I know we live in a global marketplace. I am not anti-business. BUT there are limits.
Tonight President Obama in his State Of The Union address used General Motors as the best example of how his policy of bailing out the American auto industry has worked, saving thousands of jobs. GM, he pointed out, is once again the number one auto maker in the world. He's right. And his policies were right. Unlike the Republicans who said, "Let 'em go bankrupt!"
Then there's Joel Ewanick. Yeah, I know, you've never heard of him! Well, he's the head of marketing at GM. And he just consolidated GM's global advertising media budget which is in the region of 3 billion dollars with a UK based company. So the profit made on buying all media for GM - TV time, magazine and newspaper space, billboards, online banners, everything, worldwide - leaves America! And the jobs.
As much as I understand global business, this is fucking ridiculous. The government should actually step in and reverse this decision. If a British company gave all this profit to an American company there'd be an uproar. I truly hope there will be an uproar in America. The general public is blissfully unaware that decisions like this are being made. Ewanick is quoted as saying he should have done this a long time ago. Does he mean before his company needed our taxes to stay alive?
I do not buy into the abuse of the word patriotism that has become ubiquitous since George Bush distorted it...but there are times when shipping profit overseas is every bit as bad as shipping jobs. This guy is doing both. There are far too many people out of work in this country but I sincerely believe Joel Ewanick should join their ranks!
Great fucking post... Just posting about it on AdScam. Yes, let's fucking do something.
Cheers/George
Posted by: George Parker | January 25, 2012 at 08:39 AM
I completely agree with you, but sadly you are not right in saying that companies from the UK would be more intelligent and patriotic.
Continental European companies have a far better record of keeping the wealth and jobs within - look how dumb this decision was in the UK to destroy 1,400 UK jobs and create them in Germany, http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/sep/04/siemens-take-crossrail-contract-germany
Posted by: Tom Goodwin | January 25, 2012 at 10:05 AM
Great post Dave. I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!
Posted by: Rob Hatfield | January 25, 2012 at 10:18 AM
Tom - sad to hear that this unthinking globalism is striking everywhere.
Bob Dylan was criticized when he wrote this in 1983. Now I see nothing to criticize!
Well, you know, lots of people complainin’ that there is no work
I say, “Why you say that for
When nothin’ you got is U.S.–made?”
They don’t make nothin’ here no more
You know, capitalism is above the law
It say, “It don’t count ’less it sells”
When it costs too much to build it at home
You just build it cheaper someplace else
- From Union Sundown (Infidels album) by Bob Dylan
Posted by: Dave | January 25, 2012 at 05:16 PM
Game on.
Posted by: Studio Maven | January 25, 2012 at 11:01 PM