Home Depot Cofounder Bernie Marcus Blames Socialism for ‘Lazy,’ ‘Fat,’ ‘Stupid’ Labor Force

[PatMiles]

Bernie Marcus Blames Socialism for 'Lazy,' 'Fat,' 'Stupid' Labor Force

Home Depot cofounder Bernie Marcus blamed socialism for generating an entitled labor force that is 'lazy,' 'fat,' and 'stupid.'

www.breitbart.com

Home Depot cofounder Bernie Marcus blamed socialism for generating an entitled labor force that is “lazy,” “fat,” and “stupid.”
Due to the economic agenda of “socialism,” Marcus told the Financial Times, “Nobody works. Nobody gives a damn. ‘Just give it to me. Send me money. I don’t want to work — I’m too lazy, I’m too fat, I’m too stupid.’”
As an alternative, Marcus, 93, explained that capitalism is a good system because it is based on merit.
“I’m worried about capitalism,” Marcus said. “Capitalism is the basis of Home Depot [and] millions of people have earned this success and had success. I’m talking manufacturers, vendors and distributors and people that work for us able to enrich themselves by the journey of Home Depot. That’s the success. That’s why capitalism works.”
Marcus argued that business is meant to make a profit from offering a service or product. Marcus said a business’s ability to generate profit benefits employees and customers. He also slammed those who believe business exists for “social purposes.”
“The role of a business is to sell a product and make a profit,” he said. “The whole idea that a business is set up for social purposes doesn’t make sense to me.”
Marcus added if he and cofounder Arthur Blank tried to launch Home Depot in today’s society and regulatory environment, it would be less successful. Big government’s love of red tape, along with a lackluster labor force, especially hurts small businesses’ ability to compete with big business.
“We would end up with 15, 16 stores,” he said. “I don’t know that we could go further.”
Home Depot is a successful business. It boasts 2,300 stores in North America. Its market capitalization is $300 billion, and it generates $150 billion in annual revenue.
Marcus cofounded Home Depot in 1979 after starting his career as a pharmacist. He served as its CEO for 19 years and chairman of the board until he retired in 2002.
As a longtime conservative donor, Marcus supported former President Donald Trump and became one of his largest donors. Marcus’s continued support of Trump in the 2020 election cycle triggered a boycott of Home Depot, even though Marcus no longer worked with the company.
Marcus told the Times he makes no apologies for backing Republicans, including Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who could announce a 2024 campaign. “I give money to them because I hope they’re going to do the right thing,” Marcus said.
Marcus described Trump’s policies as “spot on” but did not say if he would support one man over the other for the GOP nomination.
“It’s going to be very interesting in ’24 because I think DeSantis will challenge him. And may the better man win,” Marcus said.

 

[Jscb1b]

Well no fucking shit.

 

[Lapuapalooza]

I bet his social credit score sucks.

 

[Carlos Danger]

Well...... he ain't wrong.

 

[kenny1773]

 

[The D]

What does he say about the minimum wage, zoning laws, & other gov regulations limiting small hardware business startups?

 

[candyx]

Didn't take much but a few dollars spread around to destroy capitalism and convert the sheep to socialism. It should of happen long ago when we elected communists for politicians instead of using rope. All things must change no matter how much you didn't want them to change. January 6 actually showed our weakness to their authority after the dust settled. Taking the vax and submitting to lock downs again showed a very submissive nation following the words lying thieving asshats .


Nikita Khrushchev 1956

“We will take America without firing a shot. We do not have to invade the U.S. We will destroy you from within....”

It took some time but it does appear Khrushchev's seen something in our ways back then to make that statement although China is also a big part of it since they were able to buy the asshats we elected. When they say America is the Greatest Nation , what that means is the most corrupt. We have 535 people controlling the nation and it doesn't take much money to control all them by international players. Capitalism at its best and their flag is green. The red,white and blue flag means sheep ahead.

 

[camotoe]

Says the lazy fuck, standing around resting his arm on buckets, doing nothing......

