It is worth mentioning that GE supplies engines for Boeing, including for the 787 Dreamliners that will be built in South Carolina (the 787 will also use Rolls-Royce engines). Immelt hasn't had some realization of the benefits of free enterprise, rather Immelt is concerned with the interests of GE.

Right on target Art!

Shame on Sen. Graham for not at least saying something to the effect of "I find it ironic that while Jeffrey Immelt is scolding businesses across the country for not hiring enough workers, that he is making decisions and statements designed to boost GE profits at the expense of "big labor". Perhaps Mr. Immelt hopes he can 'cash in' on his relationships with the Obama Administration by engaging in yet more crony capitalism. First it was lightbulbs, now it's jet engines. While I appreciate Mr. Immelt weighing in on the matter, and agree with the basic tone of his statement, he has so compromised himself and his company that I question his motives."

Charles- do you suppose the connection is completely immaterial? Yes, Immelt will sell engines to Boeing, but the questing is, how many? And there Boeing has a competitor in Airbus that is also trying to sell similar planes. With reduced production capacity Boeing will, of course produce fewer planes and with reduced capacity and political uncertainty their customers will have less confidence in Boeing's ability to deliver on their orders in time. Why would Boeing go through the trouble of building a new line in a new state if it wasn't going to have a material impact on the growth and profitability of their business? Boeing is building the line in SC because they think it confers some competitive advantage on them, Immelt probably agrees with them.

I do not disagree that it is Immelt's job to pursue GE's interests- rather that the only reason Immelt is saying something we conservatives agree with is because it happens to coincide with his self-interest at this time.

I doubt that the POTUS doesn't understand this, he probably just doesn't care. Obama understands that it is in his interest to keep his biggest donors, the unions, happy ahead of the 2012 elections.

I completely agree with your final paragraph.

GE's policy has always been to prevent any new union jobs in its plants and give current unionized employees what they want until they're too old to work. It was brilliant because union members always only care about what they get themselves and have no problem shafting their younger members. It is thus a problem which solves itself in one generation, albeit a very expensive generation.

When I worked at GE, the union workforce made more money and worked less than virtually all the salaried workforce. I have never had a boat but it was rare to find one who didn't, or a much nicer car than we salaried schm~cks could afford.

Why is there never anybody to quote but Lindsey Graham? Will nobody respectable make a statement? Hopefully come next election for him he'll become far less quotable.