The American Spectator : Regulating Corporate Speech, Chicago-Style

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Washington Prowler

Regulating Corporate Speech, Chicago-Style

By The Prowler on 7.2.10 @ 6:08AM

GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt hears about Obama's First Commandment.

After General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt told a private dinner of Italian business executives that he didn't believe China was willing to be a fair business partner, and that the Obama Administration's heavy regulatory approach was not conducive to helping the U.S. economy, senior White House officials, upon hearing about the comments, went into bully mode.

Immelt made his comments at dinner in Rome earlier this week and they were later reported by the Financial Times. The remarks about the Obama Administration did not include any disparagement of the president himself.

Yet, according to a contracting lobbyist for GE in Washington, senior White House officials and senior members of the Commerce and Energy Departments called Washington GE officials and corporate officers in New York.

"They [the Obama Administration] weren't happy, and wanted to know why a GE official would be making those comments," said the lobbyist. "The underlying message was that GE has dealings with the federal government. It wasn't a threat, but these folks are from Chicago."

Within hours GE released an official statement saying Immelt's comments didn't reflect the company's views. The lobbyist says he does not know if the White House demanded the statement.

The lobbyist would not identify who in the administration made the calls, but in the past senior officials like Valerie Jarrett, Rahm Emanuel and deputy Jim Messina have been known to make such calls to business executives.

"It's fairly common with this crowd," says another lobbyist, who is employed by a Fortune 50 company in Washington. "The second my boss says something that could be interpreted as anti-Obama administration, we get phone calls. They are very thin skinned. Add to that the fact that they just hate the business community, and you have a tense relationship."

The White House is particularly sensitive to the criticism because the Obama economic program has failed to deliver and business executives who early on in the administration were willing to give it the benefit of the doubt have begun to voice doubts.

"We try to help them, and how are we awarded? New regulations and badmouthing by the president when they want to play the populist card," says the corporate lobbyist.

The Immelt comments, according to a White House press source, stung, coming on the heels of comments made by companies that belong to the Business Roundtable in a letter to the Office of Management and Budget.

"There is some concern that we are losing the support of business," says the White House source. "We can't take them for granted, but the business community wasn't our base. It's an evolving relationship, but it's not evolving the right way right now."

Letter to the Editor View all comments (90) | Leave a comment

SC Mike| 7.2.10 @ 6:42AM

“Nice federal contract you have there. It would be a shame if anything were to happen to it. “

arnold Ahlert| 7.2.10 @ 9:25AM

A crony capitalist suddenly realizing that his "pals" in government are actually his bosses? Be careful, Jeff. Now is not the time to jeopardize GE's multi-billion dollar bet on cap-and-trade.

JoshINHB| 7.2.10 @ 10:00AM

Don't worry,

Jeff's smart enough not to bite the hand that feeds him.

owyheewine| 7.2.10 @ 10:36AM

As long suffering stockholder, I'm not sure he's smart enough to be running GE.

Spoonman| 7.3.10 @ 5:37AM

You are sure and he isn't. he's nothing but a n oblama lapdog!

ArArAr| 7.2.10 @ 7:15AM

Sad commentary but if these companies don't "man up" now they'll be another Government Motors and we'll be too far gone to return the private sector to being the private sector. We'll know if we've "Got Hope!" for sure the first week of November.

JoshINHB| 7.2.10 @ 10:02AM

These companies will never "man-up" because they love sucking on uncle sam;s teat too much.

Lakewood Bob| 7.5.10 @ 1:08PM

Concerned about losing the support of businesses? Well, even General Custer with his arrogant ego eventually lost the support of the Indians!

CEO’s need to be careful, however, because the WH will send Barney Fife, Thelma Lou, and Floyd from Chicagoberry B.F.D. to read you the riot-act. They can dish it out, but they can’t take it. “Get out of my office” would be an appropriate response from a man with a little pride in himself.

God bless America!