 

[acudaowner]

natural selection is really way to slow a process thinning the heard needs to be a fast messy process , scare people enough and you can make changes in other people behavior like seeing a brother get the belt besides being funny as hell you learn not to do what ever he did to piss the old man off .

 

[Jefe's Dope]

What does he say about the minimum wage, zoning laws, & other gov regulations limiting small hardware business startups?

Did you read the article?

Big government’s love of red tape, along with a lackluster labor force, especially hurts small businesses’ ability to compete with big business.

 

[Maggot]

I have a simple answer:

Wetbacks.

They want to work. Let the Americans who wont work, starve.

 

[DropDhot]

People continually fail to realize that the starting wage in this country that employers like him are only going to pay has been inflated away to nearly nothing. Mostly due to a reflexive response of most people to simply brush it off as "left wing commie talk" and boomer fuddism unable to grasp that the world has changed since they worked that summer job at McDs to pay for college back in the 60s. They refuse to listen. And so the situation will continue to get worse as inflation continues to rise. At some point they'll wake up and it'll be too late ---- our living standard will be relegated to essentially being tantamount to some Brazilian crime-riddled flavellan hellscape. But they won't care because "they got theirs" and its up to us to persist in this nightmare that they created through their staggering lack of foresight and squandering of the nation bequeathed to them from their betters.

“The role of a business is to sell a product and make a profit,” he said. “The whole idea that a business is set up for social purposes doesn’t make sense to me.”

Henry Ford, quite possibly one of the greatest American businessmen that ever lived, didn't believe this tripe. Sure, to EXIST as a business you have to make a profit, but to say that the sole purpose of a business is to serve as a vehicle for greed and accumulation of Smaug-like wealth is just pure unadulterated Mammon-worship. You don't have to set up a business for social purposes (aka a charity), but to deny that doing nothing but pay slave-wages and employ illegals (while spending vast amounts of $$$$ to lobby congress for H1B and similar programs) to keep the relative wages down while your workers' lives spiral down a drain of unending inflationary misery is just being a parasite.

 

[supercorndogs]

The problem with that hypothesis, is that raising minimum wage drives prices up. I.E. Minimum wage hikes cause more inflation. So then what do you do?

 

[DropDhot]

How did the inflation "stop" (read: slow) when we raised minimum wage the last 20+ times it was done? The parasites at the FEDRES (et al) are responsible for causing all this by recklessly printing unfathomable amounts of money hand-over-fist and doling it out in the form of stimmies/Ukraine gibs/etc., so none of this is really directly the fault of either John Q Citizen or the typical business owner (multinational corporate parasite CEOs excluded, of course). However, wage growth is typically at the end of a full turning of the inflation cycle which then allows for an equilibrium to form in the labor supply:worker demand paradigm. Which then, if the money printing stopped, would eventually cool the rise of inflation and things would return to 'normal' for everyone with relatively the same living standard/profit margin as before the inflation cycle started.

This time around, instead of simply raising wages to satisfy that equation like they've done in the past, businesses have opted for bribing politicians to bring in third world slave labor to artificially suppress that natural rise in wage growth which would naturally occur. Before, they would simply offshore and outsource all the jobs they could to the third world (Mexico, China, Vietnam, etc). Now, after they've offshored nearly everything they could to the third world they're now just bringing the third world here. BOTH parties of parasites do this. The 'Right' loves it because their corporate donors get their slaves/serfs and avoid having to pay more for the labor that is domestic. The 'left' loves it because its more third-worlders that will sit here and get on welfare programs, breed dozens of new "American" citizens, and bring about irreversible demographic change that will further entrench them with power because the polls unanimously show they ALL vote blue as a giant bloc.

This is a HUGE issue that entire libraries of books have been written about. Some old out of touch boomer from Home Depot (a place you can go and physically see illegal aliens congregating in massive numbers) complaining that people don't want to work anymore for what is quickly becoming almost China-like slave labor wages, and then on top of that calling everyone "fat, lazy, and stupid", really just shows how absolutely out of touch they are/he is with what is going on in the country and the problems of the common average man.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I have a simple answer:

Wetbacks.

