Kevin pointed out that big business gets "job retraining" too when it screws up:
> problem with the above statement, the government does spend > my tax dollars propping up companies that are failing in the > market place like airlines and farming. In PA they are paying > parts of a doctor's malpractice insurance instead of adopting > tort reform which (could) lower the insurance rates. So the > insurance stays high and get their money, the lawyers still > sue over anything, I pay higher taxes and fees, and the > doctors still complain. You're absolutely right. Some businesses get preferential treatment, and it sucks. As for paying part of doctors' malpractice, I'd prefer they didn't, and the doctors would just leave. Of course, people would die because of that. Frankly, I wouldn't much give a damn. Reap what you sow and all that. My fiance is a pediatrics nurse. She tells me how doctors are leaving obstetrics in droves. Bad babies are big bucks. Hell, she's being frivolously sued herself. It's been wending its way through various forms of lawyer jousting for years. She was served the day before the statute of limitations expired (2 years after the event). (IMHO, they do it that way to have the best chance of witnesses and participants forgetting, moving on to new jobs, being unlocatable--that's what's happened in this case, so I guess it works.) I won't talk about the details, for obvious reasons, until this is over, but it's one of those things that once it does end, we'll have our own outrage story to share at parties. And your jaw will drop when you hear this one. So back to the original subject, Chrysler and the rest who run whining to the government are justly scorned. So should every laid off factory worker whining about needing retraining. He goes to his job every day, punches the clock and when he's done he thinks he's done. It's not his responsibility to spend his off hours improving his skills. He's found his niche and he wants to stay in it. I don't blame him. I wish the world worked that way. I don't like spending my free time scrounging around to learn new things without getting paid for it, so I can keep getting paid. And I'm lucky, because I'm a lot smarter than that guy, and I didn't earn being smart, I was mostly born that way. Not only does that mean I don't find learning new things excruciatingly painful, but it means I learn them faster. I make more money than that factory worker guy. If I had to start over and couldn't use anything I know now, I'd still make more money than him after a year or two. He's bewildered about what is happening to him, because he thought he made a bargain, and now he's getting screwed. He's the victim of a con. The way most work is organized is intended to make people feel like you can count on it and that it will be there in perpetuity. It suck(er)s you in. Most companies demand unconditional loyalty, and most employees are stupid enough to give it. The reason not to help that guy when he gets laid off is to help everyone else like him. Every blue collar person and most white collar workers need to get it through their heads that feudalism is over. Most people think the obedience part of vassalage is over, but don't really understand that the getting taken care of part ended at the same time. So they run to government to protect them, when their lord goes bankrupt. Bad idea, for yourself and everyone else. Here's my personal "Imagine": every employee every day is keenly aware of the possibility that he could get fired or the company could die and so he is constantly evaluating his opportunities and options. You want to do something to keep sadistic bosses from being successful, and to make companies treat workers better? That would do it. The market works, when everyone involved understands and plays by the rules. Most employees are like cows on the racetrack, not participants in the race. Shoot a few of the cows, and the rest might start running. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
