Airlines are slated to layoff tens of thousands of workers on October 1.

Mass Airline Layoffs in Swing States

Please consider Mass Airline Layoffs in Swing States Would Further Imperil Trump by Bloomberg writer Joshua Green. 

If the government’s payroll support program for airlines is allowed to expire as scheduled on Wednesday, the airlines say they’ll cut tens of thousands of jobs—many concentrated in battleground states including North Carolina, Florida, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

For months, airlines and workers’ unions have been imploring Congress and the president to extend that payroll aid, without any success. Over the summer, airlines including American, United, Spirit, and Delta filed notices under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act that they are planning to lay off tens of thousands of workers beginning Oct. 1. Together, those airlines operate hubs in Phoenix, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Miami, and Houston.

American’s plan to cut 19,000 jobs will hit Arizona, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Spirit will cut about 1,000 jobs in Florida. United expects to furlough around 12,000 workers, even after reaching an agreement with its pilots’ union on Monday to avoid almost 4,000 job cuts. In addition, WARN filings show that there will be thousands more layoffs in these states from smaller airlines, concessionaires, airport restaurants, and other ancillary services.

Puzzled?

Trump claims people were making more being unemployed with $600 a week COVID checks than they made being employed.

Trump is correct in his claim, but it will cost him dearly at the polls.

Out of the multi-trillion stimulus deal passed in the Spring, airlines only got $25 billion.

Mass layoffs start tomorrow.

Green is puzzled why Trump did not agree to do more. 

The most likely answer is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi demanded more. Trump won't ever be seen openly supporting the demands or proposed deals of Democrats.

Stubbornness 

In the debates Tuesday evening, Trump repeated his stance that mail-in voting is crooked and that he would not pledge to honor the results of the election.

That stance has his core voters cheering, but Trump does not need votes from his rabid fans. He desperately needs the votes of independents and women.

Not being willing to accept a peaceful transfer of power following an election is guaranteed to cost him votes.

For a discussion of the debate, please see Presidential Debate Synopsis: Pitiful and Painful to Watch

What About Trade Deals, NATO, Deficits?

Trump changes his mind on trade deals, budget deficits, NATO, China, troop removal, etc., so often that it is hard to take anything he says seriously.

Yet, here he is, sticking to his guns.

Narcissistic Necessity 

Some might suggest Trump understands he might lose and is falling back on his only chance of success, a court decision.

I dispute that notion. Trump is the biggest narcissist in history. He would never admit he could lose in a fair election. 

Out of narcissistic necessity, Trump has convinced himself the election is crooked, that he can do no wrong, that the silent majority loves him, and the polls are all wrong.

Pissing in the Wind

Trump stands pissing into a strong wind, denying that he is getting wet. 

He is delusional.