They want to work. Let the Americans who wont work, starve.

Why does everyone invariably assume illegals all want to come over the border to bust their ass?

 

[DropDhot]

Why does everyone invariably assume illegals all want to come over the border to bust their ass?

Because that is what the TV tells them is the only acceptable thing they're allowed to say about them.

 

[NoDopes]

5M-7M illegal aliens under Biden. Most, if not all, on welfare while working in the untaxed black market.. Fat, lazy and stupid doesn't describe just the young working generation. Our politicians need some credit too.

 

[supercorndogs]

5M-7M illegal aliens under Biden. Most, if not all, on welfare while working in the untaxed black market.. Fat, lazy and stupid doesn't describe just the young working generation. Our politicians need some credit too.

All of them are. Even the ones with jobs. I just saw a family at the store the other day. Clearly from somewhere south of the border. They didn't speak any english, and the clerk was showing them how to use their brand new card. They are here for free stuff, and they will tell if you ask them. They are handed money at the border and sent on their way.

I know there is lots of money in it, because a guy I know was offered 600 per head to run down to the border, get them, and bring them back here. Then it made sense why another guy I know, who's car dealership and shop hardly do any business, seems to rolling in doe.

We are importing entire communities, and well connected gang networks are getting lots more soldiers.

 

[M4orturnate]

People continually fail to realize that the starting wage in this country that employers like him are only going to pay has been inflated away to nearly nothing. Mostly due to a reflexive response of most people to simply brush it off as "left wing commie talk" and boomer fuddism unable to grasp that the world has changed since they worked that summer job at McDs to pay for college back in the 60s. They refuse to listen. And so the situation will continue to get worse as inflation continues to rise. At some point they'll wake up and it'll be too late ---- our living standard will be relegated to essentially being tantamount to some Brazilian crime-riddled flavellan hellscape. But they won't care because "they got theirs" and its up to us to persist in this nightmare that they created through their staggering lack of foresight and squandering of the nation bequeathed to them from their betters.


Henry Ford, quite possibly one of the greatest American businessmen that ever lived, didn't believe this tripe. Sure, to EXIST as a business you have to make a profit, but to say that the sole purpose of a business is to serve as a vehicle for greed and accumulation of Smaug-like wealth is just pure unadulterated Mammon-worship. You don't have to set up a business for social purposes (aka a charity), but to deny that doing nothing but pay slave-wages and employ illegals (while spending vast amounts of $$$$ to lobby congress for H1B and similar programs) to keep the relative wages down while your workers' lives spiral down a drain of unending inflationary misery is just being a parasite.

Henry ford was a devout nazi.

 

[Maggot]

Why does everyone invariably assume illegals all want to come over the border to bust their ass?

Because that is what the TV tells them is the only acceptable thing they're allowed to say about them.

1- My statement was largely tongue in cheek sarcasm

2-It used to be that way. When I owned my spread near the border circa 2000 they were all looking for work. I reckon with Soros stirring the pot it may have changed

3- Being around construction I see that most of them do seem to want to work and are good workers.

 

[mikeshaw2]

Says the lazy fuck, standing around resting his arm on buckets, doing nothing......

Dude's 93. Maybe he needs them for support?

Either way, he's helped to accomplish more than any of us.

M

 

[supercorndogs]

Circa 2000 is like 30 million illegal immigrants ago. Back Before they could get welfare. They only came here to work.

 

[Jscb1b]

Circa 2000 is like 30 million illegal immigrants ago. Back Before they could get welfare. They only came here to work.

Think of all the votes.

 

[supercorndogs]

They don't vote. That's not to say their votes aren't tabulated though.

Mexican culture is a machismo culture. They liked Trump because he is not a bitch. They don't like Biden because he is a bitch. They don't like Obama because of the color of his skin. They don't like Hilary because men should be in charge in their culture.

