Progressive Spends Millions on Naming Rights While Laying Off Workers

Does this make any sense to you? Progressive Insurance announced in November that it was laying off 341 workers, most of them at the company's headquarters in the Cleveland area. Now, in January, the company enters into a deal with the Cleveland Indians whereby it will spend approximately 3.6 million a year for 16 years to have the naming rights to Jacobs Field.

The United States Chamber of Commerce announced this past week that it will spend up to 60 million dollars to try and influence the November elections. Why? Because it is concerned about the populist language being used by Democrats like Edwards and Republicans like Huckabee. By the way, it has no plans to disclose who gives it money to influence U.S. elections or to attack progressive candidates.

So why are talking about these two items in the same article? Because if corporations want to know why populism is increasing in the United States, they only have to look at actions like the ones taken by Progressive Insurance. Americans are coming to the realization that corporations don't consider the best interests of their workers or of the communities they are located in when they do things. They only consider the bottom line. Their motives are usually self-centered. Indeed, considering the fact that they owe their shareholders a duty to increase the values of their shares, that's probably exactly what they should do.

Where we have a problem is when they act as if other actors in the political system shouldn't do the same thing. Workers, when they vote, should take their cue from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and vote for candidates who will act in their self-interest. Act in their self-interest by considering extending medical and parental leave, by increasing the minimum wage, and by coming up with a national health insurance program. After all, what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.