Home Depot co-founder tries condescension in op-ed defending the Chamber of Commerce

[ProSense]

Stop Bashing Business, Mr. President

If we tried to start The Home Depot today, it's a stone cold certainty that it would never have gotten off the ground.

By KEN LANGONE

Although I was glad that you answered a question of mine at the Sept. 20 town-hall meeting you hosted in Washington, D.C., Mr. President, I must say that the event seemed more like a lecture than a dialogue. For more than two years the country has listened to your sharp rhetoric about how American businesses are short-changing workers, fleecing customers, cheating borrowers, and generally "driving the economy into a ditch," to borrow your oft-repeated phrase.

My question to you was why, during a time when investment and dynamism are so critical to our country, was it necessary to vilify the very people who deliver that growth? Instead of offering a straight answer, you informed me that I was part of a "reckless" group that had made "bad decisions" and now required your guidance, if only I'd stop "resisting" it.

I'm sure that kind of argument draws cheers from the partisan faithful. But to my ears it sounded patronizing. Of course, one of the chief conceits of centralized economic planning is that the planners know better than everybody else.

<...>

A little more than 30 years ago, Bernie Marcus, Arthur Blank, Pat Farrah and I got together and founded The Home Depot. Our dream was to create (memo to DNC activists: that's build, not take or coerce) a new kind of home-improvement center catering to do-it-yourselfers. The concept was to have a wide assortment, a high level of service, and the lowest pricing possible.

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[yourout]

1. Well that makes my decision of Menards or Home Depot easier.

[BootinUp]

2. taxes lowest in 60 years

deregulation up the kazoo for 30 years, whats the problem wingnut?

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. If home depot were gone tomorrow, would anybody care?

[tularetom]

4. 30 years ago you had a good idea douchebag

The only problem is you haven't done anything to change with the times. I remember when HD first opened they employed a lot of retired construction people who could advise you on materials methods tools etc. Apparently they were a little too rich for your blood because over the years they all left and were gradually replaced with pimply faced teenagers who didn't know sheetrock from shinola. Plus you never seem to have in stock the specials you advertise.

It's no longer a pleasure to shop in your stores. And it's a cheap shot for you to blame the government for your own failure to keep pace with a changing society.

[DCKit]

5. Then you sold it to vulture capitalists, became a billionaire and they drove it into the ground...

by firing anyone making over minimum wage and with any knowledge of what you sold as well as importing only the most common, cheapest widely used crap from China. I haven't been able to find anything I've needed in that store on any of my last four visits and have gone back to patronizing actual hardware and specialty stores.

What's your point? You've got yours asshole, you made billions, it's time for some new entrepreneurs to take over to carry U.S. into the green economy.

There's something else going on here. His argument is not genuine, he's got another agenda.

[DCKit]

6. On actually reading the other responses, I don't think he'll be addressing the genpop anytime soon..

Seems we've got a lot of shared experience with this scumbag.

[county worker]

7. This is another one of those "don't punish the productive people or they'll go Galt on you."

I get a little tired of hearing CEOs warn us that if we don't take a their beatings we are going to hurt even worse!

[newblewtoo]

8. Ya know,

The concept was to have a wide assortment, a high level of service, and the lowest pricing possible.

The concept failed.


And the independent yard I use to frequent which actually provided decent products and service is long gone. HomeDespot is my absolute last resort. I hate them. I fucking hate going there their stuff is pure crap, knock-offs or dummed down for HomeDespot.

[muntrv]

9. Hey Ken! Quit blaming Obama for Robert Nardelli's screw ups!

[JI7]

10. Anyone know alternatives to Home Depot ? i know there is Lowes but they are right wing also

[hedgehog]

11. What's the difference between central planning done by government agencies

and central planning done by executives in corporate offices. I went out to look for a chandelier and found only three models in the style I wanted: I could pick the Lowe's version, the Home Depot version or the Sear's version. This is shopping in a 30 mile radius! Our local department store was taken over by Macy's. The first thing Macy's did was fire the local buyer. The sales clerks, some with 30 year pins, were in despair because folks from NYC had no idea what kind of serious winter coats sold here in Upstate!

[Cognitive_Resonance]

12. I'm now more dedicated than ever to supporting my local Ace hardware store.

If I really need something fast, I'll go to Lowe's. Done with Home Depot. Easy decision. Mission accomplished.