Bill Hussein O'Staln| 7.2.10 @ 7:18AM

Look at GE stock. It's been decimated. GE may be playing both ends against the middle as a justification to the stock holders that things are out of their control. Their relationship with the government hasn't lead to any profits as they hope to cash in on the alternative energy field.

In the meantime many small companies in the US are going out of business and many more to follow. Take that Obama!

Stephanie| 7.2.10 @ 7:45AM

My small business is, I'd say, about 2 months to being closed. Business is so bad and I have hung on about as long as I can. It will break my heart to walk away, but I have no choice. 12 years and it comes to this. This ass of a president who is ruining our country and putting the fear of God into it's citizens.
Maybe Walmart or Home Depot is hiring.

Brian Mc| 7.2.10 @ 7:52AM

I'm sorry, Stephanie. It sounds as if you've fought the good fight but it has gotten the better of you...for a time. Something good will come of it, I'm sure.

Hang tough, girl. History sides with you, not the Alien.

Grzmlyk| 7.2.10 @ 9:13AM

I'm so sorry about your business Stephanie. It is YOU - and thousands like you, sticking their necks out and putting it all on the line to create something of value to your fellow man - who make this country work.

NOT the puerile ideologues and feckless bureaucrats in Washington DC who are busy choking the goose that lays the golden eggs.

The destruction wrought by this crowd is incalculable. Of course, the Obama administration is merely the culmination of a century of corrosive progressivism, designed to eat away at the support structure undergirding American Exceptionalism.

Congratulations, progressives, you have succeeded in bringing down the country.

But what exactly is the victory of a parasite that kills its host?

Every single person who voted for Obama is guilty of treason.

Dixie Pixie| 7.2.10 @ 10:06AM

What is the victory of a parasite?

Try just two words.
“Black Plague”

The last time it broke out, we lost somewhere between 25% to 50% of Western Civilization.
The political version may be even deadlier.

Grzmlyk| 7.2.10 @ 11:19AM

I agree completely.

And when that happens, the whole artificial construct of the evolved "progressive" will evaporate and those solons, wits, pundits, lobbyists and glitterati will get a lesson in the reality of human nature they will not soon forget.

Lord of the Flies Redux.

Dixie Pixie| 7.2.10 @ 12:14PM

Greetings Grzmlyk

Has anyone considered what would the World in general and North-America in particular be like if the USA suddenly imploded like the USSR.

It could happen faster than most people can believe.
After all the Austro-Hungarian Empire disintegrated in just a few weeks.

Al Adab| 7.2.10 @ 2:07PM

Dixie, Grz:

It can happen here and, if so, it won't be pretty.

Sam Spade| 7.4.10 @ 1:57AM

Some day, perhaps sooner than anyone realizes, we will look up at passing jets, and they won't be ours.

Paul Nelson| 7.5.10 @ 6:52PM

At some point the federal government of the US will be forced to choose between repudiating the federal debt and balancing the budget(since no one will then be willing to loan anything to the federal government) or a currency crisis that makes the US dollar worth essentially nothing--or maybe both.

Stan Redmond| 7.2.10 @ 9:43AM

Don't give up just yet. Believe it or not my small business is thriving. But only because I've embraced flexibility and realized the only (and this goes for anyone hardworking) option we all have is to be prepared to move and travel for temporary projects. The days of long term employment are OVER. The democrats have euthenized private employment and with new taxes and regulations (health care mandates, financial "reform" etc) it makes no financial sense to even have employees. companies will resort to small suppliers and consultants, like me. I don't know what your business is but if you are flexible you will come out alright.

Petar Kovacevich| 7.2.10 @ 12:28PM

Atlas Shrugged

Margie| 7.2.10 @ 11:38AM

Stephanie,

There's always ebay. Buying and selling vintage or antique anything works well. It has saved our butts. That and we have to move.
Best wishes & God bless.

Tom West| 7.5.10 @ 3:34PM

Margie, the last 20 items we've put up on eBay went unsold. Nicely written, priced low, good, descriptive pictures. The Libs' Utopia isn't working. We keep dabbling, hoping against Hope/Change. Hurry, November!

