Trumps the “eighth wonder of the world” is air number: billion-subsidies for 230 new Jobs

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Jeff Horseman
Jeff Horseman
Jeff Horseman got into journalism because he liked to write and stunk at math. He grew up in Vermont and he honed his interviewing skills as a supermarket cashier by asking Bernie Sanders “Paper or plastic?” After graduating from Syracuse University in 1999, Jeff began his journalistic odyssey at The Watertown Daily Times in upstate New York, where he impressed then-U.S. Senate candidate Hillary Clinton so much she called him “John” at the end of an interview. From there, he went to Annapolis, Maryland, where he covered city, county and state government at The Capital newspaper. Today, Jeff writes about anything and everything. Along the way, Jeff has covered wildfires, a tropical storm, 9/11 and the Dec. 2 terror attack in San Bernardino. If you have a question or story idea about politics or the inner workings of government, please let Jeff know. He’ll do his best to answer, even if it involves a little math.

A Foxconn factory in Wisconsin Donald Trump wanted to bring once-outsourced Jobs back home. But the supposed miracle project proves to be million grave.

The beginning was – as is so often the case, Donald Trump – a great Show. Together, the US President, of Foxconn chief Terry Gou and Scott Walker, the Governor then dug in June 2018 the first cut of the spade. The small village of Mount Pleasant should turn by a mega-factory of the supplier Foxconn in the middle of Wisconsin, a booming Tech Region, so the promise. Trump spoke of the “eighth wonder of the world”. But two years remained later little.

Has been produced in the alleged Mega-plant only once, something like this: When Trump visited the factory in 2018, let Foxconn there are some TV screws together, is a extremely detailed report of the Tech-portal “The Verge”. However, a short time later, was set. In conversation with dozens of employees and politicians, the report highlights a Failure of the project, in its gigantic scale and its absurdity is simply breathtaking.

Big Plans

The plans sounded pompous. A huge factory was to be built on the site, intended for more than 13,000 employees. That would be half the population of Mount Pleasure. 10 billion dollars to invest, Foxconn, promised the founder Gou. For the location of Wisconsin, the project would have been a great addition, according to reluctant to cooperate, the then Governor Walker showed up. He assured the company almost four billion dollars in support, a part of it, so de Facto withdrawal, but also by the clearance of already-inhabited land available for development and the construction of infrastructure.

But it seems that Foxconn never had before, the big plans to tackle. Once hired, were shocked, many of the employees, they told the Blog. The construction work came to a standstill for months they waited in a single, strongly renovation needy building. Materials there were no the staff pens the previous tenant rallied together, brought the Laptops from home. Work they had to do anyway no to: no one seemed to have a Plan, exactly what it would do, explained all the surveyed employees. So you have been surfing the time with Internet and Netflix spent.

What Is The Business Model?

That there was nothing to do, probably due to the fact that the company itself seems to have no exact use for the investment thought out. In Interviews explained to the Manager that there was no television will be created. The employees should think at once of possible business models for the company. Even bizarre ideas, such as fish were considered breeding serious. In the end, all failed, but then the Veto from the mother company in Taiwan. Even the announcement that during the corona of crisis breathing build devices, was apparently never implemented.

Real work seems to be the exception have been. The employees distributed the day, organised about car racing with Golf, which should actually be used as a self-propelled vehicle upgraded. Also, this business idea was a failure – because, although the car had been purchased, but none of them had a clue as to how they should now Autonomous Driving teach.

It is no wonder that the announced staff numbers were never reached. The culmination of nearly 580 persons should have worked for the company. In November 2019 the Management began to entrust all of them with the desperate search for new colleagues. Qualification was less important, there are also dozens of student and temporary staff were employed. The had a simple reason for this: to be able to the promised subsidies in cash, had to Foxconn have until the end of the year, a minimum number of 520 persons employed. In January, most were released again. Had brought it nothing: Because many of the salaries were too late in the day paid, not recognized in Wisconsin, the conditions for the subsidy. Foxconn went away empty-handed.

Expensive Facade

The number of air went long as well, for several reasons. For one, Foxconn managed to do it again and again, with new promises and wants to deflect the statements of the problems. Because on the site has been built, and also employees and the Management changed, was actually empty company halfway to the appearance of an ongoing business. To it belonged also to build more buildings, which were then used, but never seriously.

Those who wonder now how it could come to this gigantic waste of money, in the political area, a number of indications. For example, the fact that Donald Trump can be had with its trade war against China for the manufacturing, Foxconn is a real threat. The remote Wisconsin may be as an IT-location is an uneconomical decision, politically, the Swing State, the Donald Trump of 2016, won with just is an excellent strategic choice. And Governor Scott Walker hoped to be able with the his re-election chances improve.

Trump praises more

Really, the plans had expected, apparently no one has any. According to the experts, about the state of Wisconsin would get its subsidies, even in the ideal case, only in 2043 and again in each of the Jobs would be between the cost of 200,000 and a million dollars in subsidies. Also, Foxconn seems to have in advance of, never seriously, of all people, whether or not the LCD production could be profitable with low profit margins in the high-wage country, the USA at all. The last modification of the factory showed probably exactly what it is in the end should go. Because Donald Trump for may had planned a visit to the factory, should be brought to the finally in working condition. But only in the small part to get the President’s face should be. At the end of the visit with the pandemic has been cancelled.

Its actual purpose is likely to have met the absurd project. Last week, Donald Trump praised in an interview with a local radio station for his apparent success. “You are a hundred percent keep their promises”, said the President is convinced. “They will bring more money into the country than any company before them.” But only if he’ll be re-elected.

A few days later, Walker’s democratic successor government confirmed the Failure of the alleged Jobwunders. There were no signs that the factory could begin in the near term, with the production of LCDs, it said in a Statement to “The Verge”. “It seems to be more to a showcase than a long-term viable business model.”

Source:The Verge, WTMJ4 Milwaukee

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