This is one of the most fascinating interviews I have listened to in a long time. Bob may not talk about policy too much, but his life story and view on politics is interesting. Bob is the father of editorial cartoonist Tim Benson.
This is one of the most fascinating interviews I have listened to in a long time. Bob may not talk about policy too much, but his life story and view on politics is interesting. Bob is the father of editorial cartoonist Tim Benson.
This was an incredible interview. Bob is definitely the “salt of the earth.”
In the early 1990s, I had the pleasure to work with him at a local major retailer. If there were more people like Bob in this world it would be a much better place, I must say.
I wish, however, that he had elaborated a little further on his concern about workers’ rights here in Sioux Falls. He made mention of his sons work experiences in this town and especially with the banking industry here.
The one thing that is not talked about in this town enough, especially with bank jobs and/or telemarketing jobs, and I have a feeling Bob was referring to this, if I may take the liberty to assume, is the fact that many of our banking/telemarketing jobs in this town benefit Sioux Falls only in the aggregate sense and very seldom at the individual level.
The decency of the workers around here, greater commitment here as oppose to other areas of the country to a work ethic, and the greater respect or benefit of the doubt which local workers give to major companies or employers here than in other parts of the country, allow major companies to come into Sioux Falls and literally use our workers. They use them, the local workers, in the major companies’ implementation or attempted implementation of what are essentially often predatory business plans, with inexcusable sales goals and profit motivation, which burns workers out, destroys their faith in institutions, creating a revolving door experience for many of our workers here from one bank/telemarketing job to another, or if they stay with their jobs causing them to be no better than their employers predatory business plan overtime, and I would also suggest that this reality ruins the souls of some of our local workers and their outlook on life and their fellow man.
This reality wears on the workers of this town over time and offers only a true opportunity in the aggregate sense. It offers a contribution to the aggregate income production of this town. But few workers stay with their jobs due to the misery created by unattainable or unsustainable sales and business goals, which results in employees not being able to create or hold steady and growing 401k accounts or a given steady and decent income long enough to quality for home loans to help build our middle class in this town and its future.
Perhaps, I have gone beyond Bob’s intent, but regardless, I feel that Bob’s comments about the banking industry in this town and nation are warranted and need to be further discussed. Especially, in lieu of the attention that a former regional bank called, Northwestern, which now goes under the national brand name of Wells Fargo, has received in recent weeks.