Clinton nee Publius| 7.2.10 @ 3:16PM

I feel for you, Stephanie. I own and operate a consulting company that provides due diligence services for commercial real estate development financings. You can imagine how good Obamanomics has been for my company.

Before Obama's ascendancy to the throne, I would average 5 new client inquiries a day. Last year I averaged 3 new inquiries a week. I'm up to 2 new inquiries to 3 new inquiries a day now, but only because I have found a new way to finance commercial real estate developments.

My point here is that you have to get creative. If you are a service company, broaden your services to include those that are hard to get by without. If you are providing a product, focus on a core product that you can produce or sell with a margin high enough to keep the door open. DON'T TAKE ON DEBT.

Good luck!

old white guy| 7.4.10 @ 8:54AM

i'm thinking that being creative might soon involve being in some sort of crime cartel because it will be the only way to circumvent the increasing laws against everything not government run.

Clinton nee Publius| 7.2.10 @ 3:16PM

Good luck!

SpiralArhictect| 7.2.10 @ 3:48PM

Your personal/business situation has obviously put you in a dire position; that is unfortunate.

Please allow me to correct what I think you ment to say :

"...putting the fear of Allah into it's citizens."

As far as - "Maybe Walmart or Home Depot is hiring. "

Your point is understodd, but the reality of the situation is... well, I hope food stamps and welfare are options available for you and yours.

Militia minded| 7.3.10 @ 8:04AM

I'll pray for strenght for you and yours and don't bet on wallsmart to bail you in your time of need. The only hope right now for this Nation and it's true leaders, as in We the People, is to get mad, real mad, mad as a junk yard dog, think like him, act like him and bite the hand that wants to feed you. Stay strong girl, we are going to need all the fighters we can muster.

Dave| 7.5.10 @ 2:49PM

Hey, Stephanie, don't feel alone. I work for a small 13 man firm and if we last until next year, I will be surprised. We are part of the architectural, engineering/construction market and it is almost non existent here in Houston and things are considered relatively better here than elsewhere.

A lot of people and companies will be joining you soon. I guess virtually zero interest rates are not enough to spur business. The taxes, the regulation, the disdain the administration has for commerce is all taking its toll.

Obama the Destroyer, that is who we have in the White House. The skinny, jug ear guy is ruining everything he touches, which is a huge chunk of America right now.

martin j smith| 7.2.10 @ 7:48AM

Immelt made a discovery.Your teal with the government is only as good as Obama wants it to be in place. Its like a mouse making a deal with a lion--the mouse shall live as long as it pleases the lion.

Denbon85| 7.2.10 @ 8:09AM

If George Bush was as thin-skinned as this administration He would have been calling people out 24/7 365 days a year for the things they were saying about him. Can't wait til November we can start taking our country back.

Ned| 7.2.10 @ 10:28AM

And that's exactly what he should have been doing, exposing the perfidious lies of the media and lefty hacks every time they opened their filthy mouths. I blame Bush... No, wait! I blame Rove! Yeah, that's it! It's all Carl's fault. Yeah, that's the ticket.

SpiralArchitect| 7.2.10 @ 3:51PM

I would not be surprised for a moment if this clown continues his roll in the Black House ( because of the shame and dishonesty, not because of race) for another term... or terms!

I wonder how many dead people ( and purely ficticous ones) will vote for him next time...

Teflon93| 7.2.10 @ 8:17AM

Immelt's only got himself to blame.

After all, he's the one that cozied up to Obama in the first place.

Why these lib CEOs think the Democrat Party would ever have a use for them beyond taking their money and giving them the blame is beyond me.

They are suckers.

sandyinohio| 7.2.10 @ 8:33AM

Isn't that the truth! These progressive communists who took over the party are the most economically challenged "intellectuals" around. Nothing is turning out right. Vote Republican and hold their feet to the fire too.

Charles Martel| 7.5.10 @ 3:46PM

Watching Immelt getting threatened by the thugs in the White House brings to mind all those captains of German industry who thought that they could control and restrain the Leader.