 

[Maggot]

They don't vote. That's not to say their votes aren't tabulated though.

Mexican culture is a machismo culture. They liked Trump because he is not a bitch. They don't like Biden because he is a bitch. They don't like Obama because of the color of his skin. They don't like Hilary because men should be in charge in their culture.

Not inaccurate, and they're mostly Catholic who are firmly anti abortion.

 

[E. Bryant]

An alternative viewpoint: this guy made billions because the Fed let its money printer go BRRRR to juice the housing market, loose trade policy allowed him to import trillions of dollars' worth of cheap Chinese junk, federal labor laws allow his company to employee nearly a half-million part-time workers without offering benefits, and non-enforcement of immigration laws have artificially suppressed labor prices for at least the past quarter-century. The company's stock is up 16x since the 2008 crash, where as real household income has increased only 7.5% (approximately 0.5% YoY) in the same period.

 

[E. Bryant]

The problem with that hypothesis, is that raising minimum wage drives prices up. I.E. Minimum wage hikes cause more inflation. So then what do you do?

To the extent that this exists*, sound money largely solves the problem.

*Home Depot sells an average of $262,000 in goods per worker and pays an average of $14/hour, so it's highly unlikely that any wage pressure will translate into significant price hikes. The price of Formica from China or appliances from Mexico is far more significant.

 

[BCP]

Another zillionaire geezer whining about how lazy the peasants are. These are the same people who want to import millions of third worlders into your hometown in order to keep your wages down.

 

[Doctorwho1138]

Another zillionaire geezer whining about how lazy the peasants are. These are the same people who want to import millions of third worlders into your hometown in order to keep your wages down.

No, it’s because people are lazy and they want to be paid more than they are worth to business. You want more money, work hard and develop some skills that are assets to a company and make yourself indispensable. Skilled hard working people are always in demand. Lazy people get what they deserve.

 

[Lapuapalooza]

No, it’s because people are lazy and they want to be paid more than they are worth to business. You want more money, work hard and develop some skills that are assets to a company and make yourself indispensable. Skilled hard working people are always in demand. Lazy people get what they deserve.

Bingo!

 

[BCP]

No, it’s because people are lazy and they want to be paid more than they are worth to business. You want more money, work hard and develop some skills that are assets to a company and make yourself indispensable. Skilled hard working people are always in demand. Lazy people get what they deserve.

There is no law that people have to work for shitty companies offering shitty wages and shitty working conditions for a shitty customer base who buy shitty Chinesium drills because the shitty Chinesium batteries cost almost as much as the Drill + Batteries.

Burger joints are paying 17-20$ now. My guys are getting 30-40$. The problem is you have these old guys whose memories go back 65 years and for them 15cent Coca-Colas and 39cents a gallon gas feel like it was "last week". Or how they rented an apartment for 120 bucks a month and took their sweety to the roller derby for 2$.

 

[Doctorwho1138]

There is no law that people have to work for shitty companies offering shitty wages and shitty working conditions for a shitty customer base who buy shitty Chinesium drills because the shitty Chinesium batteries cost almost as much as the Drill + Batteries.

Burger joints are paying 17-20$ now. My guys are getting 30-40$. The problem is you have these old guys whose memories go back 65 years and for them 15cent Coca-Colas and 39cents a gallon gas feel like it was "last week". Or how they rented an apartment for 120 bucks a month and took their sweety to the roller derby for 2$.

And there is no law that binds them to that company. If you don’t like your job or employer then leave. If you are worth your salt someone else will take you. I truly believe that the market will determine what your worth is to a company. There are so many companies to work for and the successful ones are the ones that figure it out. You can’t have a quality company if you employ lazy employees. Problem is that now people expect the world when they offer nothing. I have people coming in wanting wages comparable to someone with years and years of experience. I see it all the time and I pass.

