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Liberal or conservative?
WriterofLight, I think this is another instance where you may find that moving beyond your simplistic "liberal/conservative," "us vs. them" mentality may help you deepen your thinking. Many "free-market" conservatives would sneer at the idea that a local government should be in the business of targeting incentives at the retention of individual companies. The location of companies is a decision that companies should make based on larger market forces, not governmental policies. Such policies only serve to distort the inherent wisdom of the market. They would agree on Escobar's policy thinking.
On the other hand, there are a breed of liberals (sometimes calling themselves "neo-liberals," Clinton and Gore being examples) who do believe that government should be in the business of selecting winners from losers in the market place -- for example, by offering tax breaks to sectors of the economy considered strategic to our global competitiveness (e.g., tax breaks for R&D spending), by forming government-sponsored consortia, or by providing subsidies to support innovative sectors or sectors under economic duress (e.g., the semiconductory industry or the airline or steel industry). They might very well support the sort of targeted support for a particular firm or industry along the lines that would keep in place the bank and manufacturing incentives you seem to favor. Free-market conservatives would scoff at these "neoliberals."
Be careful with your labels -- they may do more to obfuscate your reasoning than clarify and structure your thinking about policy.
posted by
Isaiah_in_a_Rage
on February 21, 2005 at 8:48 PM
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This just gets better and better!
Mr. Escobar said on three local TV news shows over the weekend that he never used the term "terrorist." However, he is on tape not only using the word, but alluding to doing so on at least one other occasion. A fellow Democrat has shown the integrity to demand his resignation as city council president.
posted by
WriterofLight
on February 21, 2005 at 6:44 PM
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Sorry for the mishmash below . . .
. . my computer doesn't seem to like the software or coding that runs these comments boxes. If you look carefully, there are three links to news stories buried in there. Anyway, glenn, I forgot to mention that you're wrong on the outsourcing issue. The idea that President Bush wants jobs sent out of the country is a liberal myth. Just remember that NAFTA, a huge cause of jobs being lost here, was voted for by Congressional Democrats and signed into law by Clinton. As far as good decisions versus good citizenship, Fifth Third's record of supporting the community speaks for their citizenship, but any sensible businessperson is going to relocate if economic and political conditions warrant doing so.
posted by
WriterofLight
on February 18, 2005 at 8:12 PM
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Show me where I'm wrong, glenn.
glenn, as I've asked in reply to other comments you've made, please provide documentation of where I'm wrong about this. Here are mine to back the story up: http://www.wspd.com/cc-common/local_news_common.html?ID=20050217174016&feed=local http://thetoledojournal.com/news/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=53738&sID=4 We have an update to the story. City council has decided to vote, with only Mr. Escobar opposed to the idea. See http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050218/NEWS16/502180441 The Blade, by the way, never reported the latest "terrorist" incident, as Mr. Escobar is buddies with the paper. One of its columnists, however, stated last November that he used the same language towards the bank back then. Evidently no one read her column.
posted by
WriterofLight
on February 18, 2005 at 8:03 PM
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WriterofDark,
A lot in that piece of fiction, but you actually said nothing but blamed "liberals" for the same thing you worship about Mr. Bush! Outsourcing economic activity! Do you really think that these Banks, Corning Glass, and all these California companies are really good citizens or simply looking for a better deal?
posted by
Glennb
on February 17, 2005 at 8:27 PM
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