George Miller: “I read with interest of the remarks of Albert J. "Chainsaw Al" Dunlap to the Republican freshman caucus. Mr. Dunlap…”

“I read with interest of the remarks of Albert J. "Chainsaw Al" Dunlap to the Republican freshman caucus. Mr. Dunlap earned his nickname by firing thousands of employees at various companies, most recently Scott Paper Co. American workers and voters, take note. Mr. Dunlap's frightening strategy involves firing loyal employees, ignoring impacts on communities, and maximizing profits to stockholders and the corporate elite--like Mr. Dunlap. Two years of firing employees made Chainsaw Dunlap a very rich man; he pocketed about $100 million, much of it in stock gains that would be untaxed under the Republicans' flat tax scheme. Along the way, he fired 20 percent of hourly workers and 50 percent of managers, barred community activities, and reneged on charitable commitments. But as the chairman of Wharton's management department noted, "Dunlap didn't create value. He redistributed income from the employees and the community to the shareholders." Let us hope that the Republican revolutionaries who listened to Dunlap do not buy into his prescription that people are as disposable as Scott tissue as long as the bottom line spells money for the wealthy.”