Kucinich to Jobs - Go to H.. Somewhere Else

[Bill Call]

Congressman Kucinich's current anti-trust crusade against Tops is typical of his actions regarding the business community: Use false charges and defamatory language to brand a company as some kind of criminal followed buy numerous news conferences and dog and pony shows designed to allow him to pretend that he has some kind of plan of action to SAVE JOBS.

These activities usually occur every two years around election time. His shenanigans are great entertainment and always have the appropriate amount kumbiya.

Industry decision makers are only human. When they look to where to open a business or which market to leave or enter they don't just look dollars and sense. They look at the entire business climate.

Kucinich is doing his best to create a hostile and vindictive business climate. While that hostility serves his electoral interests it does little to help job creation. His message is clear: STAY OUT OF CLEVELAND!!!!

The only positive thing about his various anti-job crusades is that once he is re-elected he will head back to the district he really represents - Hollywood - until the next election.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Congressman Kucinich's current anti-trust crusade against Tops is typical of his actions regarding the business community: Use false charges and defamatory language to brand a company as some kind of criminal followed buy numerous news conferences and dog and pony shows designed to allow him to pretend that he has some kind of plan of action to SAVE JOBS.

Bill

A good rant except for one problem. It is Giant Eagle that started the Antitrust actions.

Like when the city took on AT&T. Denis Dunn asked for a ruling on if he was in conflict of interest working for AT&T and still doing a bunch of work for the city of Lakewood.

Giant Eagle asked for the ruling, not the Congressman.

But why let facts get in the way.


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[Bill Call]

A good rant except for one problem. It is Giant Eagle that started the Antitrust actions.

I get it. Giant Eagle is opposed to its purchase of the Tops stores. In an effort to derail Giant Eagle's purchase of Tops, Giant Eagle has chosen to spend millions in legal fees to stop its purchase of Tops.

How clever.

[Jim O'Bryan]

A good rant except for one problem. It is Giant Eagle that started the Antitrust actions.

I get it. Giant Eagle is opposed to its purchase of the Tops stores. In an effort to derail Giant Eagle's purchase of Tops, Giant Eagle has chosen to spend millions in legal fees to stop its purchase of Tops.

How clever.

Bill

Where are the legal fees being spent?

Where did Denis Dunn spend millions in legal fees?

If anything it was to stop the millions in legal fees being spent.

Giant Eagle asked for the ruling. That is what popped onto the Congressman's screen. At no point in the meetings I was at and you were not did Dennis ever call for a FTC investigation. He merely mentioned that one had been started by a request.

Bill, you say the Congressman is trying to keep jobs out but I can find no proof. He worked with Mayor George to keep Social Security here. The first time I met the Congressman after starting the paper he said his major concern for Lakewood was keeping Social Security here. This was before anyone else was talking about it.

Do you not think that losing the Congressional Office would also be a loss of jobs, both those working there and others that come in.

I understand why Dennis would blast the Congressman, he lives in Parma, and was hoping to get a weaker candidate for any Republican to run against. But it makes no sense for you.

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[Jim O'Bryan]

Bill

According to the Congressman's website I might be wrong about him calling for the investigation.

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[dl meckes]

I get it. Giant Eagle is opposed to its purchase of the Tops stores. In an effort to derail Giant Eagle's purchase of Tops, Giant Eagle has chosen to spend millions in legal fees to stop its purchase of Tops.

How clever.

Sometimes you have to ask for a ruling before you can go ahead with a sale. IIRC, this is the case with Giant Eagle.

They first must determine if they can buy the Tops markets. Secondly, they wouldn't have to partner with Dave's but for the possibility that they could have been considered a monopoly.

If Giant Eagle can possibly be declared a monopoly, then no sale could go forward and there are very hefty fines to pay. So it seems like a good idea to make sure that everything is cleared from the beginning.

[Bill Call]

If Giant Eagle can possibly be declared a monopoly, then no sale could go forward and there are very hefty fines to pay. So it seems like a good idea to make sure that everything is cleared from the beginning.