 

[vinniedelpino]

And there is no law that binds them to that company. If you don’t like your job or employer then leave. If you are worth your salt someone else will take you. I truly believe that the market will determine what your worth is to a company. There are so many companies to work for and the successful ones are the ones that figure it out. You can’t have a quality company if you employee lazy employees. Problem is that now people expect the world when they offer nothing. I have people coming in wanting wages comparable to someone with years and years of experience. I see it all the time and I pass.

You ignorant fuck...

These people have student loans, car payments and credit card debt. Some of them are even brewing their own coffee and skipping out on bottomless mimosas at brunch just to stay afloat.

 

[DropDhot]

Henry ford was a devout nazi.

 

[DropDhot]

No, it’s because people are lazy and they want to be paid more than they are worth to business. You want more money, work hard and develop some skills that are assets to a company and make yourself indispensable. Skilled hard working people are always in demand. Lazy people get what they deserve.

Lol “ok boomer”

Look, all jokes aside the problem isn’t “lazy people want to be paid more than they’re worth to the company”. It’s that “the company” doesn’t want to understand that basic labor is now worth more than it was in 1983. They want to complain about that, go whine to the Federal Reserve and their policy of mandatory inflation/money printing. Blaming and whipping the mule for not wanting to pull when the cart’s weight has increased 200lbs and the carrot is now 83% sawdust is simply a recipe for disaster. It’s reaganomics nonsense that’s only going to end in disaster. Just ask Louis XVI or Tsar Nicholas.

But these dinosaurs will never get it because they’re stuck in TV brainwashed La-La Land and don’t have to face reality any more.

 

[Doctorwho1138]

Lol “ok boomer”

Look, all jokes aside the problem isn’t “lazy people want to be paid more than they’re worth to the company”. It’s that “the company” doesn’t want to understand that basic labor is now worth more than it was in 1983. They want to complain about that, go whine to the Federal Reserve and their policy of mandatory inflation/money printing. Blaming and whipping the mule for not wanting to pull when the cart’s weight has increased 200lbs and the carrot is now 83% sawdust is simply a recipe for disaster. It’s reaganomics nonsense that’s only going to end in disaster. Just ask Louis XVI or Tsar Nicholas.

But these dinosaurs will never get it because they’re stuck in TV brainwashed La-La Land and don’t have to face reality any more.

Calling me a “Boomer”…ouch that hurts. Love ad hominem attacks…so stunning and brave. Sounds like you have no idea of what goes in to a business or how a business is run. Typical of an entitled individual who lacks any understanding of how the real world works. Have fun with that.

 

[DropDhot]

Calling me a “Boomer”…ouch that hurts. Love ad hominem attacks…so stunning and brave. Sounds like you have no idea of what goes in to a business or how a business is run. Typical of an entitled individual who lacks any understanding of how the real world works. Have fun with that.

It was a joke, calm down.

I know exactly what goes into a business. The issue is that businesses refuse to accept reality and now its rearing its head. They don't want to pay a wage that reflects the supply:demand of the labor market. So what do they do? Instead of raising wages to levels acceptable for workers they want to employ they complain about how "oh they're just lazy". Even worse, they lobby for the replacement of the domestic population with violent "workers" from halfway across the world which leads directly to increases in crime and the erosion of traditional values and our Constitutional freedoms.

But no, you're probably right. It's the children who are wrong.

 

[Kein Mitleid]

HD runs in a way that’s pretty easy on the employees from what I can see. Aside from the early hours, I don’t see anything particularly taxing.

How much do really need to pay someone to say ‘go ahead and use that register to scan your own items and pay’? I usually don’t even acknowledge their directive as I can see for myself exactly which register doesn’t have a person standing in front of it scanning items.

Most basic service jobs are like this, so I’m at a loss as to where one gets to demand that the state require the employer to give them a raise.

