Letter: So much for job creator creating jobs at home
August 3, 2012 at 7:00 pm in Worthington Daily Globe
President Obama’s Council on Jobs is headed by Jeff Immelt, GE Chairman. The president appointed him to help create jobs in the U.S., or so we’re told. Continue Reading
Mr. Vetsch’s letter is taken – verbatim – from an email that first circulated in August, 2011, more than a year ago, in which this allegation was made. It’s a Right Wing attempt to “stir the pot”. But the allegations in the email – and therefore in Mr. Vetsch’s cut-and-paste – are false according to snopes.com. GE is moving FOUR executives to China, with no US job loss. If you’re interested in the FULL story, here is the link:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/ge.asp
Once again, it would take only a minute to double check information before putting pen to paper and potentially embarrassing yourself.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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If the author of this letter is the same Leroy Vetsch as the 7-8th grade Social Studies teacher in Brewster, MN, it’s disturbing to me that he is shaping young minds with these conspiracy theories.
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“GE is moving FOUR executives to China, with no US job loss.”—– Since the “FOUR” executives have been moved to China, they have hired over 5000 people. Are these NOT job losses?
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-25/ge-healthcare-moves-x-ray-base-to-china-no-job-cuts-planned.html
Our current economy which boasts an 8.3% unemployment rate (actually closer to 16.5% or more,) http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/07/16/what-is-the-real-unemployment-rate/
could have used these additional job opportunities that some say weren’t lost.
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Companies open operations around the globe everyday, to be closer to the markets they serve. Of course they hire locally and, as the Bloomberg article says, 2,000 of those hired in China are sales representatives for the new technology. So, NOPE, those jobs can’t be done in the US.
EVERY Fortune 500 international company — and a whole lot of smaller companies — have employees outside the US. Coca Cola, GM, Ford, you name it. Even the headline of the Bloomberg article says “no job cuts planned”. Bloomberg got it right, too. Mr. Vetsch didn’t.
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For all you “thumbs downers” here, let’s use Mr. Vetsch’s letter to the editor as a “teachable moment” (pun intended).
You apparently feel that Mr. Vetsch is correct, and snopes.com is wrong. Hence you challenge snopes’ veracity. Fine. You’re allowed.
Perhaps you will agree with the following.
1. Teachers, especially in small communities, are looked up to by parents and students. In many cases, they are also heavily involved in their communities, as mayors, firemen, coaches, volunteers, church leaders.
2. In the eyes of elementary and middle school students, teachers are generally viewed as infallible. What they say is almost always believed. You didn’t question your teachers and most kids of that age still don’t today as they’re not yet skilled in critical thought.
3. Therefore, teachers must ensure that what they say is truthful, neutral and non-biased.
4. With today’s technology and access to information from many sources, it’s very easy to verify information before putting it out there. We know it doesn’t take much time to do so.
5. Teachers, like everyone else, have a right to their own opinions, but not to their own facts.
5. If a teacher disseminates bad information, he/she should correct it immediately.
6. If he or she doesn’t do it – or feels it’s unnecessary for whatever motive – his or her credibility will suffer in the eyes of the students and the community.
Mr. Vetsch is a teacher. He is a frequent contributor to the Globe’s letter-to-the-editor section. This is not the first time that his allegations have been challenged or refuted. His motives for passing along this dubious email are known only to him.
If you disagree with points 1-6, “thumbs down” to your heart’s content.
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An original thought! No mater how you spin stories like this the fact is they’re not helping this country. So it has occurred to me that people such as eastended that are always championing for issues, that at best do us no good and usually harm us, will be of no value when it comes to saving this nation! We need Help, not a nope your wrong, it’s no problem, that’s the way it is, be happy, type Dope!
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The letter published here is based on a chain email circulating about GE Healthcare’s X-Ray Division that is inaccurate. GE did not move its x-ray operation to China but we did move 4 executives from Wisconsin to China. We did not eliminate jobs in the United States sites based on moving the headquarters of the business to China. The fact is that GE is the second largest exporter in the United States and China is a growing market. Having a presence in growing markets is critical for GE and the United States as we look for ways to remain competitive and create jobs at home.
We are all concerned about creating jobs in the US. Despite much of what you hear and read, GE is investing in America and creating jobs in the US. Here’s a map showing recent jobs expansions:
http://www.gereports.com/ges-american-jobs-map-over-10000-new-jobs-announced-since-2009/
GE has also started constructing 16 new plants in the US in the last 3 years.
