search
Sections List
The American Independent

Trump threatens selective "retribution" against U.S. companies outsourcing jobs

President-elect Donald Trump went on a yet another Twitter tear, which included a deeply troubling promise to exact “retribution” against any company that threatens to move jobs offshore: The U.S. is going to substantialy reduce taxes and regulations on businesses, but any business that leaves our country for another country, — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) […]

By Tommy Christopher - December 05, 2016
Share
Donald Trump

If he were true to his word, the first victim of Trump’s “retribution” would be Carrier.

But Trump’s deal with Carrier allows the company to move 1,300 jobs from Indianapolis to Mexico, and included no consequences, but rather the gift of $7 million in tax breaks, thanks to Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who is still Governor of Indiana, the state whence came the tax breaks.

A company that gives Trump a photo-op, or in which he has profitably invested, will be gifted a plum deal, but other companies will be on the receiving end of his petulant Twitter rantings:

Clearly, Trump’s sworn “retribution” will be selectively applied — which was confirmed by Pence during an interview with George Stephanopoulos.

Stephanopoulos: Does he now pick up the phone and call the head of Rexnord? Does he call all these other companies who are going to move overseas?

Pence: Well, I think what you’re going to see and the president-elect will make those decisions on a day-by-day basis in the course of the transition, in the course of the administration.

Pence’s support for Trump’s retribution-at-whim scheme also serves to underscore the degree to which their brand of conservatism is becoming increasingly unmoored from principle — and divergent from the Republican Party’s longstanding supposed opposition to statism and economic intervention in free markets.

(The president is not actually empowered to enact tariffs, but the office affords many other opportunities to exert pressure on businesses if its occupant is willing.)

Republicans have spent the last eight years decrying President Obama as a socialist, and denouncing even the slightest use of government spending or regulation to influence the private sector as Soviet-style control. Tea Party protestors spoke against Obama’s policies, even market-based ones, as nothing less than the end of free enterprise.

In 2008, Pence himself wrote an op-ed opposing the bank bailouts, declaring that “Economic freedom means the freedom to succeed and the freedom to fail.” But apparently, he did not believe that the Carrier plant in Indiana deserved the freedom to fail.

There are good faith arguments about the value of government intervention. Among them are not an argument to rescue businesses on the basis of the president’s whims.

We now face the prospect of a government that neglects critical investments in infrastructure, education, and scientific research, while simultaneously recasting exorbitant taxpayer-funded public relations stunts as effective economic policy.

(Matthew Chapman contributed to this article.)


TAI News
Get the latest progressive news here first.

Tai News

Newsletter

Read More
US economy has added 13 million jobs during President Joe Biden’s first term

US economy has added 13 million jobs during President Joe Biden’s first term

By Oliver Willis - June 02, 2023
McCarthy says Biden stopped him from cutting Social Security and Medicare

McCarthy says Biden stopped him from cutting Social Security and Medicare

By Emily Singer - June 01, 2023
Biden’s tentative debt limit deal is prioritizing the economy over politics

Biden’s tentative debt limit deal is prioritizing the economy over politics

By Oliver Willis - May 31, 2023
Biden releases national strategy to combat antisemitism

Biden releases national strategy to combat antisemitism

By Oliver Willis - May 26, 2023
216 Republicans vote to undo student loan relief for 43 million Americans

216 Republicans vote to undo student loan relief for 43 million Americans

By Emily Singer - May 25, 2023
Donald Trump says he was ‘very honored’ to help Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade

Donald Trump says he was ‘very honored’ to help Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade

By Josh Israel - May 11, 2023
TAI News
Latest
House Republicans tumble into disarray yet again

House Republicans tumble into disarray yet again

By Josh Israel - June 08, 2023
EPA awards $115 million to Jackson, Mississippi, to fix water crisis

EPA awards $115 million to Jackson, Mississippi, to fix water crisis

By Oliver Willis - June 08, 2023
Organizer Cecile Richards believes abortion ‘was just the first attack’

Organizer Cecile Richards believes abortion ‘was just the first attack’

By Rebekah Sager - June 08, 2023
GOP Senate candidate Bernie Moreno believes gun safety laws cannot prevent gun violence

GOP Senate candidate Bernie Moreno believes gun safety laws cannot prevent gun violence

By Josh Israel - June 07, 2023
Opinion: Virginia lawmakers must support schools in face of GOP divisiveness

Opinion: Virginia lawmakers must support schools in face of GOP divisiveness

By TAI Contributor - June 07, 2023
A new report shows that younger voters backed Democrats by historic margins in 2022

A new report shows that younger voters backed Democrats by historic margins in 2022

By Nick Vachon - June 07, 2023
Close
TAI News
Get the latest progressive news here first.

Tai News

Newsletter