It's 1945, your country is a smoldering heap of rubble, and you've been put in a cell by the victors: any regrets?

+++

John - TMF| 7.2.10 @ 8:19AM

The Fuhrer must be paid at some time. Immelt and his like big business ilk are not, repeat NOT, capitalists. They are in fact Industrialists of the Corporate-State. Their obsequiousness to the Regime is rewarded by being allowed to pocket large personal fortunes.

Of course the jets, golf course business conferences, Manses in the Hamptons, etc. come at that price... that eternally damning cost of being part of the Corporate-State. One does not speak ill of Dear Leader, or one risks being cast into the abyss.

It is time for true believers in Free Market Capitalism to stand up. They need to take their blinders off and see that those for whom they offer rabid and loyal defense are indefensible.

Capitalists must find it within themselves to cease being suckers. We must challenge Fascism for what it is.... a sale of the rope to our executioner.

Immelt has been hoist upon his own "explosive device, gate opening - one EA" (IS there an national stock number for that?)

You do a deal with Satan, and Satan will win, because he cheats.

Sad.... sad... sad...

The Mighty Fahvaag

neomom| 7.2.10 @ 6:14PM

Just try to separate the CEO from the rank and file. The rank and file is overwhelmingly anti-statist and has not been impressed with the Statist-butt-kissing CEO. But we need jobs too.

Remember November!

dee| 7.3.10 @ 12:22PM

Immelt and GE deserve what they get. If you have ever worked with the company you know how thoroughly corrupt and immoral the managers are or must act like at any senior management level. I worked with them for seven months as they were hollowing out the company I worked for at the time through a small but controlling 'investment', and it was a classic pump and dump destroying any value for the other investors--then they bought it, at a great discount (and at least two shareholder lawsuits). For what Immelt and his cadre of corporate fascists have done to a once great company, GE deserves to go out of business, its carcass picked clean of its healthy meat.

jack| 7.2.10 @ 8:24AM

No one person did more to put this lunatic in office than Immelt and GE,so this is really special. Immelt should be fired today. Look at GE stock price since he took the helm!

Ned| 7.2.10 @ 10:39AM

pretty sure that that other Jack would agree... wha-da-ya-say, Chainsaw? Interested in your old job back?

John Navratil| 7.2.10 @ 5:01PM

Chainsaw? As you sure you're not thinking of Charlie Hurwitz? Another paragon of virtue in the boardroom!

JP| 7.2.10 @ 8:41AM

GE isn't alone. Most of the industrials of this nation are seeing thier market capitalization wither away. Besides an obvious problem with our currency (brought about by large debt loads); there is the specter of increased taxes, frozen credit markets, and of course a plethora of regulatory excesses and finally health care reform. Consuming demand is spiraling downward, and the real estate markets continue to depreciate.

The President came into this mess, and if he did not treat the economy as a "crisis to exploit", Obama would have sealed a positive legacy. As the solutions to the market implosion were obvious. Now, this mess is becoming a crisis. And the only safe harbors for firms like GE reside overseas. Even Canada is looking quite good about now.

Carol| 7.2.10 @ 8:48AM

Who is your base you sleazeballs in the White House?

Russia?

Saudi Arabia?

Or just the koolaid drinkers who are funding your disaster of an administration.

I bet that fly that was hanging around Obama's mouth recently could talk.

Jeff| 7.2.10 @ 8:52AM

I stopped buying GE products earlier after seeing them suck up to to government.

Agnes B. Bullock| 7.2.10 @ 9:07AM

What did Immelt expect- he chose to lie down and roll over for Obama!!!! Won't have a GE product in our home ever again, and won't watch NBC or its affiliated cable channels either because of Immelt. He sold his soul and now doesn't like the price. Man up- you chose poorly so stop whining like a Democrat!

Maddox| 7.2.10 @ 11:48AM

Yes, Agnes, I, too refuse to support any GE product ever again and take joy at Immelt's pain. It is a shame GE stockholders and all of America must share the losses because people, like Immelt, sold their souls to Obama and the Dems because they were greedy. There is no honor among thieves.