 

[BCP]

Lol “ok boomer”

Look, all jokes aside the problem isn’t “lazy people want to be paid more than they’re worth to the company”. It’s that “the company” doesn’t want to understand that basic labor is now worth more than it was in 1983. They want to complain about that, go whine to the Federal Reserve and their policy of mandatory inflation/money printing. Blaming and whipping the mule for not wanting to pull when the cart’s weight has increased 200lbs and the carrot is now 83% sawdust is simply a recipe for disaster. It’s reaganomics nonsense that’s only going to end in disaster. Just ask Louis XVI or Tsar Nicholas.

But these dinosaurs will never get it because they’re stuck in TV brainwashed La-La Land and don’t have to face reality any more.

The whole “nobody wants to work” is bullshit anyways, these companies are hoping for a large Guest Worker program.

 

[Rthur]

Why argue about the effects?

Who has, single handily, created these conditions?

Was it on purpose?

A perfect example, arguing about democracy when you live in a (theoretical these days) constitutional republic.

R

 

[Doctorwho1138]

It was a joke, calm down.

I know exactly what goes into a business. The issue is that businesses refuse to accept reality and now its rearing its head. They don't want to pay a wage that reflects the supply:demand of the labor market. So what do they do? Instead of raising wages to levels acceptable for workers they want to employ they complain about how "oh they're just lazy". Even worse, they lobby for the replacement of the domestic population with violent "workers" from halfway across the world which leads directly to increases in crime and the erosion of traditional values and our Constitutional freedoms.

But no, you're probably right. It's the children who are wrong.

View attachment 8035835

I am 100 percent against illegal/foreign workers. If what you think is happening is true then the market will react. Even though I am against it, these foreign workers aren’t taking jobs away from people who will actually do these jobs. They are mostly unskilled labor positions such as house work, lawn maintenance , construction etc. Now I believe there are computer jobs being outsourced overseas due to wage discrepancies. That’s not my field so I don’t know the ins and outs of that. I will say that we need more manufacturing domestically, COVID should have taught us that. The problem is that America loves cheap products. Although I can’t always avoid it, I will certainly pay more for products manufactured here in the US. The thing is if you see a problem, develop an idea on how to fix it and then market it. That’s how innovation takes place and instead of complaining about a problem, you can be part of the solution. But that takes work.

 

[BCP]

HD runs in a way that’s pretty easy on the employees from what I can see. Aside from the early hours, I don’t see anything particularly taxing.

How much do really need to pay someone to say ‘go ahead and use that register to scan your own items and pay’? I usually don’t even acknowledge their directive as I can see for myself exactly which register doesn’t have a person standing in front of it scanning items.

Most basic service jobs are like this, so I’m at a loss as to where one gets to demand that the state require the employer to give them a raise.

Look if they are having trouble hiring (they aren’t) then they either raise wages/benefits or they downsize etc. Or go broke. Thats the Free Market. Its not your patriotic duty to work for Home Depot lol.

 

[Gwak2006]

I stole this from another thread.

 

[DropDhot]

I am 100 percent against illegal/foreign workers. If what you think is happening is true then the market will react. Even though I am against it, these foreign workers aren’t taking jobs away from people who will actually do these jobs. They are mostly unskilled labor positions such as house work, lawn maintenance , construction etc. Now I believe there are computer jobs being outsourced overseas due to wage discrepancies. That’s not my field so I don’t know the ins and outs of that. I will say that we need more manufacturing domestically, COVID should have taught us that. The problem is that America loves cheap products. Although I can’t always avoid it, I will certainly pay more for products manufactured here in the US. The thing is if you see a problem, develop an idea on how to fix it and then market it. That’s how innovation takes place and instead of complaining about a problem, you can be part of the solution. But that takes work.

That's not accurate. Even in demand jobs are being flooded with H1B visas now. IT and engineering jobs in particular. IT got destroyed by third worlders in the last 10 years or so. Used to be graduating college with the right certs would land you a $80k starting job at a domestic business in any IT field but these companies couldn't stand that so they lobbied Congress for H1B visa expansion and now they can hire three or four incompetent Indians at the price of one competent American. This is happening in literally every field now. Even trucking is being flooded with Nigerians and other third-worlders.

