Koch Brothers threatening layoffs if Obama Re-Elected

A new phase to the corporate takeover of America....

Koch Industries, other CEOs warn employees of layoffs if Obama is reelected

i thought that anti-obama business owners and corporations were sabotaging the economy to ruin his chances at re-election.

here's confirmation coming out of their own mouths.

beautiful what america has turned into.

you don't have a job because your boss doesn't like obama, fires you and then blames obama and the economy so you'd vote for their guy.

If anything, that makes me want to get Obama re-elected.

Obviously evil rich people like the Koch brothers see a big difference between the two parties. They know which side butters their bread. How do we get rid of people like the Koch brothers.

Click here for more information.

I wasn't going to vote but I'm so sick of hearing republican CEOs saying "if Obama wins I'm firing everyone" that I will vote for him now

For anyone interested in the whole story:
This mailing was sent to Georgia-Pacific employees.

Koch Industries owns this company, and the union that represents this companies employees is the USW.

That's right, as a matter of fact, the vast majority of Koch Industries 56,000 employees in the U.S. are union members.

Too be fair, here is a link to the United Steel Workers Union website.
USW.org

A quick glance at the website might explain why a company would feel both sides of an argument need be heard.

reply to post by Oaktree


Both sides of any argument should be heard. But "vote for my candidate or you're fired" is beyond ridiculous

Capitalist utopia; grovel at the feet of those wealthier than you because they alone give you life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness! You should be thankful for their kindness in giving you employment! You should thank their God every day for the meager pay you're allowed by your employer! Don't have enough money to feed your family? Hero worship your CEO that he even bothers to employ you!

Billionaire CEO David Siegel:

The economy doesn’t currently pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is another 4 years of the same Presidential administration.

Arthur Allen, the founder, president, and CEO of ASG Software Solutions:

If we fail as a nation to make the right choice on November 6th, and we lose our independence as a company, I don’t want to hear any complaints regarding the fallout that will most likely come.

I dare you to tell me there's freedom in this country when your whole livelihood is threatened, not by a dictatotorial government, but by the whims of an employer.

Nice spin op.
These are not direct, raking over the coals, threats, they are merely stating a fact and voicing a concern that if Obama is re-elected, many businesses may have no choice but to fire tons of folks because of ObamaCare.

reply to post by Hawking


Well I'm glad you feel that way, here is the entire text of the letter:

October 1, 2012

Dear co-worker,

While we are typically told before each Presidential election that it is important and historic, I believe the upcoming election will determine what kind of America future generations will inherit.

If we elect candidates who want to spend hundreds of billions in borrowed money on costly new subsidies for a few favored cronies, put unprecedented regulatory burdens on businesses, prevent or delay important new construction projects and excessively hinder free trade, then many of our more than 50,000 U.S. employees and contractors may suffer the consequences, including higher gasoline prices, runaway inflation and other ills. This is true regardless of what your political affiliation might be.

To help you engage in the political process, we have enclosed several items in this packet. For most of you, this includes information about voter registration deadlines and early voting options for your state. At the request of many employees, we have also provided a list of candidates in your state that have been supported by Koch companies or by KOCHPAC, our employee political action committee.

I want to emphasize two things about these lists. First, and most important, we believe any decision about which candidates to support is – as always – yours and yours alone, based on the factors that are most important to you. Second, we do not support candidates based on their political affiliation. We evaluate them based on who is the most market-based and willing to support economic freedom for the benefit of society as a whole.

If you are concerned about our economy, our future and enhancing the quality of life for all Americans, then I encourage you to consider the principles of your candidates and not just their party affiliation. It is essential that we are all informed and educated voters. Our future depends on it.

Also included in this mailing are wallet cards to use as you shop for some of the most popular brands made by your co-workers, information about our newly updated MBM® Guiding Principles and some thoughtful editorials by Charles Koch, David Koch and others.

Sincerely,

Dave Robertson
President and COO Koch Industries, Inc.

Notice, no threats, and they specify:

I want to emphasize two things about these lists.
First, and most important, we believe any decision about which candidates to support is – as always – yours and yours alone, based on the factors that are most important to you.

Second, we do not support candidates based on their political affiliation. We evaluate them based on who is the most market-based and willing to support economic freedom for the benefit of society as a whole.

Koch letter in entirety

reply to post by Oaktree


"Hey, I'm not telling you who to vote for...but if you vote for this guy, I'll fire you."

That's what that means.

reply to post by links234


How, exactly, would a person be fired based on an anonymous vote?.
Or would all 56,000 employees be fired if Obama won, regardless of whom an individual voted for?

