Thursday, June 12, 2008

Protectionist Republicans

Oh, how I love economic populism and free trade hypocrisy:

InBev SA, whose brands include Beck's and Stella Artois, delivered an unsolicited all-cash bid of $65 a share for Anheuser-Busch, which makes Budweiser, Michelob and Bud Light. That's well above the St. Louis-based company's closing share price of $58.35 Wednesday.

But politicians and activists are already lining up against the deal, saying it could cost jobs in the United States and send ownership of an iconic American company overseas. With economic concerns at the front of voters' minds, the opposition could cause a headache for InBev.

Republican Gov. Matt Blunt said Wednesday he opposes the deal, and directed the Missouri Department of Economic Development to see if there was a way to stop it.

Excuse me, governor; but the corporation belongs to the shareholders. Not to you, Lou Dobbes or the state of Missouri. Butt out.
Oh, and your beer sucks too.