LadyPatriot| 7.2.10 @ 7:58PM

I won't buy GE in any form. have trouble finding non ge light bulbs but when I do I buy in bulk.

Petronius| 7.2.10 @ 9:30AM

When the czars bury GE, there's Philips, PHG on the big board.

AMENBRO| 7.2.10 @ 9:33AM

FOOORKIT, I could care less somebody's got to say it..

WOE IS BE TO ANYONE THAT CRITICIZES ANY AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ANYTHING.
Besides being an excellent reader and DRAMA QUEEN what the heck have you elected AMERICA. An incompetent passed along because he was eloquent,,, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION DISASTER.

Same as COLIN POWELL. God bless him for his service but he flat PETER PRINCIPLED out and then reacted rather idiosyncratically afterwords, DID HE NOT.

I have just as many African American Friends as I do White, Asian, Hispanic & Latino pals. Any OJs or Rodney King DRAMAS amongst those people.

The only COWARDS CONCERNING RACE IN AMERICA ARE THE ONES THAT GOT THEIR POWER BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE.

FAILURE IS A RACIALLY EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY. But if its perpetrated by the aforementioned you are a RACIST for saying so or are told to shut the HAiL UP

You just don't do that. You sit by and let African American TOP HEAVY anything go down the tubes . Take a look AMERICA, a good close look at who runs our school systems America. To get into most Teaching Schools in most Universities you only need be a WARM BODY good grades are not a prerequisite.

Dixie Pixie| 7.2.10 @ 10:34AM

What Jeffrey Immelt of GE caught is just the first stage of a political disease.

With a shrinking economy, the political situation for Obama will soon come to “Threaten and Shove It”.
When Obama is told to “Shove It” by his victims, he must escalate to the use of first political then military / police force to get what he wants.

This will produce a counter-opposing political / military force to Obama's misuse of police / military force. Then hell will truly break loose as various armed factions and organizations fight for the remaining political and economic prizes. Political extinction for the country usually follows.

FJ Harris| 7.2.10 @ 10:39AM

Don't Obama and Immelt take bubble baths together. Immelt has prostituted GE to the Obama crowd, let him dance for them.

Maddox| 7.2.10 @ 3:29PM

Well said!

Tim*| 7.2.10 @ 11:53AM

Follow The Obama Money Trail .

General Electric's organization's PAC, its individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families gave Obama $499,130 .

Ken Old Texican)| 7.2.10 @ 12:34PM

Many years ago, there was a sharecropper family with 13 children.

In order to work the fields dad and the kids had to cross a small creek on a foot-log.
One day an alligator took up residence in the creek.

About once a week, the alligator took the last kid in line.
OKOK, this sharecropper was not the brightest bulb in the box...
But finally...one night...noticing several empty chairs at the dinner table...he began to ponder on it.
A couple of weeks later he proclaimed to his pregnant wife: "Honey, we gotta move."

"Why?" she asked. "I like our snuggly cabin."

"Yep, me too", he replied, "but you know, I'm just gettin' too old to work all day...and screw all night...just to feed that @#$&**! alligator."

Someone needs to send that story to Immelt and cronies.

CBKC| 7.2.10 @ 12:39PM

"There is some concern that we are losing the support of business," says the White House source. " WTF? Active elimination of independent businesses is their Marxist goal!

Charles Martel| 7.5.10 @ 3:54PM

That's like the camp Kommandant worrying about losing the Jewish vote.

+++

Ed| 7.2.10 @ 12:42PM

In Chicago, a crooked polititian is one that doesn't stay bought.

What goes around, comes around.

StopTreasonWith| 7.2.10 @ 12:46PM

What wouldn't care if the Earth is destroyed? The DEVIL? Look no further than what we have in power! The GULF is being killed--like Nero fiddled or The Kenyan is doing everything to make certain we are doomed...as a nation, our US Sovereignty; our foundation of GOD; our language; our culture; our independence; our mores, morals, our laws...the very fabric of descent hard working, contributing US Citizens of Generations whether taxpayers, workers or US Troops...3rd class citizens on our own soil with the priority the Race=666=LaRaza Ills aka Illegals, illegitimates, illiterates; terrorists...Communist Nations...

