Regarding Romney's "I like being able to fire people" gaff....

[trumad]

My wife is a District Manager for a large office supply company and has the opportunity to Interview and hire people on a monthly basis.

She is one of three in a hiring panel.

She's actually had people in interviews make statements like the one Romney made.

She had a guy tell the panel a couple of months ago that he likes to be thought of as the "terminator".

Smug and proud of firing workers---no empathy whatsoever.

Needless to say, people who boast that they like firing people never make it to the next interview.

It is a monumental gaff to say something like that.

[drm604]

1. I know an HR person who HATES that part of her job.

Any normal human being would.

[trumad]

2. The firing part.

As a manager I've been asked the question:

How do you feel about firing people.

My stock reply is --- I feel lousy.---I know it is sometimes a necessity---but it's the worse part of the job.

[digonswine]

3. Could it be--

that he was saying he likes to have a choice regarding providers of service, especially--as he stated--if they were not providing it adequately? We all do this--if someone claims to provide a service and does not do so-we no longer use them
I would like to think, and DO think, he meant that he likes the ABILITY to fire those providing poor service.
NOW---I think he is a disingenuous over-privileged chicken-hawk hypocrite asshole.
I just do not see this as the "gotcha" comment. He has others--Corporations are people my friend, etc.

[trumad]

4. Watch the video

He caught himself right after he said it..and then made up the service shit.

It's as if he was about to puke up his asshole.

Anyone with a moral soul doesn't like to fire people.

[digonswine]

8. That could be-

he did seem a bit jubilant when talking of the firing people. Hey--I know he is a heartless prick-I need no convincing. If one looks at the transcript, though, and disregards the body language, what he said is not so bad.
He does seem to need a software update however.

[trumad]

12. Transcript doesn't show

asshole puke.

[digonswine]

15. True-

on viewing, it was not pretty.
It makes me think of those shows that slow down people's reactions to show microexpressions, that are invisible to most viewers. I bet he went through at least four distinct emotions during the slip.

[JBoy]

5. Perhaps, but his choice of words conveys his underlying lack of empathy

and utter tone-deafness.

In that regard it's actually more akin to his "$10,000 bet" comment than the "corporations" comment.

[digonswine]

9. I agree-

the $10,000 bet gaffe is hard to watch. I cringed and wanted a shower after viewing it.

[gratuitous]

11. Like an insurance company?

How do you know your insurance company is going to provide poor service until they do? And what constitutes poor service from an insurance company, as far as most people are concerned? I'd say it's the denial of a claim for benefits. Now, you could sophistically argue that an insurance company might overcharge for premiums, or call you Mr. Kelly when your name is Keller, or something. But really and realistically, poor service from an insurance company is denial of a claim.

And what are your options when your health insurance company denies your claim? Okay, you get to "fire" them, according to Mitt. And here's a comprehensive list of the insurance companies that will be beating down your door to cover your pre-existing condition at your previous level of premium cost:

1.
2.
3.

I'd have to say that no matter how Romney tries to spin it, this comment is either colossally insensitive or irretrievably stupid.

[digonswine]

14. I know-

but this is the reality they try to reinforce. The one where, for example, the EPA is a useless entity-"Why, if company X pollutes the verdant countryside, there will be a public outcry, resulting in company X's banishment from the land, only to be replaced by a sensitive organization. That's how the market works!"
You are correct that insurance companies, and nearly all the unaccountable others, do not respond to the dissatisfaction of wronged individuals.
But--this is not to say I agree with his line--I think many in this country think that capitalism can solve its own problems.
People with brains can see this is nonsense. There are people saying, and people believing, that this whole economic mess is due to government intervention. Naturally-the people saying it are wading in bullshit to their ears, but it makes sense to some.

[gratuitous]

17. It's the standard "Libertarian" confusion

That somehow, all the bad depradations by private enterprises magically disappeared without any government enforcement mechanism at all. Suddenly (for example), all the auto makers just decided to provide seat belts, because the public was clamoring for them, everyone wanted to be much safer, and folks would pay extra for them. So seat belts came about and now you can't buy a car without them!

It's like a Dr. Pangloss argument from Voltaire.

[marlakay]

6. I have two family members that are in management and have to hire and fire

They both hate firing someone and feel bad. One took a large company through bankruptcy before she moved on to next job and through that process had to fire a lot of people. She stayed calm and handled it but she hated doing it.

Anyone who loves firing people has no compassion for their fellow human beings.

[Ian David]

7. I took a temp job in an HR department where that was our primary function.

I gave notice on my first day.

Both the job, and the boss, were awful.

My primary function was to manage the flow of documents and procedures involved in terminating employees.

A letter from their direct supervisor, the department head, head of H.R., Etc.

Did the I.T. department cancel their accounts? Delete their card key access? Severance check written? Remaining vacation time? Scheduled an "exit interview?"

It was truly horrible knowing that an employee was either going about their business, or at home after a heart attack, not knowing all those wheels that were turning in the background.

A Fedex package sent to one person who would sign a bunch of pages, and then fly with it to meet another person at a conference in Florida, who would also sign it, and then fly back to Massachusetts to have a surprise "exit interview" with someone.

[trumad]

13. george Clooney's movie 'Up in the Air' touched on that part of the job.

[Ian David]

18. I didn't know that. I have to watch it now! n/t

[Pirate Smile]

10. A tweet from Ezra Klein - showing a bit of the contrast between the President & Romney:

@ezraklein Daley moving to co-chair of Obama's reelect. Unlike Romney, Obama really, really, really, really doesn't like to fire people.

[aquart]

16. Empathy is not a Romney trait.

It's what makes people think he's a phony. He fakes caring and people catch that.