The purchase of Tops stores by Giant Eagle is as much a violation of anti-trust laws as it is a violation of the Geneva Convention. Anti-trust issues would never have been raised if not for Congressmen Kucinich.

Giant Eagle is going to purchase the Tops stores and they are going to close the current Bunts Giant Eagle and develop that site.

It would have been refreshing if the Congressman and others had attempted to partner with Giant Eagle to get something more than a Getgo or flea market.

How much cooperation will the City get from Giant Eagle now? When, instead of working with Giant Eagle the Mayor and the Congressman chose to play a game of Bash-the-Business?

It's great entertainment but lousy policy.

[dl meckes]

Bill, I just checked and evidently I'm not reading for comprehension. You're correct, it was Kucinich who raised the red flag.

[c. dawson]

okay, so HOW does the purchase of Tops by Giant Eagle violate the Geneva Conventions?

To wit, (or lack of, in Bill's case), here's what the Geneva Conventions REALLY are:

There are four Geneva Conventions, signed August 12, 1949, and the two additional Protocols of June 8, 1977.

Convention I
For the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field. Sets forth the protections for members of the armed forces who become wounded or sick.

Convention II
For the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea. Extends protections to wounded, sick and shipwrecked members of naval forces.

Convention III
Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Geneva. Lists the rights of prisoners of war.

Convention IV
Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, Geneva. Deals with the protection of the civilian population in times of war.

Protocol I
Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts. Extends protections to victims of wars against racist regimes and wars of self determination.

Protocol II
Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Proection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts. Extends protections to victims of internal conflicts in which an armed opposition controls enough territory to enable them to carry out sustained military operations.



Look, I know you don't like Congressman Kucinich, but try to rein in your hyperbole, and focus on facts. I know they tend to get in the way of your opinions, but in this case, they make you look uniformed and also make your opinions become more lightweight. You're obviously passionate about the issue ... fine, just don't let your argument become silly.

What's next, claiming that the Giant Eagle purchase violates the Code of Hammurabi? The Codex Theodosianus?

No. There may be something a little fishy going on, but that's all it is, and it's NOT the end of western civilization as we know it, or the beginning of the end of the Holy American Empire. It's just appears to be a very shady business deal ... and face it, that's not unusual in the capitalist system.

[DougHuntingdon]

Maybe the city should acquire all private property within city limits via eminent domain and then decide what goes where and who gets paid what. There is a good book on how to do things like this here: http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_memoranda/RM3532/ now discounted down to $13.50

Doug

[Jim O'Bryan]

o
No. There may be something a little fishy going on, but that's all it is, and it's NOT the end of western civilization as we know it, or the beginning of the end of the Holy American Empire. It's just appears to be a very shady business deal ... and face it, that's not unusual in the capitalist system.

C. and Bill

Let's not be too myopic in this whole thing. While the Giant Eagle purchase has very little impact on Lakewood, with our host of grocery stores, in some cities, many in District 10 or 12 will be devastated by this agreement. As much as some of us think Congressman Kucinich represents only Lakewood, the district is much larger.

To this extent I believe this is why Mayor Tom George while showing support to the congressman that has supported him and Lakewood sat silent. In the end, it is not the war we need to fight.


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[Bill Call]

Maybe the city should acquire all private property within city limits via eminent domain

Rand was one of my favorite authors. Anyway...

You raise a good point. Does a City have a right or responsibility to favor one development over another? Should a City have an economic plan?

I think the answer is yes. Lakewood is in competition with other cities in Ohio and across the country. If the City takes no action to seek new development the City (or state) will continue to lose population.

If a developer wants to spend his own money but needs some cooperation or assistance from the city the city has a right and responsiblilty to offer input on the development. An economic plan is simply self defense.

The great cities of the world were created primarily by market forces, but visionary government provided the basic infrastructure that assisted that development.

Of course the market should have the final say. A city government might want a Sak,s instead of an Aldi's but if the market says Aldi's then Aldi's it is.

Jim:

Your point about the Mayor is well taken. He isn't necessarily on board with this anti-trust nonsense.