The letter was also wrong about GE’s taxes. The truth is that GE paid $1 billion in federal, state and local taxes in the U.S. for 2010. Our tax rate was low because GE lost billions of dollars as a result of the global financial crisis. We expect that our tax rate will be higher for 2011 as our business recovers. Like most Americans, we believe the U.S. tax system is in desperate need of reform, which includes closing loopholes.
I really appreciate you taking time to read this.
Ben Fox
GE Healthcare
Benjamin.Fox@ge.com
Hot debate. What do you think?
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I found this article quite informative about how many employees GE actually has. MORE overseas than in the good old U.S.A.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/21/obama-picks-jeffrey-immel-ge-jobs-overseas_n_812502.html
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I’m not sure what the exact figure is today, since the article you offer was written in January, 2011.
Nobody should be terribly surprised that GE might have more employees outside the US than here. The US has 5% of the world’s total population. In order to serve the needs of the other 95%, they place operations and staff nearer the markets.
But you can’t just single out GE.
I hope that you don’t own an Apple products – desktop, iPad, iPhone, or iPod. They are ALL produced in China since Apple has no US manufacturing facility. The same applies to virtually everything Walmart sells. Made in China. Or Taiwan. Or India. Or Malaysia. May I assume you don’t shop there? Every time you do, you could be accused of putting some American out of work.
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Yeah, that darned EASTENDED! Always trying to champion issues! Now he dares to challenge us to think about quality education, honesty, responsibility and teacher accountability! The nerve! It hurts to THINK!
It’s so much easier to just bemoan one’s lot in life, predicting the end of the USA, if not the world, without coming up with any solutions or fresh ideas. Oh, that’s right.. ideas and solutions often come from discussing issues! We can’t have that can’t we?
God forbid somebody would actually tell somebody he or she is wrong when all the FACTS run counter to their argument. And the facts are presented in black and white. Are you that fragile?
You’re right about one thing. You need help. I suggest you seek it.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Many valid points stated in the lively discussion. One question I have on the whole ordeal is; Are any of the devices, etc. being made in China going to be shipped BACK to the U.S.? And one last point. I don’t believe statements like, “You’re right about one thing. You need help. I suggest you seek it.” add anything to the general conversation. You effectively showed what GE’s plans are and the reasons why. Personal attacks lessen ones credibility and reminds me a lot of schoolyard bully tactics.
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“The fact is that GE is the second largest exporter in the United States” that I believe, and that probably includes Jobs and could have been jobs here! I also believe GE is in china to manufacture their products for 30 cents an hour and sell them here at huge profits. Good for GE not so good for the American citizen. Now that most all of the US manufactures have done the same thing and our country is in a depression whom are they going to sell their products to? Back to the Chinese who they pay 30 cents per hour, I think not, so maybe some of these companies are starting to see that. I just hope it’s not to late! “We believe the U.S. tax system is in desperate need of reform, which includes closing loopholes.” He forgot do add (that we use to pay no or little taxes). GE has not really been a friend to the American people. Although Leroy might not have had the whole story his general though was correct! So go ahead and judge him personally, check his spelling and grammar if you want, but I understand what he meant! I think he was more right then wrong!
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I see I forgot the ‘t’ on thought and slipped in a do for a to. Go ahead and scold me. That doesn’t change the fact that exportation of jobs is America’s largest problem.
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Dean, in debate one person has side A and one has side B. Now point A maybe the correct view, but if person A uses false information to support point A, it makes point A look completely less true and even invalid to anyone else. In essence, it cheapens point A’s real truth.
I don’t think anyone has said exportation of jobs isn’t a problem, but they have pointed out that the author is using false infromation to support a point. And that point isn’t exportation of jobs is a problem for America (which we all agree is a problem), but to blame Obama AND GE for the overseas job loss. A chain email isn’t something one should use as evidence, even to prove that point. I’m sure you would agree that this letter is using very poor evidence to make its point.
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“I hope that you don’t own an Apple products – desktop, iPad, iPhone, or iPod.”—-I do not own anything Apple and as far as WalMart? I do NOT shop there. I attempt to go to smaller retailers, Fareway, HyVee, Runnings, etc. Much better quality than the junk WalMart sells.
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