How about a nice, cold, refreshing European Budweiser?

Jun 18, 2008

Posted by Perry

You know, I’m all for people making money. That’s what this country is all about – being able to grow financially into anything you want to be. There are, however, times when there are more important things than money.

Take the story about Belgian brewer Inbev offering to buy Anheuser-Busch.

I was going to write about how stories like this are common place these days. You know, “The selling of America”, kind of thing – but I have decided not to. Why? Because it doesn’t make any difference.

Companies do not care what my opinion is on a potential buy-out from a competitor. They look at it differently than I (or you) do. We see it as another American institution being lost to a foreign company, they see it as a sound financial move to please share holders and strengthen their position in the global marketplace.

Politicians will shake their fists and scream that it is the “selling of America.” They will cry out about the potential ramifications of a possible sell, such as this, costing Americans jobs and financial security. In the end – they will eventually welcome it as the “benefits” to our struggling economy will outweigh the concerns of everyday working people.

My hope is that the management of Anheuser Busch tells InBev what they can do with their offer – but I’m preparing for them to instead welcome it and proudly say “look what we have done for our shareholders”. All the while the wailing you will hear will be the thousands of employees and customers of a long standing American company mourning the loss of another piece of America.

After all – its all about the bottom line right?