@izzythepush,
izzythepush wrote:
Another OP piece by Anthony Zurcher on Trump and race.
Quote:On Wednesday night the talk of Washington was whether Steve Bannon, thanks to his candid interview with Robert Kuttner, the co-founder of the liberal magazine The American Prospect, had ensured his own dismissal as a senior presidential adviser.
On Thursday morning it became readily apparent that, whether or not Mr Bannon remains, Bannonism - if that's what it can properly be called - is firmly entrenched in the White House.
Donald Trump, in a series of tweets, bashed his Republican opponents and the media and defended Confederate Civil War monuments - the cause for which white supremacists and neo-Nazis marched last weekend.
The president appears to be forcing exactly the kind of fight with progressive groups that Mr Bannon, in his interview, said he welcomed.
"The longer they talk about identity politics, I got 'em," Mr Bannon said. "I want them to talk about racism every day. If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats."
. . . .
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40965827
That's "divide and conquer" politics: throwing "red meat" social issues at the people and laughing at them fight among themselves while they retire behind closed doors and divvy up the economic pie filled with money, money, money.
And speaking of money and Trump's alleged "greatness" when it comes to the art of the deal, let's take a look at the deal he encouraged the State of Wisconsin to enter with a Taiwanese company--a deal that will cost the people 3 BILLION dollars:
Quote:The Wisconsin State Assembly on Thursday will consider a $3 billion incentive package for a proposed liquid-crystal display factory by Taiwan's Foxconn, the first vote on the deal by a chamber of the state's Republican-controlled legislature.
. . .
Foxconn, Walker and other leaders announced the deal on the incentives last month in a White House ceremony. It must now be approved by lawmakers.
The 20 million-square-foot LCD plant would initially employ 3,000 people, but Walker and Foxconn said the company could ultimately employ 13,000 at the site.
. . .
Wisconsin would not break even on the incentive package for at least 25 years, according to a legislative analysis released last week.
CNBC
This a THREE BILLION dollar incentive to a foreign company with no guarantee the company will pay its workers a decent wage or even use local citizens. For all we know, the company might follow Trump's example and hire low-wage foreigners via work visas. No guarantee that the foreign company will remain in the state long enough for the state to break even on the incentive package.
Compare the THREE BILLION dollar incentive encouraged by Trump as set forth above to FOXCONN (ironic name, by the way) with the
incentives given to AMAZON (Inc.com link):
Quote:Last week Jeff Bezo's Amazon announced plans to acquire Whole Foods for a whopping $13.7 billion. Amazon, the once online bookstore and now largest Internet-based retailer in the world has set its eyes on dominating the online grocery business. Amazon's growth however extends beyond its multi-level sales strategy.
Amazon's expansion can be in part attributed to its economic development team. Responsible for its site selection process and the execution of economic development, infrastructure, and tax related incentive negotiations, applications and legal incentive agreements; the well-oiled economic development team has secured millions of dollars in tax credits and incentives across the nation for the online retailer.
Below are five states Amazon's economic development team has been tremendously successful in:
1. Connecticut
In exchange for $15 million in Urban and Industrial Sites Reinvestment tax, $5 million in credits if Amazon surpasses initial job targets, and sales and use tax exemption of up to $5 million on equipment and construction materials, Amazon is building a $255 million new state-of-the-art 855,000 square-foot fulfillment center in New Haven and employing 1,800 new full-time employees.
2. Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, Amazon committed to expanding its fulfillment and distribution operations at multiple new sites creating 5,000 new jobs and investing at least $150 million over three years. In return, the Department of Community and Economic Development offered $5 million Pennsylvania First Program grant, $15 million in Job Creation Tax Credits to be distributed upon creation of the new jobs, and $2.25 million in Workforce and Economic Development Network of Pennsylvania funding for employee training.
3. Illinois
Illinois offered Amazon more than $112 million in Economic Development for a Growing Economy tax credits in three separate deals for 7,200 new jobs to build and operate facilities in Aurora, Monee, and Joliet. The City of Aurora offered an additional $400,000 property tax abatement.Last week Jeff Bezo's Amazon announced plans to acquire Whole Foods for a whopping $13.7 billion. Amazon, the once online bookstore and now largest Internet-based retailer in the world has set its eyes on dominating the online grocery business. Amazon's growth however extends beyond its multi-level sales strategy.
4. Maryland
Over $40 million in tax credits including $35.3 million in Enterprise Zone tax credits, $5.5 million in One Maryland tax credits, $1.7 million in estimated tax credits for job creation, and a $1.25 million forgivable loan, helped lure Amazon to Maryland as the company pledged to build a 1 million-square-foot warehouse in an economically distressed area of Baltimore, as well as create 1,000 jobs.
5. Wisconsin
Amazon's $141 million newly constructed distribution center in Kenosha, Wisconsin that was expected to generate 1,100 jobs received $7 million in Enterprise Zone tax credits from The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.
Amazon is highly successful and was happy to receive a 7 million incentive to generate 1,100 jobs in Wisconsin, whereas Trump encouraged the state to provide 3 BILLION incentive that may only create 3,000 jobs.
Anyway, we're fighting over red meat issues--with Trump firing up the fascist wing of his supporters--while Steve Bannon is laughing at the manipulated Neo-Nazi crowd (calling them clowns because they are useful idiots)--and then they retreat to the back rooms as usual to make economic deals and fill their pockets with money.