I will CALL THEIR BLUFF!!

And if they get their Republican in office, the economy will go to HELL AS USUAL, and their employees will be LAID OFF anyways.

Its actually safer to call their BLUFF employees...

And... arent these the same Koch brothers who have been buying Republicans up faster than one can scream out DIRTY MONEY?

I guess they and their THINK-TANKS finally know that they are gonna LOSE come November...

Well, at least the Koch brothers tried to get their Republicans in office, but the people realize now that todays Republicans have only the interests of the wealthy folk in mind.

Looks like the People will win out over dirty money... Sorry Koch brothers.

reply to post by Oaktree


If the unemployment numbers don't go up when I say they will then I'll force them to go up by firing employees and blame it on the policies of the administration.

After I fire all of my employees in one state I'll higher fewer and for a lower wage in another so that I can put our finances in a low tax LLC in Delaware, then I'll give myself a bonus with the money I 'saved' for doing such a good job at making myself more money.

I'll close a factory in one state and open it in another with right-to-work laws. If an employee tries to start a union I'll lay them off due to insubordination so I can't get sued for infringing on their right to unionize. I'll hire their replacement at a lower wage and explain that I can't give out raises or bonuses to my employees because of the current administration and its effects on the economy. All while I use the capital gains I receive from our rising stock prices to buy another new car and insist that the taxes I pay on those returns are too high.

One of the most frustrating things about all of this is the insistence that jobs will appear and companies will spend more money on jobs once Barack Obama is out of office. Not because of specific policies or practices, simply because that one guy will be gone.

if we win on November 6th there will be a great deal of optimism about the future of this country. We’ll see capital come back, and we’ll see — without actually doing anything — we’ll actually get a boost in the economy

-Mitt Romney in his "47%" video

Does anyone have one of those cards that show all the Koch Brothers companies? I could put that to good use.

Originally posted by IrVulture
A new phase to the corporate takeover of America....

Koch Industries, other CEOs warn employees of layoffs if Obama is reelected

Good, let's hope bastards like this who assume to tell people that are employees how to vote go out of business forever. Honestly, I hope they do. Let the 45,000 become a lynch mob, then.

Originally posted by Alxandro
Nice spin op.
These are not direct, raking over the coals, threats, they are merely stating a fact and voicing a concern that if Obama is re-elected, many businesses may have no choice but to fire tons of folks because of ObamaCare.

When corporations are openly attempting to influence your vote, your Republic is dead.

This is ridiculous, and I would be saying this whichever "team" is being a criminal. This is corruption out in the open!

This should be CRIMINAL!

The idea that any American thinks this is okay astounds me. You have billionaire corporate scum in your country threatening their employees and instructing them on their voting, and people think this is fine?!

Seriously America, wake the F UP!

Originally posted by Oaktree
reply to post by links234

 

How, exactly, would a person be fired based on an anonymous vote?.
Or would all 56,000 employees be fired if Obama won, regardless of whom an individual voted for

?

It doesn't mater, the threat is already made. They are threatening the voter by saying "if you vote for that guy, they is a real high probability that we'll have to fire you".

It doesn't matter who votes for who, in fact it's even better, because they're scaring ALL their employees into persuading EACH OTHER to vote for the company puppets and guarantee their own survival!

Lets look at it this way...

If you have a wealthy, highly-paid office person, which party do you think they are likely to vote for? And then you have someone on minimum wage on the factory floor, who are they likely to vote for?
It's pretty reasonable to assume that the majority of their employees would be voting for Obama over Romney.

The very fact that they are saying an employee could lose their job is enough to be a threat to all those employees.

This is voter intimidation, end of discussion IMO.

Originally posted by detachedindividual

Originally posted by Alxandro
Nice spin op.
These are not direct, raking over the coals, threats, they are merely stating a fact and voicing a concern that if Obama is re-elected, many businesses may have no choice but to fire tons of folks because of ObamaCare.

When corporations are openly attempting to influence your vote, your Republic is dead.

This is ridiculous, and I would be saying this whichever "team" is being a criminal. This is corruption out in the open!

This should be CRIMINAL!

The idea that any American thinks this is okay astounds me. You have billionaire corporate scum in your country threatening their employees and instructing them on their voting, and people think this is fine?!

Seriously America, wake the F UP!

Ok, since you decided to go there, let me ask something.

Shouldn't the main stream media, Hollywood, the academia and the music industry be just as guilty for "trying to influence the vote"?