Cup-a-Joe

As I noted in my previous blog, the EPA took control of permitting of major sources from the State of Texas.  If one carefully reads the Dallas Morning News article on December 24^th’s front page, you’ll note that the fight is over carbon dioxide emissions – which Texas and a variety of other states have sued EPA’s right regulate.  But it was only Texas which had the cojones (a great Mex-Tex phrase) to refuse setting up the permitting program.  The state’s regulators (TCEQ) don’t agree with the science which the EPA is using (and this is not the first time); so, it’s not just a bunch of oil guys in an uproar.  The end result of this will be more paperwork and hoops to jump through, with no real results.  This takes me to my next point.

Round 1, which Texas lost, was the fight over the process Texas used to allow quick permitting – which by the way still takes months and thousands of dollars of consulting and air modeling.  The end result of that fight will be the EPA making the process more “transparent,” which in my mind means “politically correct,” not necessarily ending up in cleaner air.

Just as an aside comment – one of full disclosure.  Much of what I write about in this area is not created from a vacuum.  I have the privilege to co-chair a committee which represents the interests of small businesses and local governments to the TCEQ.  Consequently, over the years I had the opportunity to meet with many directors and staff members of the TCEQ, as well as their scientists.  Thus, I have a good understanding of the dilemma which the agency finds itself in trying to serve the people of Texas in providing a safe environment without hamstringing the ability of business to provide livelihood for the state’s citizens.

Yes, I’ve been on this soap box before — but I’m getting miffed.  On Christmas Eve, the EPA announced it would be seizing control of regulating “major” emitters from the State of Texas.  Earlier last week, the NLRB made several announcements which were not very employer friendly.  Since card-check legislation has been pretty well stymied, the NLRB has proposed rules which would aid union organization drives in the workplace.  Granted, I do lean to the employer side, but I’m not a fan of regulators creating legislation – which is what happened this last week of December.  Hmmm.  Just as the Dems will lose control of Congress.  Hmmm.

It’s interesting how we are seeing the Executive Branch take a very aggressive position in attempting to create/change legislation through regulation.  We saw it earlier this year with the EPA attempting to regulate CO2 emissions.  Now we have the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) wanting to require all employer to post notices informing employees of their rights under the NLRA.  You don’t know about the National Labor Relations Act?  It’s basically the law which give employees the right to unionize.  So, if the NLRB has its way, businesses will be required to post a notice that says, “Don’ like it here?  Call a union organizer.”  Wonderful.  Public comments are due by February 22, 2011, and Printing Industries of America will be commenting per Jim Kyger, PIA’s VP Human Resources.

I guess if you can’t beat them join them — that seems to be the approach the Government Printing Office is taking.  I recently received an email from the GPO announcing a partnership with Google ebookstore to electronically publish government publications “a fraction of the GPO printed version.”

At first, I was a bit taken aback, but realized that as a publisher, which is one of GPO’s role, this is an effective way of distributing content. 

 Interesting times.

2010 is almost over and I’m glad to see it ending.  It’s been a tumultuous year for our industry, economy and nation.  Needless to say we’re all looking for a better 2011.  Although it may not make many of us deficit hawks happy, the present tax legislation looks like it’s going to pass, and we won’t be seeing a tax increase at the beginning of the year.  The saving grace of the legislation is small business gets some breathing room with tax credits and the estate/death tax changes, and that we actually had folks working together on this issue.  Granted the “wings” of both parties are not very happy about this — but it’s a step in the right direction.

It looks like more folks than just “us” in the direct mail industry are taking note of the USPS issues.  A recent article in Bloomberg Business week covered many of the key issues facing the post office.  It was a good read for the many who do not understand the real challenges which face our postal service system.

I got a chance to see Jerry Williamson the other night — on the local ABC Affiliate (WFAA).  Jerry was part of a feature on Greenberg Smoked Turkey, a local (Tyler, Texas) provider of smoked turkey.  Jerry, owner of Williamson Printing, spoke of how Williamson provides the turkeys as gifts to their select clients.   Great PR for WPC.

Gotta talk baseball.  For us North Texans, 2010 was a great year.  The Rangers far exceeded everyone’s hopes and made it into the World Series, and more importantly they beat the hated Yankees to get there.  The interesting side note is that they lost the bid to hold onto Cliff Lee yesterday.  Fortunately, they lost to the Phillies, rather than the fore mentioned hated ones.  The real story here is that Lee was willing to take less money than either New York or Texas had put on the table.  Why?  And here’s the real lesson.  Lee sees an opportunity to be part of a rotation (Halladay, Oswalt, Hamels, and Lee) that could break records and put him into a position to be in the World Series – again.  It reminds us that for many employees, it’s the intangibles that are just as important, and in this case, more important than money.

2011 may be the Digital Year for many in our industry.  In talking to a variety of consultants and suppliers the past few months, I continue to be surprised as to the number of firms which have yet to take the step into digital print technology.  And that’s not a bad thing.  If a company has yet to take the step, it’s probably because of two reasons.  First, they did not have the capital, and/or 2.) They weren’t ready to make the business model change.  Both are valid reasons for not playing.  Ask anyone in the digital world, and they’ll tell you that the only way you can play is to understand that it is a different business model and that it takes constant re-investment in technology and equipment.  It’s not for the faint of heart, or folks who are not committed to making a wholesale change.

Last week Google was attempting to purchase Groupon for about $5-6 Billion (Groupon since then has decided to stay independent).  Groupon is a company that is only two years old and carving out new ways to offer local advertising and promotion services. The purchase price for this fledgling company was a number that FAR exceeds the annual profits for the entire printing industry.  Although one has to question whether this could be a good use of funds for Google, or that Andrew Mason, Groupon’s founder, was a fool for not taking the money, we can not ignore the fact that there are new players in the world which was historically dominated by print producers.  read more »

OK, I don’t get it.  Well, yes I do.  I just don’t like it!  Why is everyone freaking out over the Bowles-Simpson proposals?

As a country we are facing one of the greatest financial challenges since the Great Depression.  Our financial system is dominated by a handful of companies.  Our large companies march to the drum set by Wall Street.  A drum that is not necessarily conducive to their success in providing long-term results.  We have an extremely large deficit, and there is an entitlement system (Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security) which will acerbate the situation over the next 10-15 years as those darn Baby Boomers (that’s me!) start retiring.

Yet, no one in Congress (either side of the aisle) is willing to bite the bullet and say that Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson have it right.  Maybe not perfect, but it’s a start.  We have to cut expenses, reduce entitlements (all of them), and dare I say it, raise taxes.  We are in uncharted territory and continuing on the false pretences that we can reduce the size of government and not cut taxes, or increase taxes and increase the size of government is a pipe dream.  Our political parties (and their constituents) have to understand that economic/social legislation which may have been preferred in the past, will not work going into the future. 

I’m concerned that as a country we are not willing to make the difficult and painful choices which are necessary for long-term stability.  It’s a form of the NIMBY – Not In My Back Yard – syndrome.  As long as my ox is not gored – and yours takes one for the team, that’s cool.  But don’t ask me to put off my instant gratification so our country will be in better shape tomorrow than it is today.

OK, I’m getting off my soap box.  I think I feel a bit better, but I’ll close with one of my favorite quotations — “We have met the enemy, and he is us.” – Pogo/Walt Kelly