• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!
  • Welcome to our archives. No new posts are allowed here.

My Pain Is Mitt Romney's Gain: My Story as a Sensata Worker

Hairytic

DP Veteran
Joined
Aug 22, 2012
Messages
1,592
Reaction score
286
Location
Mississippi
Gender
Female
Political Leaning
Progressive
Tom Gaulrapp: My Pain Is Mitt Romney's Gain: My Story as a Sensata Worker

"I've worked at the same factory in Freeport, Ill. for thirty-three years, making sensors and controls for the auto industry. It's tough work, but it pays a living wage with health benefits that folks can count on, and it fuels our town's economy and tax base.

That's been changing since Bain Capital came to town. Two years ago, our factory was sold to Sensata Technologies, a company created by Bain Capital, and they told us that by December 2012, all 170 of our jobs would be shipped to China. They even made us train our Chinese replacements."

These workers have appealed to Romney to speak for them at Bain Capital to stop their jobs from being shipped over to China. Romney holds controling shares at Bain and has a lot of pull there. If he is unwlling to speak up for these workers at Bain, then how can we trust he will speak up for American workers as President?
I think it is very unpatriotic for these big corporations to ship American jobs over to China for more profit.

What do you think?
 
Tom Gaulrapp: My Pain Is Mitt Romney's Gain: My Story as a Sensata Worker

"I've worked at the same factory in Freeport, Ill. for thirty-three years, making sensors and controls for the auto industry. It's tough work, but it pays a living wage with health benefits that folks can count on, and it fuels our town's economy and tax base.

That's been changing since Bain Capital came to town. Two years ago, our factory was sold to Sensata Technologies, a company created by Bain Capital, and they told us that by December 2012, all 170 of our jobs would be shipped to China. They even made us train our Chinese replacements."

These workers have appealed to Romney to speak for them at Bain Capital to stop their jobs from being shipped over to China. Romney holds controling shares at Bain and has a lot of pull there. If he is unwlling to speak up for these workers at Bain, then how can we trust he will speak up for American workers as President?
I think it is very unpatriotic for these big corporations to ship American jobs over to China for more profit.

What do you think?

While I don't have anything against any person or company making a profit when it's done on the backs of American workers and ignored by the one Presidential candidate that can actualy do something about it then that candidate not only should be too ashamed to show their face in public but should resign from the race. I agree completely with Tom Gaulrapp's sentiment. That if we can't trust Romney to at least make an attempt with Bain to save these jobs how can we expect him to do any different if elected President.
 
Tom Gaulrapp: My Pain Is Mitt Romney's Gain: My Story as a Sensata Worker

"I've worked at the same factory in Freeport, Ill. for thirty-three years, making sensors and controls for the auto industry. It's tough work, but it pays a living wage with health benefits that folks can count on, and it fuels our town's economy and tax base.

That's been changing since Bain Capital came to town. Two years ago, our factory was sold to Sensata Technologies, a company created by Bain Capital, and they told us that by December 2012, all 170 of our jobs would be shipped to China. They even made us train our Chinese replacements."

These workers have appealed to Romney to speak for them at Bain Capital to stop their jobs from being shipped over to China. Romney holds controling shares at Bain and has a lot of pull there. If he is unwlling to speak up for these workers at Bain, then how can we trust he will speak up for American workers as President?
I think it is very unpatriotic for these big corporations to ship American jobs over to China for more profit.

What do you think?

I think it's unAmerican to force a company to keep jobs in the United States.
 
I think it's unAmerican to force a company to keep jobs in the United States.

I think that is unAmerican also. I don't think the government should do that, but the American companies that ship jobs overseas are very unpatriotic. I also think Americans should boycot them for their lack of patriatism.
 
For the uninitiated, here's a quick backgrounder: Late last year, a Bain-owned company called Sensata Technologies (ST) agreed to buy an auto-sensor manufacturing unit from Honeywell (HON). From the outset, Sensata said that it planned to move the jobs overseas at year-end 2012, since the majority of its auto-sensor business is in Asia. In fact, Sensdata didn't even buy the manufacturing facility from Honeywell. It leased it, with Honeywell expected to hang a for-sale sign when Sensata moves out in a few months.

Why Romney can't save the Sensata workers - The Term Sheet: Fortune's deals blog Term Sheet

Business sold...it happens...
 