Mark Lokowich| 7.2.10 @ 12:59PM

Poor Jeff,
First Algore, now Obama hogging all the covers in bed.

dw | 7.2.10 @ 1:39PM

They're all a bunch of idiots to not understand from the outset what the results of these liberal economic policies would be and what the Ones agenda is. It must be a big game to them and we the peons lose. It had to play out for them? Have people become more stupid by the generation? What the f.... GOLD PLATED IDIOTS ALL OF THEM

AMENBRO| 7.2.10 @ 4:41PM

YUP,,a few approaching TITANIUM PLATED.

Course that's Bush's fault also.

Rifleman| 7.2.10 @ 2:59PM

Stan: you are only succeeding b/c you are a dirty, money-hungry capitalist, who screws his employees (tongue-in-cheek of course). But if your business becomes too successful Obama will want to seize control and you'll be working for him (the state). OR he'll simply impose so many controls, regs and taxes on you that you'll have to give it up. This bunch of thugs in The WH do not believe in the American dream. They don't believe in American exceptionalism (which tells you a lot), big business is bad/greedy and we're too stupid to know what's good for us.
I'm looking forward to November but it scares to think that the same chuckleheads who fell for this clown may not vote for "change" this time....

Emma| 7.2.10 @ 3:07PM

"The underlying message was that GE has dealings with the federal government. It wasn't a threat...."

Ok. He can just keep telling himself that........lalalalalalalalala.....it's not a threat, it's not a threat, it's not a threat......

Osamas Pajamas| 7.2.10 @ 3:20PM

We are fast arriving at a point when we must decide whether to destroy the government of the United States of America --- or to allow those gangsters to destroy the United States of America. Patriots will defend their country against the US government.

Fred| 7.2.10 @ 3:24PM

Can't Obama just order him to the White House and relieve him of duties for these immature remarks?

Maddox| 7.2.10 @ 3:33PM

Yes, he might feel a boot on his neck too...very soon.

David| 7.2.10 @ 4:01PM

These weekly reports of bullish/thuggish behavior by this admin since the day it took office is truly amazing. I can't imagine any repub getting away with even one instance of such intimidation. Some enlighten me: Aren't there laws that are being broken when they do this crap?

Pete| 7.2.10 @ 4:52PM

Two items from article struck me. One. A GE spokesman said Immelt's comments do not reflect the company's views. Wonder if he wrote his own press release? Two. WH spokesman says we are losing the support of businesses. We can't take them for granted, but the BUSINESS COMMUNITY WASN'T OUR BASE. Unfortunately, I still own a lot of GE stock and just looking for the right time to dump it.

Pingman| 7.4.10 @ 10:22AM

Your window of opportunity is closing fast. Dump it, take the loss and buy LEAP puts against GE's inevitable demise.

Dealing with the devil isn't a sound business plan.

AMENBRO| 7.2.10 @ 4:58PM

Yeah we are probable breaking the HATE SPEECH LAWS by pointing out the fact that not only is corporate America approaching WORLD irrelevance through their own greed /lobbying efforts on who allows them to fork us the hardest but so are we THE AMERICAN PEOPLE by inconvenience of our own existence anymore.

CAN'T WAIT FOR THE JIMMAH CARTER "ITS AMERICA's FAULT" SPEECH FROM THIS PECKERHAID OBAMA.

Its coming. Michele will probable do it before PAPOTUS does it. America is a mean place,HAAAAH, not being satiated by her AFFIRMATIVE CRONY ACTION $325k pre 1st woman position post BARRY's election to the IL State Senate.

I can hear it now.

WE ARE MEAN TO COMPLAIN , WRONG TO POINT OUT HOW STUUUUPID THESE CHICAGO CRIME INC. FOOORKERS THEY BROUGHT TO DC are.

