Yes Tom I work for a large company as did my father. One grandfather ran his own honey business and is responsible for the inherited wealth in my family mostly tied up in antique cars. My other grandfather was a steelworker and a farmer. Before that most of my ancestrors were farmers. Some of them wealthy in acreage although their religious beliefs prevented conspicuous consumption. My family name comes from a portion of the Pennsylvannia Dutch known as Mennonites. A long history of belief in hard work, fiscal conservatism, religious conservatism, and pacifism. As you can probably tell, I'm not constrained by past family traditions.

I do understand how large corporations work Tom, which is why I find so many of your comments naive. You carry an idealistic view of capitalism that is in denial of how it really works. You act as if it's primary benefit that I have described yet refuse to discuss how that goal is subverted in actuality. And hell yes I'm bitter that the unfettered greed of the likes of worldcom, enron, and healthsouth have made the recession far harder than it needed to be. I'm not fond of politics trumping talent and ability, in many corporations but that is a natural part of any human social organization. While we would be better off with more focus on results than politics companies probably couldn't function on a social level without some degree of politics. It is clear that companies who focus more on results get better ones. The answer for those who find the level of politics intolerable is starting their own business. In a sense fighting office politics is an incentive for growth. It's unfortunate that not all of those who would like to can.

I have answers to my questions by the way. They were intended to make you follow a similar thought process. Obviously didn't work. And yes boy do I have examples of dumb political rather than financial/technical decisions in my company. I don't however have any intent to discuss them publicly.

Regards,
Mark