Ok... so sending jobs overseas so that AMERICANS go without and starve is ok?

Unless you want to live in a socialist country where the government owns everything, sending jobs overseas goes with the territory. Americans need to get over the idea that we're ever again going to have a strong manufacturing base. We aren't. Retrain. Educate. Recognize that change is inevitable and switch gears. That's the American Way.

I have a high school education. I never worked at a manufacturing job in my whole life. I do quite well, thank you, neither starving nor going without.
 
Tom Gaulrapp: My Pain Is Mitt Romney's Gain: My Story as a Sensata Worker

"I've worked at the same factory in Freeport, Ill. for thirty-three years, making sensors and controls for the auto industry. It's tough work, but it pays a living wage with health benefits that folks can count on, and it fuels our town's economy and tax base.

That's been changing since Bain Capital came to town. Two years ago, our factory was sold to Sensata Technologies, a company created by Bain Capital, and they told us that by December 2012, all 170 of our jobs would be shipped to China. They even made us train our Chinese replacements."

These workers have appealed to Romney to speak for them at Bain Capital to stop their jobs from being shipped over to China. Romney holds controling shares at Bain and has a lot of pull there. If he is unwlling to speak up for these workers at Bain, then how can we trust he will speak up for American workers as President?
I think it is very unpatriotic for these big corporations to ship American jobs over to China for more profit.

What do you think?

Why didnt the workers appeal to Obama?

Either way if this tread does not end we are all in big trouble....BUY "MADE IN AMERICA"
 
Ok... so sending jobs overseas so that AMERICANS go without and starve is ok?

No, setting up a tax system that forces companies to send jobs overseas to save money is the problem.
 
Why didnt the workers appeal to Obama?

Either way if this tread does not end we are all in big trouble....BUY "MADE IN AMERICA"

Obama has no pull with Bain Capital, where as Romney does.
I agree that we should only buy American Made products. If the people boycot companies that have our products made in China, things might change.
 
No, setting up a tax system that forces companies to send jobs overseas to save money is the problem.

...it has NOTHING to do with the tax system.... it has everything to do with being able to pay 1/10 the wages, no benefits and not have to worry about basic standards of employee safety or environmental harmony. Contrary to the opinion of the many, rarely are taxes a primary or even secondary business concern. First you worry about making profits; then you worry about structuring your affairs to minimize taxes.
 
Unless you want to live in a socialist country where the government owns everything, sending jobs overseas goes with the territory. Americans need to get over the idea that we're ever again going to have a strong manufacturing base. We aren't. Retrain. Educate. Recognize that change is inevitable and switch gears. That's the American Way.

I have a high school education. I never worked at a manufacturing job in my whole life. I do quite well, thank you, neither starving nor going without.

With a mindset like that then No we WON'T have a strong Manufacturing base again. If all politicians have that mind set then we might as well give up and become Chinese nationals. The American way is to fight for what we believe in NOT just giving up and saying,'Oh well thats just how things are." And ok you only have a High school diploma thats great and you are one of the Lucky ones. I hapopen to have 2 Bachelors Degree and an Associates Degree and own my own Business with 15 Employees and I still struggle. To ME the welfare of my employees is far more important than a larger profit. If my employees aren't happy then they will go somewhere else and I don't have a business. So selling out isn't an option. These companies than outsource make a very good profit even without sending jobs overseas. The Republicans call them the 'job creators' yet anyone with even a basis Econ 101 course knows that FISCALY when you create jobs locally you create spending which creates more demand thus greater profits and more taxes raised and a better economy which starts the cycle over again. Its GREED that motivates these companies and not creating jobs.
 
it's understandable why this guy is upset over losing his job... but blaming Mitt is a bit farfetched.
 
Tom Gaulrapp: My Pain Is Mitt Romney's Gain: My Story as a Sensata Worker

"I've worked at the same factory in Freeport, Ill. for thirty-three years, making sensors and controls for the auto industry. It's tough work, but it pays a living wage with health benefits that folks can count on, and it fuels our town's economy and tax base.

That's been changing since Bain Capital came to town. Two years ago, our factory was sold to Sensata Technologies, a company created by Bain Capital, and they told us that by December 2012, all 170 of our jobs would be shipped to China. They even made us train our Chinese replacements."

