It’s Not Only About Shareholder Profits Any More, Maybe.

Tod

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Wednesday August 21, 2019 · 5:04 PM PDT

2019/08/21 · 17:04

Maybe this is just PR spin, and maybe it’s a sea change, but even PR spin moving in this direction is an interesting development.

For decades that mantra has been that a corporation’s primary duty, in effect its only duty, was to maximize profits for its shareholders. This has been used to rationalize all kinds of antisocial behavior including mistreatment of workers, environmental hazards, you name it.

The Business Roundtable has issued a statement signed by the heads of 181 of the country’s largest businesses which acknowledges corporate obligations to “stakeholders” instead of just “shareholders”. Stakeholders include employees, customers, suppliers and communities.

While each of our individual companies serves its own corporate purpose,we share a fundamental commitment to all of our stakeholders.

And the conclusion:

Each of our stakeholders is essential. We commit to deliver value to all of them, for the future success of our companies, our communities and our country.

The names on the statement include some companies who are famous as being among the worst bad corporate actors, and it’s going to take a lot more than one barely noticed statement to convince anybody that some of these leopards have really changed their spots. Still, a public statement pulling the rug out from under the “we are just maximizing shareholder value, like we are supposed to”, defense could be an interesting first step.

The LA Times had a nice article about the statement.

NFL Player Killed in Road Rage Incident

Tod

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Thursday December 01, 2016 · 3:52 PM PST

2016/12/01 · 15:52

We have another gun tragedy. At least in other countries it would be called a tragedy. Here in America we call it “Thursday”.

Joe McKnight was a Louisiana kid, played college ball at USC (the one in California) then went on to the NFL and the New York Jets. This season he played up in Canada for the CFL.

That all ended today when Joe was shot and killed by a 54 year old man in a road rage incident. No explanation yet on who said what to who, but it sure looks like the typical American story of a “responsible gun owner” pulling out his gun to win an argument. Joe was unarmed. The shooter reportedly shot Joe at least once, and then stood over Joe and shot him again as he was lying in the street.

There may be a racial component to the story as well, but I couldn’t find reliable confirmation of the race of the shooter so I’ll leave that out for now.

Defamation Action Against Rachel Maddow Dismissed

Tod

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Tuesday December 18, 2012 · 5:44 PM PST

2012/12/18 · 17:44

A few months back we talked about a skirmish in the defamation action brought by Bradlee Dean against Rachel Maddow, NBC, and others. Zenbasson's diary from July can be found here.

It can now be reported that the trial court dismissed the action entirely and Mr. Dean has appealed. A little more after the cryptic orange squiggle.

Tod

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Friday October 09, 2009 · 2:48 PM PDT

2009/10/09 · 14:48

I just got President Obama's e-mail about winning the Nobel Prize. The text is after the jump but what's amazing is what is NOT there.

Tod

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Monday May 19, 2008 · 1:46 PM PDT

2008/05/19 · 13:46

TVNeswer has the ratings from Friday night. Guest host Rachel Maddow took over for Keith Olbermann and hit it out of the park. She beat O'Reilly by 100,000 viewers in the 25-54 demo.

Full results after the jump.

Tod

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Monday April 07, 2008 · 3:53 PM PDT

2008/04/07 · 15:53

Rachel Maddow fans everywhere were delighted that she got to sit in for Keith Olbermann on Countdown last Friday. It's probably the first time anybody live blogged a guest host on one of the cable shows.

TV Newser has the ratings from Friday night and Rachel did great. The numbers are after the break.

Tod

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Monday March 10, 2008 · 10:43 PM PDT

2008/03/10 · 22:43

Those of us who lean towards conspiracy theories are wondering how Eliot Spitzer came to be the subject of a federal investigation, especially for something that is usually a state crime.

Talking Points Memo is reporting that the investigation started with a bank bringing suspicious transactions to the attention of the IRS.

Banks turning in their own customers is required under federal law, in some circumstances. The fact that it happens at all is a whole other issue for civil libertarians. For the Spitzer case, the problem is, it doesn't usually happen that way. Follow after the break and I'll explain.

Tod

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Saturday February 09, 2008 · 12:03 AM PST

2008/02/09 · 00:03

This national nightmare of the writers strike is really getting out of hand. We all suffer in our own way, but the latest Bill Maher show is more than the country can bear.

It's not that we don't get the cute little intro scene.

It's not that we don't get the cute products in the middle of the show.

It's not even that we don't get "New Rules", even though it's a national treasure.

It's not really writing at all. More after the break.

Tod

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Monday September 10, 2007 · 3:31 PM PDT

2007/09/10 · 15:31

OK, kids, the big day had to happen and it finally came on Friday night.

TV Newser reports that last Friday Keith Olbermann beat Bill O'Reilly in the key demographic by 41,000 viewers. There have been other nights where Keith beat a substitute host, but on Friday it was Billo himself.

Keith keeps trending up, and Billo keeps trending down. There had to be a first time. Here's the ceremonial toast to this being the first of many more.

Tin Ear at the DCCC

Tod

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Thursday May 24, 2007 · 6:48 PM PDT

2007/05/24 · 18:48

I can't believe this one. I just got a fundraising e-mail from Brian Wolff at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee bragging about all the good things the Democrats did today by passing the supplemental spending bill and asking me to send in more cash to reward them for today's good work.

Is he really that clueless?

The e-mail and my response after the break.

Tod

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Wednesday March 21, 2007 · 2:32 PM PDT

2007/03/21 · 14:32

The White House Press Briefings can be a lot of fun. I don't usually bother with the answers because any relationship between an answer by this White House and the actual truth is purely a coincidence.

The questions are a different thing, because they tell us whether the MSM is getting it. They had a pretty good day today tying old Tony in knots. Highlights after the flip include asking Tony why they can claim executive privilege if Bush doesn't remember anybody talking to him, Tony getting out from under his own opinion piece rejecting executive privilege during the Clinton years, and Tony not explaining an 18 day gap in the e-mails right before the firing.

Tod

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Tuesday October 03, 2006 · 10:35 PM PDT

2006/10/03 · 22:35

OK, this is just a drive by diary with a link and a little commentary, but it's good news.

We've been watching for a couple of years as Keith Olberman has gradually built his ratings up from scratch and Bill O'Reilly's huge ratings have slowly declined.

Well, the happy day when Keith actually passes Billo is right around the corner. TVNewser reports the ratings from Monday October 2. Billo had 389,000 viewers aged 25-54 in the 8:00 EDT hour. Keith had 333,000 viewers in the same hour. That's the age demo the advertisers care about.

I can't verify this, but I think 333,000 viewers in the demo is Keith's all time high. I can't imagine that Keith has been closer to Billo than 56,000 viewers.

I'm looking forward to the day Keith actually passes Billo. Billo's head will explode and Keith will dance on his grave.

The table is on the other side. I hope the formatting sticks. Read More

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It’s Not Only About Shareholder Profits Any More, Maybe.

NFL Player Killed in Road Rage Incident

Defamation Action Against Rachel Maddow Dismissed

Amazing Obama E-Mail

Home Run for Rachel Maddow

Good Ratings for Rachel Maddow

Banking and the Eliot Spitzer Case

Bill Maher - Can They PLEASE Settle the Writers Strike?

Olbermann Finally Beats O'Reilly

Tin Ear at the DCCC

Fun With Tony Snow

OMG, Keith has almost caught Billo!