The flaw in your calculus is that "innovation" isn't some magic spell. It takes time and effort. Key word being TIME. While these magic fictional people are "innovating" you still have a mortgage to pay (if they're lucky), kids to feed, gas to put in your car, etc. Its not like those things take a break while the magic market takes its sweet time "to react and fix itself". As much as I hate the guy, Keynes even said "The market can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent". And he's right. It's even worse if these parasites are being aided and abetted by the other parasites in Congress. This is basically preventing all that wonderful "innovation" you talk about that will somehow magically solve all our problems. Because if necessity is the mother of invention, and importing all these low-wage troglodytes from the third world is making it 'not necessary' to pay a wage comparable to the American basic standard of living...........then you've just removed the need to innovate.

 

[Ronws]

Bernie Marcus Blames Socialism for 'Lazy,' 'Fat,' 'Stupid' Labor Force

Home Depot cofounder Bernie Marcus blamed socialism for generating an entitled labor force that is 'lazy,' 'fat,' and 'stupid.'

www.breitbart.com

Home Depot cofounder Bernie Marcus blamed socialism for generating an entitled labor force that is “lazy,” “fat,” and “stupid.”
Due to the economic agenda of “socialism,” Marcus told the Financial Times, “Nobody works. Nobody gives a damn. ‘Just give it to me. Send me money. I don’t want to work — I’m too lazy, I’m too fat, I’m too stupid.’”
As an alternative, Marcus, 93, explained that capitalism is a good system because it is based on merit.
“I’m worried about capitalism,” Marcus said. “Capitalism is the basis of Home Depot [and] millions of people have earned this success and had success. I’m talking manufacturers, vendors and distributors and people that work for us able to enrich themselves by the journey of Home Depot. That’s the success. That’s why capitalism works.”
Marcus argued that business is meant to make a profit from offering a service or product. Marcus said a business’s ability to generate profit benefits employees and customers. He also slammed those who believe business exists for “social purposes.”
“The role of a business is to sell a product and make a profit,” he said. “The whole idea that a business is set up for social purposes doesn’t make sense to me.”
Marcus added if he and cofounder Arthur Blank tried to launch Home Depot in today’s society and regulatory environment, it would be less successful. Big government’s love of red tape, along with a lackluster labor force, especially hurts small businesses’ ability to compete with big business.
“We would end up with 15, 16 stores,” he said. “I don’t know that we could go further.”
Home Depot is a successful business. It boasts 2,300 stores in North America. Its market capitalization is $300 billion, and it generates $150 billion in annual revenue.
Marcus cofounded Home Depot in 1979 after starting his career as a pharmacist. He served as its CEO for 19 years and chairman of the board until he retired in 2002.
As a longtime conservative donor, Marcus supported former President Donald Trump and became one of his largest donors. Marcus’s continued support of Trump in the 2020 election cycle triggered a boycott of Home Depot, even though Marcus no longer worked with the company.
Marcus told the Times he makes no apologies for backing Republicans, including Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who could announce a 2024 campaign. “I give money to them because I hope they’re going to do the right thing,” Marcus said.
Marcus described Trump’s policies as “spot on” but did not say if he would support one man over the other for the GOP nomination.
“It’s going to be very interesting in ’24 because I think DeSantis will challenge him. And may the better man win,” Marcus said.

He is not wrong.

 

[Kein Mitleid]

Exactly and it’s not the employer’s patriotic duty to pay above market.

Employers often do pay above market, mainly to take advantage of what that offers them which is the ability to be more picky about who they hire.

 

[DropDhot]

Exactly and it’s not the employer’s patriotic duty to pay above market.

Employers often do pay above market, mainly to take advantage of what that offers them which is the ability to be more picky about who they hire.

Yes, but workers determine what the market value for their labor is. So they're not working for him. And that's what this HD guys is bemoaning. He doesn't want to pay people what they want so instead of sucking it up and reacting to labor market demands he's throwing a tantrum and calling everyone lazy and stupid.