These workers have appealed to Romney to speak for them at Bain Capital to stop their jobs from being shipped over to China. Romney holds controling shares at Bain and has a lot of pull there. If he is unwlling to speak up for these workers at Bain, then how can we trust he will speak up for American workers as President?
I think it is very unpatriotic for these big corporations to ship American jobs over to China for more profit.

What do you think?

2012? WTH does that have to Do with Romney?

the purpose of a corporation is to make money.
 
it's understandable why this guy is upset over losing his job... but blaming Mitt is a bit farfetched.

sadly the democratic party has spent 79 or so years telling people that when something bad happens its the fault of others
 
Why didnt the workers appeal to Obama?

Either way if this tread does not end we are all in big trouble....BUY "MADE IN AMERICA"

As far as appealing to Obama, well even if they did there isn't much he CAN do. Romney being a Majority stockholder in Bain has MUCH more influence with Bain and it's board could do so much more to get them to step in and help AND it would help his position with American workers.

I agree completely with your statement that if this trend doesn't end soon we will be in big trouble and if Romney wins this trend will not only continue but increase.
 
2012? WTH does that have to Do with Romney?

the purpose of a corporation is to make money.

How would you like to know you are losing YOUR job just before Christmas and you had to train the people that were taking your job?
 
...it has NOTHING to do with the tax system.... it has everything to do with being able to pay 1/10 the wages, no benefits and not have to worry about basic standards of employee safety or environmental harmony. Contrary to the opinion of the many, rarely are taxes a primary or even secondary business concern. First you worry about making profits; then you worry about structuring your affairs to minimize taxes.


Now here is the million dollar question that the dems and unions never can answer

given the UNDENIABLE FACT that there are equally skilled workers in other nations who can do the SAME WORK as AMERICAN workers for one 5th the wages what will happen to companies that insist on purchasing a commodity that is FIVE TIMES more expensive as that used by the COMPETITION?
 
I happen to have 2 Bachelors Degree and an Associates Degree and own my own Business with 15 Employees and I still struggle. It's GREED that motivates these companies and not creating jobs.

Do you own a computer? Likely assembled overseas. Every single one of Apple's products is. Have you called Obama to give the CEO a call? The athletic shoe companies? Anybody calling them? I'm just facing reality; Americans, in sufficient number, couldn't afford to buy many, many things unless they were made overseas. That's the fact. That's not going to change.

No offense, but I also owned a business -- for 20 years -- 6 or 7 employees. My first motivation was not my employees. My first motivation was to maximize profits. By doing that? I was able to take care of my employees quite well.

Now here is the million dollar question that the dems and unions never can answer

given the UNDENIABLE FACT that there are equally skilled workers in other nations who can do the SAME WORK as AMERICAN workers for one 5th the wages what will happen to companies that insist on purchasing a commodity that is FIVE TIMES more expensive as that used by the COMPETITION?

No one will buy their products. They'll go out of business. Even their R&D that conceivably might employ thousands of people.

But many people just "Lalalalalalalala.....I can't HEARRRRR youuuuu."
 
How would you like to know you are losing YOUR job just before Christmas and you had to train the people that were taking your job?

It would suck. but lots of things suck. the answer is to be your own boss or make yourself too valuable to fire
 
No, setting up a tax system that forces companies to send jobs overseas to save money is the problem.

Oh ok.. so when American Companies were making money hand over fist during Clintons administration (when the tax rate was at the highest it had been in Decades was a bad thing? They are actually lower NOW than they were then. Whats the difference? Oh thats right the wing-nut far right wing has decided that they want 2 classes, the Nobility and the peasant class.
 
More typically moronic attacks which are contributing to Obama dropping in the polls left and right. Thats what I think of this article.
1-If the company was previously so profitable, why was it sold in the first place?
2-Since Romney hasnt been with Bain for a long long time this is just more political hackery and guess what...it only sells to the mindless drones already connected to the hive.
3-Where are the whines, cries, and outrage over Obama 'saving' the auto industry by shutting down dealers and their staff, firing people, abandoning non union retirement accounts, and oh yeah...farming out unprofitable jobs overseas?

When Obama runs on his record of what he has done and what his plan is...he might regain his momentum. Spending the last two months whining about Romney and picking losing arguments like Bain (he did the same thing), off shore holdings (yep...Obama has them), Big Bird, and Binders has caused him to go from a comfortable lead and a slam dunk reelection to where we are today.
 
Back
Top Bottom