Thursday, June 12, 2008

McCain to Gov. Blunt: Wassup?

Missouri Gov. Matt Blount had been mentioned as a possible running mate for McCain; however, that was prior to InBev of Belgium's unsolicited bid to talk over St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch. You see, McCain denounces protectionism, while Gov. Blunt favors it:
“I am strongly opposed to the sale of Anheuser-Busch and today’s offer to purchase the company is deeply troubling to me. I have said that while I am supportive of action to prevent the sale there is no immediate tool available at the state level to block it.

“I have directed the Department of Economic Development to explore every option and any opportunity we may have at the state level to help keep Anheuser-Busch where it belongs - in St. Louis, Missouri.”
Ironically, Blount recently criticized Obama for being a protectionist:
"Now is not the time to adopt the policies of Herbert Hoover -- of protectionism.
The sudden flip-flop is puzzling since Republicans have never been too concerned about sending jobs out of the country any other time. On the other hand, flip-flopping is a Republican trait typical of McCain too, so Blount may still have a chance after all.

Getting back to Anheuser-Busch, the Economist had the money quote about the possible sale:
Could anything symbolise America’s loss of economic supremacy more clearly than for its favourite beer to fall into foreign hands?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Indeed, why worry about this one? They've had no problem watching all the other jobs go. Hell, they subsidized it.

Anonymous said...

Don't know if the takeover will succeed, but I'm pretty sure this won't be the last time this kind of thing happens. America is one giant game of The Price Is Right.

K. said...

It's like I've always said-- A conservative is a liberal whose ox hasn't been gored.

Lew Scannon said...

Maybe the Germans can make Budweiser taste better than the foul backwash it is-I say go for it, the beer swilling masses won't care, as long as they can still get drunk.