Taking Hostages

Donald Trump went to Indiana on Thursday to brag about convincing Carrier, an air conditioner making company in that state, from going to Mexico and forcing more Americans out of work.

On the campaign trail he bragged that companies wouldn’t leave our nation anymore after he’s president because he’ll call them and threaten them with higher taxes.

None of that happened.

Carrier decided to keep part of their production in Indiana after receiving corporate welfare from that state’s taxpayers promised by governor and president-elect Mike Pence. They’re still shutting down a lot of their operation and leaving for south of the border.

Is this why Pence hasn’t resigned as governor? He’s not busy enough running Trump’s transition team and eating taco bowls in Trump Tower? He gave Trump high praise for keeping Carrier in Indiana on Thursday but the question remains: What exactly did Trump do? If Trump was president when bin Laden was taken out Trump would have claimed he was there and pulled the trigger.

I think it is good for a president to call CEOs and try to convince them not to move their production out of the country. Afterward the president can go in front of a crowd and lie about it, praise the company, and not mention the bailout he just gave them. If only Obama knew he could have bragged about saving the auto industry and didn’t have to mention the bailout.

What Trump has done is send a very loud signal to corporate America that they can hold their employees hostage. Trump shows he’s willing to give them “yuge” tax breaks to stay. This is like when NFL teams threaten their current cities by talking about moving to San Antonio. It’s how they get new stadiums and sky boxes.

Trump doesn’t care if he gives your money to rich Americans. Carrier wasn’t losing money. They were very profitable. They just weren’t as rich as they wanted.

The only sticky widget for the next bailout is that Trump will need 50 more governors as accomplices. Mike Pence won’t be governor of Indiana at some point between now and January.

Now maybe Trump can call that guy who manufactures crappy ties overseas.

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