 

[Kein Mitleid]

They can determine what they want but they do not determine the market value. The market does that.

 

[Doctorwho1138]

That's not accurate. Even in demand jobs are being flooded with H1B visas now. IT and engineering jobs in particular. IT got destroyed by third worlders in the last 10 years or so. Used to be graduating college with the right certs would land you a $80k starting job at a domestic business in any IT field but these companies couldn't stand that so they lobbied Congress for H1B visa expansion and now they can hire three or four incompetent Indians at the price of one competent American. This is happening in literally every field now. Even trucking is being flooded with Nigerians and other third-worlders.

The flaw in your calculus is that "innovation" isn't some magic spell. It takes time and effort. Key word being TIME. While these magic fictional people are "innovating" you still have a mortgage to pay (if they're lucky), kids to feed, gas to put in your car, etc. It’s not like those things take a break while the magic market takes its sweet time "to react and fix itself". As much as I hate the guy, Keynes even said "The market can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent". And he's right. It's even worse if these parasites are being aided and abetted by the other parasites in Congress. This is basically preventing all that wonderful "innovation" you talk about that will somehow magically solve all our problems. Because if necessity is the mother of invention, and importing all these low-wage troglodytes from the third world is making it 'not necessary' to pay a wage comparable to the American basic standard of living...........then you've just removed the need to innovate.

Everyone who has started a business, started from somewhere and there are risks. The pressures that you talk about, just about every single person who has opened a business has felt it. You take out a business loan and you wonder how you are going to pay it all back and support yourself and sometimes a family. With those risks comes rewards. And instead of worrying about being replaced you can run it however you like. That’s the beauty of business. This is America and the entrepreneurial spirit runs deep. As far as trucking is concerned, my brother’s father in law is one and he has more work than he can handle and makes good money. He is gone a lot but that’s the nature of the business and he accepts it. I have heard that about IT but that’s the problem when so much of your work can be handled remotely.

 

[W54/XM-388]

I'm not very sympathetic these days when super rich people whine about how they can't slave drive their employees any more.
OMG people won't do unpaid overtime or give up their family lives for free and how dare they think their little lives are anywhere near as important as making money for us so we can get even richer.

Treat your employees like crap.
Pile tons of stupid feel good mandates on them
Have your HR department go around telling them how bad they are for the crime of being born with pale skin or a penis or being happy in their bodies.
Shove mask and vaxx things down their throats
Treat them like disposable garbage anytime you want to boost your stock price
Pay them as little as you can possibly get away with and try to cheat them out of as much pay as you can.
Refuse to give them raises that have any close relation to what the cost of living is.
Try your best to get around trying to have to give them any benefits.

Of course they are going to finally wake up and say Screw you to the corporate overlords.

The whole propaganda of it's some virtue to work yourself to death like a slave for the good of your corporate overlords has stopped working.

People more clearly than ever understand their lives, their time, their families, their health, their happiness are something they never get back and are valuable. In addition the totally "in your face" blatant wealth flaunting of the elites when everyone else was driven into poverty has made the workers unlikely to want to do anything extra or work any extra unless they are well compensated.

The rich here can whine and cry, but eventually they may have to understand either through economics or through strict government regulations that they have to respect their employee's personal lives and family lives and pay decent wages and have good working conditions and fair dealings with their employees, much as a good part of Europe does. The French workers are of course the most strident in demanding the treatment they want HA!
It means less gaudy stratospheric wealth for the new rich, but the old rich are very happy with the system as it cements their control.

As part of the Global Elites plan to take over, they have instituted a soft workers revolution against the greedy capitalists, while at the same time encouraging the new uncouth rich elites to show off ever more excess of wealth and try to treat their workers even worse to make the top dogs even richer.

All part of the plan to usher in the new feudalistic socialist utopia where all the new rich and lesser rich will be swept away and the only real rich will be the true Elites.