Exceeding expectations

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently reported that two companies, A.O. Smith and Amazon, have reported increases in profits and income of 13% and $256 million, respectively (“A.O. Smith reports record quarterly net earnings,” Oct. 26 and “Amazon now employs half a million people, up 77% vs. a year ago,” Oct. 26).

Shares for both companies are up since the beginning of the year. This is great news for these two companies and the economy. However, I wonder whether the uptick in these companies’ profits will translate to more jobs, and in turn, more money in the pockets of working Americans.

It’s interesting how House Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republican leaders claim that “trickle down” kind of economics made popular by Ronald Reagan (Reaganomics) will help the middle class and stimulate the economy when this has never been the case.

Most companies do not turn around and put their profits into the communities or the people there. They make more money from their stock, continue to give their CEOs big bonuses and give profits to shareholders.

Watch these companies (and others like Foxconn and Haribo) closely to see what, if anything, they give back to working-class Americans. It would be great if they could exceed

our expectations and not just Wall Street’s.

C.J. Schultz Waterford