Laid Off Steelworker: Mitt Romney, Bain Capital Profited By Shutting Down Kansas Steel Plant

DemocracyNow.org - As Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney comes under fire in New Hampshire for touting his business experience, we look at how his private equity firm, Bain Capital, drove a Kansas City steel plant into bankruptcy, leading to some 750 layoffs and a federal bailout. Bain still walked away with millions of dollars in profits. We speak with Reuters reporter Andy Sullivan who covered the story, and with Joe Soptic, a steelworker who lost his job at Kansas City's Worldwide Grinding Systems steel mill after 28 years. "The first thing I noticed after the company was bought out ... they became very union non-friendly. They started looking for ways to eliminate jobs," says Soptic. "In my department, they actually offered to buy our jobs out from underneath us. They cut back on safety equipment." Regarding Romney's business acumen, Soptic adds, "If he runs the country the way he ran our business, I would not want him as president."


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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• democracy now
• dn
• headlines
• news
• politics
• amy goodman
• mitt romney
• bain capital
• kansas city
• gst
• worldwide grinding systems
• joe soptic
• andy sullivan
• reuters
• steel plant

[highway234]

jesus, are these people even human f#$%in' beings? how anyone could vote for these disgusting ghouls is completely beyond me. you'd have to be suicidal.

[ImSketchyAndIKnowIt]

Joe Soptic is my grandpa!!

[TheMasterofrevenge]

mitt sure knows how to "FIX" the economy- just like his false left democrap rival ubuma does- help the ultra rich like himself get MUCH richer by "FIXING" the system!

[joejohey1]

The reason you lost your job is because of the company you worked for FAILED. Its ludicrous that this man can accuse a secondary-company (Bain), trying to return the FAILED company to profitability, for his job loss. Jobs are nice, but you cant open a Popsicle stand in Antarctica and be mad for your job loss when the company fails, and you especially cant blame the secondary-company that steps in to save your Antarctic Popsicle stand.

[indyfan22k]

@mistermassive1 yeah .... Jesus.

[petersz98]

Jon Corzine would make a better president than the crook Romney!

[pjamesbda]

There is major confusion with ALL the GOP and a majority of DEMS, who think that manipulation of currencies and company structures, pension plan fraud and betting against the success of the U.S. economy are legitimate ways to make money!! THIS IS THE "FREE" MARKET. The market that has plundered public trust without any fear of retribution.

This election is a farce, and everyone is on the take..it's the only way to get elected. I want out of the matrix. I don't care how full of holes I'll be.

[Zaphod23]

What mechanism do they use to take out millions in loans, go bankrupt, then suffer no damage to their credit or reputations. Aren't they basically robbing the bank?

[TripleSpeak]

Romney could be used as a prototype for the Compleat Greed Doll. Just pull the string in the back of his head & he'll defend making huge profits from nonproductive activity (while insisting that such entities are humans). He's mentally ill, as are nearly all of those in the "top" 1%. Yet Amerikans continue to worship money.

Much respect to Mr. Soptic. He'd make a better president than any of the asshats on parade, (including Shyster 'Bama of course.)