Valerie Jarret got rich screwing the poor in Public housing projects her family built, owned, and managed, and then hoped to have them condemned so they could sell the property for OBAMMIE BAM's OLYMPICS.

Anybody wonder why SMALL BUSINESS's GETTING IT IN THE SHORTS????

GDit, I don't know how much more of this I can take. Work like a one armed paper hanger in a tornado for years to see this country come to this.

DaveS| 7.2.10 @ 6:16PM

Liked the $325k comment. It takes two to be corrupt: the hospital and the Obama husband/wife team.

dw| 7.2.10 @ 5:14PM

Amen bro-- to see savings go, retirement go and no end in sight. day after f...king day of this is excruitiating. worked hard for it just to see it vanish, meanwhile all thise a.. holes will make even more money by properly betting on the collapse. Dumba.ss pelosi actually thinks unemployment is the way to start the economy. My dog knows better than that. It's the rule of the morons. total morons..... obama stands there and lies daily.... he looks at bad economic numbers and says it getting better....beyond morons.... this is twight zone on steriods.. they are in a competition to see who can be the most moronic...stupid, stupid, stupid...what will be tomorrows stupidity? They will have to rip my guns out of my cold, dead hands before I hand them over to these communist.

jomo2009| 7.2.10 @ 5:35PM

Given what's happening to the economy, Obama's partner-in crime- should be named Jeffrey Immeltdown.

DaveS| 7.2.10 @ 6:12PM

GE, as NBC's parent for a long time, owes the Democrats and Obama NOTHING. this is what GE's top guy gets when he swims with the wrong crowd and tells the truth. Is it a free country, or is there always payback when Obama is personally or politically offended?

DaveS| 7.2.10 @ 6:18PM

Just wondering: where, under the recent SCOTUS ruling on corporate donations to campaigns, will GE's money go in 2010 and 2012? I'll bet it's a little less tilted to the Dems.

Becky| 7.2.10 @ 10:23PM

I cannot stop laughing..These people cannot do anything right. Way to go Jeff baby. Bite that big hand of the state!...Better be looking over your CEO shoulder. By the way, they do not like you talking bad or telling the truth about O, did you not know that? You are really in big trouble now. Valerie may be sending someone right now to have a chat with you...they tend to eliminate problem employees I have heard. (Tell her you had too much Italian wine, you were crazed with alcohol)..( If a package comes from Rahm, don't open it.) You may be looking for a new job..You won't find one here. There aren't any. Oh wait, maybe Al Gore can use you in some capacity, that loved crazed (French) Poodle. Poor Jeffy boy. Or, perhaps Valerie can have you install new GE appliances in all the slumlord properties she invested in. No free speech with O -- you gave that all up when you supported him..BUY AMERICAN! America's economy goes down, Jeffy----the world goes down...did you not think that far ahead? (Keep talking Jeff, keep talking, but in your situation, it will not set you free.)

Yosemeti Sam| 7.3.10 @ 1:27AM

This donkey GE CEO - what's in his wallet, er, stock portfolio?

Thinning out - I'd bet! Whaaaaaaa, whaaaaaaa.

Yo, though - relax, it's all part and parcel of an stimulated economic recovery.

Poof, poof - or is it pop, pop, fizzle, fizzle - goes the magic BHO dragon!

LOL.

tom| 7.3.10 @ 12:44PM

How much longer will we survive as a nation with an administration (and an electorate)that lives in an ALTERNATE UNIVERSE !!!

dee| 7.3.10 @ 12:49PM

And now the crony capitalist moans about how the Chinese are so unfair in not wanting US businesses to win. No one told you to take the manufacturing business to China, dear boy. No one told you to give away our manufacturing and security secrets to them so they can spy on and undermine us even more. Hey isn’t that the price of doing business with China? They are playing the long game of world dominance and the US will be not the first to go down, but certainly among the top 5. The East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere of Japan in the 1930s this time brought to you by China.

