as lobbyists far and wide waged a huge assault on Washington in the last year. The timing with an election and Economy tanking was a perfect storm for lobbyists/businesses to make a run at the people’s tax money. They played it to perfection.
Bush is no Saint in all this, but to lay it in his lap only is a HUGE stretch. There is plenty of blame to go around.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:53 am
Bush isn’t the only blame here, there’s plenty for lots of folks involved.
As far as the financials, it is total BS they got bailed out. No if, ands, or buts. Fuck them, it’s gambling and you lost.
The problem I have with the Big 3 getting bailed out is we need promises they’re going to get better. Right now their products suck, that’s a key reason they’re going under. If Outback made a shitty steak, they go under. Make a shitty car and see ya later.
We’ve owned two Tahoes and the one we have now is a piece of shit even compared to the first one. They just don’t make good cars and I don’t think throwing money at them is going to improve that.