Quote:
Originally posted by tw
Ties in directly to a post in Current Events entitled "America' Enemy..." . Nucor Steel and most foreign steel companies have innovated technologies using electric arc furnaces. USX, Bethlehem Steel, LTV, and many other US steel companies are so anti-American as to not even construct a single blast furnace in 40 years. It is cheaper to ship steel to foreign producers, process it, then ship a finished product back - rather than ship it across NJ to USX's integrated steel mill Fairless Hills PA or to Bethlehem Steel in Sparrow Point MD. Why? Both companies are lead by enemies of America - MBAs who will now appeal to another MBA - George Jr. - for protection from 'evil foreign producers'.
PBS documentary series called Skyscraper followed a new building, near the Intrepid Museum (the WWII aircraft carrier parked on the Hudson River) from foundation to occupancy. It was cheaper to have steel produced in Belgium (where average wages then were higher than in America), ship that steel to Houston for cutting, then ship to NYC for construction - instead of having all work performed in an integrated (all functions available on site) steel mill of Fairless Hills PA.
Why was steel from Belgium less expensive? USX is an anti-American institution in the same category as Enron that runs to government for protection rather than innovate. Therefore World Trade Center steel will be shipped overseas. An 'intelligent' president will solve this problem? He is being asked to raise tarriffs to 40% so that anti-American USX will save their top management. Corporate welfare. Just another insult for the WTC.
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Just dealt with one of the companies recently (can't say - never know when I can be bullied beyond my resources by some coporate lawyer)....they wanted to double 'Steal" prices on already firmed (contracted) business.
I heard that USX (Bastards) even want to get the feds to pay for the retirements of 160,000 already retired steel workers because the company never set aside the retirement money. And furthermore, they (USX) are trying to get a gov't approved monopoly status in order to 'save' steel mills that have gone out of business. These two items were presented this morning in Rush Limbaugh's morning update; of course, he added that this is an election year so USX might actually get its way. (Never throught I'd see Rush and tw agree on the same thing with the same ferocity....)
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(LTV is out of business; has been in trouble for 3 or so agonizing years.)
Like you, I feel that shipping the steel overseas to be a part of some other construction is an awful thing and an awful symbol.
I agree with some of what you say, however you tend to paint with a broad and omni-condemning brush (an observation, not an insult). Please let me know what/who your sources are.
Later,
sa