And think of the consequences of Little Jeffrey not minding his mouth. No cap ‘n’ tax for you to bail out your money-losing wind turbine division. Or FCC approval of NBCU. Or GE Capital, so far in the red, will fall afoul of these new and asinine financial regulations.

Hey Jeff, don’t open any packages or drive your car without checking the brakes—the malignant narcissist in the WH doesn’t like disloyal soldiers. It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

aware| 7.3.10 @ 1:48PM

Jeffy boy, if you take the king's shilling you do the king's bidding. Nothing like a falling out among thugs to see who the real boss is. The one with the guns as usual.

GE is the top crony in the crowd of cronies. Remember, corporate boy Jeff, your job is just to collect taxes for the State in the form of "regulations, fees, and fines", which you pass on to the hapless "consumer" through higher prices.

But the most important thing for the Jeffs to remember is it is the State that protects your captive markets, makes real competition impossible, and most importantly, allows the existence of the monopoly cabals, like the one you work for. In fact without the Regulatory State you wouldn't even exist.

So get back in line and keep foolin' "the people" into thinking that government and corporations are adversaries instead of partners.

Osamas Pajamas| 7.4.10 @ 3:41AM

Wish those dirty rotten skunks would call ME so I could tell them to get fkd. I'd skywrite it in 200-foot letters.

JimmyMac| 7.4.10 @ 8:21AM

Stephanie,

My heart goes out to you. While I have not closed my business entirely, after 33 years, I am down to myself and a consultant who helps on an as-needed basis. Based on the West Coast (unemployment: 12%-14%), I sold my house just as the market was crashing, paid off all debts, bought a small farm in the East and banked the rest. Cashing in on all those years of hard work and building my business, I came out okay, but all the contractors and their employees who once relied on me no longer have me as a source of work.

I'm disgusted by the crony Capitalists (GE, GM and others) who are participating in the destruction of the Capitalist system and our way of life. I will not buy a GE or GM product, even if it means paying more or doing without.

Tenn Slim| 7.4.10 @ 9:33AM

Opine
Of Course, GE, Boeing, LM, etal are not evolving IAW the OBNA direction. The CEOs on these companies understand fully the pact made with the Leftist WH. Now, they are begining to feel the pain. Wait another 6 months, the OBNA Czars will be sitting on thier desk tops.
End
Semper Fi
We Will Prevail

Bibsy| 7.4.10 @ 2:00PM

The damn sad thing about GE is that there are a lot of good, hardworking GE employees that are being tainted by the Chief ahole and his incentivized upper management minions who ruining the Company.

SocialistsNeverProsper| 7.4.10 @ 6:22PM

Well, well, well – yet another useful idiot catches a glimpse of the bus-tread imprints all over his back!

He's no Jack Welch, is he?

When you walk in shit, Mr. Immelt, it sticks to your shoes. Please remember that the next time you get tempted to cozy up to Democrat Regressive Socialists.

John Galt| 7.5.10 @ 7:33AM

This is what is known as a 'fake out'. He moans about Obummer and China, when he promoted, helped elect, and is a partner with the first one, and moved his manufacturing and partnered with the other. He is just trying to 'create some distance' in people's minds so his products aren't boycotted by the angry people of America.

Jefferson John| 7.5.10 @ 11:51AM

No self respecting American should be doing any business with GE - leave that to Iran and the Obama socialists. God help us if the get Crap & Tax through.

Jeff Weimer| 7.5.10 @ 8:01PM

It's truly amazing how fast this administration can move when it's their reputation being impugned, but so damn slow with the oils spill. I guess we know their priorities.

JJ| 7.5.10 @ 10:27PM

So, some business people are grumbling about Obama?

I did not know that. I watch ABC NEWS. The economy is getting better, the oil is contained and the world loves us. That's what Diane Sawyer and Stephanopolous say.

UGGSSALE| 7.19.10 @ 9:55PM

It's truly amazing how fast this administration can move when it's their reputation being impugned, but so damn slow with the oils spill. I guess we know their priorities.

sacds