I have mixed feelings about poor people and welfare programs. In part, I blame them for wanting to ride in the wagon and mooch from taxpayers.
But, in part, I also view them as victims of politicians who like to create dependency.
I don’t have mixed feelings, however, about businesses that get handouts and other favors from the government. Such companies are clearly immoral.
Indeed, I created my 11th Theorem of Government to express my disdain for businesses that want to steal money rather than earn money.
To elaborate, I applaud when companies lobby to protect themselves from bad policy. But I’m nauseated when they lobby for protectionism, bailouts, subsidies, etc.
But what about when there’s a bad boss rather than a bad company? Does my theorem apply?
Here’s a real-world example, as illustrated by these excerpts from a recent editorial from the Wall Street Journal.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby wants to show customers in seat 34B he feels their pain by – get this – endorsing a national wealth tax. …Asked whether he has a responsibility for dispelling public distrust in CEOs, he replied: “Wealth inequality has become a danger to our society, and we need to address hat.” By we, he means government. He added: “We should have a national wealth tax – it won’t work by state because people will just move. And I think we should have inheritance taxes that get close to 100% at some level. I would pay them.”
It’s highly disappointing that Kirby wants tax increases. It’s preposterous that he is embracing two taxes – the death tax and a wealth tax – that certainly rank at the top when measuring potential economic damage.
The editorial then mocks Kirby’s hypocrisy and virtue signalling.
United has its headquarters in Chicago, but Mr. Kirby lives in Texas, which has no state income tax. Does he pay income tax in Illinois? There’s also nothing to stop Mr. Kirby from bequeathing his fortune, or donating his $32.3 million in compensation last year, to the feds. …This isn’t Mr. Kirby’s first ride on the left-wing jet stream. During Woke 1.0, Mr. Kirby declared that two things “where we want to lead and make a difference” are “diversity and inclusion, and climate change.” Customer service apparently takes a back seat to reducing CO2 emissions. …Maybe he should focus more on pleasing customers and shareholders.
For what it’s worth, if any Republican politicians were smart (don’t laugh), they would immediately ask Mr. Kirby to testify. They could ask if he’s a hypocrite for living is zero-income-tax Texas instead of high-tax Illinois.
They could ask if his desire for higher taxes includes aviation fuel taxes, airline ticket taxes, and corporate income taxes. Maybe dumb answers to those questions would convince the Board of Directors at United to find a CEO that sides with the flying public instead of greedy politicians.
I imagine Democrats, after they win Congress next month, will be more than happy to exploit Kirby’s economic illiteracy as part of their class-warfare agenda.
I’ll close on a personal note. My local airport is Dulles, which is a United hub. The vast majority of my flying is on that airline.
But do I want to continue patronizing a company that has a CEO that sides with government instead of taxpayers? My decision will be easy if United fires Mr. Kirby.
P.S. Here’s what I wrote about another leftist CEO.