Thursday, March 17, 2011

Go Figure...

Patrick says Fidelity left him in dark on jobs move
Governor Deval Patrick, who has been traveling for nearly two weeks on an international trade mission intended to create jobs, said yesterday that he was blindsided by Fidelity’s decision to ship more than 1,000 jobs out of Massachusetts, but that there is nothing he can do to stop it.

Blindsided? Are you kidding me? You foster a climate that is openly hostile to doing business and then act surprised when businesses leave? And then have the audacity to feign surprise? Really? Is Patrick really that clueless that he didn't see the move coming? This story is so wrong on so many levels that it is in danger of creating a black hole of FAIL. And falling into it.

My favorite part is the whole "there's nothing I can do to stop it". In a micro sense, this is true - Fidelity moving out of Massachusetts is a fait accompli; it's done, they're not about to pull the plug on the move at this hour. In a macro sense, it's both wrong and frightening; wrong, because there's plenty Patrick could do, like reduce the tax burden and stop infringing on personal freedom so folks stop leaving (Lissa and Borepatch, please feel free to weigh in); it's frightening to think what Deval Patrick might have in mind to keep businesses in MA. Given the ideological bent of the folks most closely aligned with him, "concertina wire" might not be out of the question...

Massachusetts: You're more likely to run screaming from here.

That is all.

12 comments:

Lissa said...

Run screaming? More like run laughing and cheering all the way! Did I mention I picked my first strawberry yesterday? :)

JD said...

I look forward to the day I can move out of this state. . . Unfortuantly that will be a while due to family. . .

Borepatch said...

He's trying to focus blame on them instead of him. "See? Those meanies didn't even say anything!"

The only thing I'd add is that the rot runs deeper than Beacon Hill. Restrictive zoning is out of control in Metro West, at least, and explains the insane property values. While I like local control of government, the local tax rates are 3 times higher than down here. Cadillac Patrick didn't have anything to do about that.

While I like our old neighbors, there is a very strong sense that they think they're smarter than everyone else, and should be able to tell everyone else what to do. And that they're the embodiment of progressive ideals, wll the while jacking up local taxes to fund SWPL stuff like Lincoln's insane conservation land buy ups.

It's probably a lot more sane up by where you live, Jay, but it was thick on the ground at Chez Borepatch. Patrick's an idiot, but in all honesty Romney wasn't much better, and the miasma covers the land all the way from the Connecticut to New Hampshire borders.

That's a very long way of saying that I miss folks like you, but I don't miss the Nanny State at all.

Bubblehead Les. said...

Sounds like he's following the Ohio School of Gooberment from 25 years ago. By the way, did you know that Jane Campbell, the former Mayor of Cleveland, who did more to destroy a city during her term than Shock and Awe did to Baghdad, was rewarded for her efforts by the DemiCommie Central Committee with a Professorship at the Kennedy School? I think she's teaches a class on "How to turn a Thriving Metropolis into a Socialist Utopia in 4 years or less".

notDilbert said...

Putting aside the fact that the only reason to drag the Governor along to some deal with an overseas Corporate partner is because the State is going to kick in a whole stack of Taxpayer $$$ as an incentive..........



"........the governor’s trade mission, which has taken him to Israel and England for a series of business meetings and discussions but has not produced any concrete deals."



Sooooo. Knowing that there were NOT any deals in place and ready to sign and / or partner with some corporate big wig, he went anyway????

Isn't that the definition of a Boondoggal??????

TinCan Assassin said...

Will the last American to leave MA please remember to bring the Flag? After everyone's out we're selling her back to England, slightly used, for cheap.

FrankC said...

TinCan, not even England is that daft. You made it, you keep it.

Steve said...

My own company, which ironically sold Fidelity the buildings in Marlborough, has mostly cleared out of Mass as well. We closed our Marlborough site last October sending about 1500 souls home or to Texas. I don't recall the lede in the Herald or Globe damning us to hell for making Deval et all look like chumps

Mark said...

This is quite possibly the worst use of logic I've ever seen. While the faults of the governor are obvious, the reasons why Fidelity pulled out are not known, other than 'the times are rough and we're not printing money like we used to'.

The political climate, save tax breaks and available pool of skilled labor, has zero to do with Fidelity's decision. A company doesn't care about politics except when it impacts their bottom line. They'd cozy up to Stalin if it meant an extra 10% a year in net revenue.

States fall over themselves to see who can undercut the other the most in terms of giving large corporations tax breaks, then are shocked when things go to hell when there's no tax money to cover infrastructure and other necessary costs.

I've seen states and cities give companies so much in tax breaks that the jobs the company brings in still don't make it a break even deal for the state, rather a net loss.

At least aim for some level of intelligence in your discourse and don't give the rest of us gun owners a bad name.

Anonymous said...

On the heels of National Grid announcing 1200 layoffs between New England and New York (they are centered in Waltham) and Evergreen Solar closing up their manufacturing in Devens for another 800 jobs lost... soon the only thing left in MA will be tax exempt universities and hospitals with multi billion dollar endowments...

Anonymous said...

If my company told me they were relocating to Texas or NH, I would be jumping for joy.

Skip said...

This is how we lost The Golden State.
Libs cannot run a shoe stand.
But they feeel that they can.
wv- coven, yeah Cali.