The Betrayal of America's Middle Class Was a Choice, Not an Accident
By Amy B Dean
Excerpt:
In their writing, Barlett and Steele distinguish between global corporations and domestic corporations. I wanted to ask about this because I have seen many domestic companies that are still manufacturing in the United States. They rely on regional and national distribution. They produce jobs. They still remain unionized. Yet they barely stay in business. Government does nothing to help them. I asked what we can do to lift them up and emphasize the value they create for our country.
"You make a really good point here," Barlett said, "because sometimes we forget this, especially in interviews, and speak about corporations generically. There is no comparison between the big international companies and the domestic businesses that are based in the US and cater to the US market. These people are being absolutely hammered by the tax code, by regulatory policies that are really not necessary, and they have no one speaking for them. They almost need to have a separate voice saying, 'Look, we are really working for the best interest of American workers here, and we need some help.' You're absolutely right. They are being killed.
[…]
Barlett took a slightly different tack on the question: "This a sophisticated process. It really is," he explained. "To get the kind of representation you need in Washington costs a ton of money. The domestic corporations just don't have access to the kind of money that the multinationals do. Many domestic companies pay corporate taxes at a rate five, six, seven, eight times higher than the international companies. Some of the internationals don't pay any taxes at all. The domestic companies get no comparable break whatsoever. That's just wrong. It's morally and ethically wrong. Congress takes care of the people who take care of them. It's as simple as that."
Full article: The Betrayal of America's Middle Class Was a Choice, Not an Accident.
