Somali pirates who took over an oil tanker are saying that unless they’re given millions of dollars they’ll be forced to dump everything which will destroy the Middle East economy. They are currently negotiating the settlement terms with the Saudi Arabian government.
Such hijackings have been spurred by the willingness of governments to pay ransoms, and thus hijackings in the region leaped this year. The governments say that in the future they’re going to get much tougher with demands like these and not give in so easily.
In completely unrelated news, the auto manufacturers are demanding billions of dollars or they’ll be forced to liquidate everything, which will destroy the United States economy. They are currently negotiating the settlement terms with the federal government.
Such demands have been spurred by the willingness of the government to pay “bailouts,” so the number of demands for “bailouts” around the country leaped this year. The government says that in the future they’re going to get much tougher with demands like these and not give in so easily.
Hmmm…
December 11, 2008 at 1:35 am
Where’s my private jet?
December 11, 2008 at 1:40 am
Nothing succeeds like success.
December 11, 2008 at 2:34 pm
In Michigan this is literally a life and death issue. I could give you dozens of heart-breaking examples, but perhaps the most poignant is the recent announcement that the local parish in my vicariate with a major food bank (the place all the other parishes send hungry people) is planning to cut back outreach to the poor. Weekly collections have plummeted, and they are forced to cut back.
December 12, 2008 at 4:14 am
That’s not a fair comparison. An employer on hard times is not the same as someone who uses violence and steals other people’s property, and then demands ransom, no matter how much you might be able to argue that the employer should have managed his business better.
December 12, 2008 at 5:01 am
You’re probably right. No metaphor is perfect. This one certainly less so. I just don’t like to see businesses eating at the public trough when it’s likely not going to change a thing in the long run.
I’m actually more upset with the government because this is not a bailout to them. This is a buy-in. With this money they’re going to attempt to micro-manage the auto industry even more than they are already.