Delta Airlines cuts ties with the NRA, angers, alienates conservatives, risks major state tax break (Atlanta: moving, beach)

[Born 2 Roll]

I guess in hopes of attempting to maybe somewhat potentially placating angry Republican Georgia legislators over the company's decision to end discounts for NRA members, Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian released a memo expressing that the company's goal was to "remain neutral" in the debate over guns, but that the company also are "supporters of the 2nd Amendment" just as they "embrace the entire Constitution of the United States."

"Our people and our customers have a wide range of views on how to increase safety in our schools and public places, and we are not taking sides," Bastian wrote in a memo to employees.

"We are supporters of the 2nd Amendment, just as we embrace the entire Constitution of the United States," Bastian wrote.

"Delta CEO: 'We are supporters of the 2nd Amendment'" (CNN)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/comp...cid=spartanntp

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by Pemgin

Delta Air Lines Doubles Down on Cutting Ties With the NRA | Time

Ed Bastian is rolling with it.

This is a key passage from the Time article that you posted:

“Our decision was not made for economic gain and our values are not for sale,” Bastian wrote in the memo. “We are in the process of a review to end group discounts for any group of a politically divisive nature.”

Georgia House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) the other day seemed to offer Delta Airlines a way to potentially tamp down on this controversy/firestorm and potentially regain the support of Republican legislators for the fuel tax break if Delta signaled that it was willing to end group discounts for any and all groups that might appear to be of a politically divisive or polarizing nature.

Delta's statement that they "are in the process of a review to end group discounts for any group of a politically divisive nature" seems to be at least what some much more moderate Republican legislators like David Ralston might have wanted to hear to potentially maybe give them some political cover to vote for the fuel tax break for Delta that Georgia Governor Nathan Deal insists be passed into law.

Though, those who are much more deeply conservative (including much of the Georgia Legislature, and especially the deeply conservative Georgia Senate Republican caucus that Casey Cagle leads) admittedly more than likely are not going to want forgive Delta for disassociating from the NRA until Delta were to actually reinstate the NRA discounts, which we all know is not going to happen.

With Cagle leading a deeply conservative Republican caucus in the Georgia Senate (a Republican caucus that is much more conservative in the Georgia Senate than the Republican caucus that David Ralston leads in the Georgia House) and with Cagle being involved in a heated Republican primary for governor where the voters may be likely to have a "scorched earth" attitude towards Delta after their disassociation with the NRA, it is unclear at this time if Cagle might be willing resume his support for the fuel tax break for Delta.

[Pemgin]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

This is a key passage from the Time article that you posted:


Georgia House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) the other day seemed to offer Delta Airlines a way to potentially tamp down on this controversy/firestorm and potentially regain the support of Republican legislators for the fuel tax break if Delta signaled that it was willing to end group discounts for any and all groups that might appear to be of a politically divisive or polarizing nature.

Delta's statement that they "are in the process of a review to end group discounts for any group of a politically divisive nature" seems to be at least what some much more moderate Republican legislators like David Ralston might have wanted to hear to potentially maybe give them some political cover to vote for the fuel tax break for Delta that Georgia Governor Nathan Deal insists be passed into law.

Though, those who are much more deeply conservative (including much of the Georgia Legislature, and especially the deeply conservative Georgia Senate Republican caucus that Casey Cagle leads) admittedly more than likely are not going to want forgive Delta for disassociating from the NRA until Delta were to actually reinstate the NRA discounts, which we all know is not going to happen.

With Cagle leading a deeply conservative Republican caucus in the Georgia Senate (a Republican caucus that is much more conservative in the Georgia Senate than the Republican caucus that David Ralston leads in the Georgia House) and with Cagle being involved in a heated Republican primary for governor where the voters may be likely to have a "scorched earth" attitude towards Delta after their disassociation with the NRA, it is unclear at this time if Cagle might be willing resume his support for the fuel tax break for Delta.

Do you think if Delta were to agree to rescind it's group discounts for all groups that might appear to be politically divisive, Cagle would have enough breathing room to support the fuel tax break and not lose face with Georgia Republican voters? Delta could win it's tax break and Cagle might be able to claim a win by saying he fought Delta and made them come to a resolution that wasn't unfair to NRA members.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by Pemgin

Do you think if Delta were to agree to rescind it's group discounts for all groups that might appear to be politically divisive, Cagle would have enough breathing room to support the fuel tax break and not lose face with Georgia Republican voters? Delta could win it's tax break and Cagle might be able to claim a win by saying he fought Delta and made them come to a resolution that wasn't unfair to NRA members.

That is an excellent question and those are some excellent points!

...And YES I do think that Cagle might would have enough breathing room to resume his support for the fuel tax break while not losing face with Georgia GOP primary voters just for the reasons you noted that he might would be able to claim a win by saying he fought Delta and made them come to a resolution that was not unfair to NRA members.

[Born 2 Roll]

Here is a direct link to the memo circulated by Delta CEO Ed Bastion to Delta employees and the media today that is directly referenced in the Time article that Pemgin just linked to and in the CNN story that I just linked to...

"Ed Bastian memo: Delta and the school safety debate" (Delta Airlines News Hub)
https://news.delta.com/ed-bastian-me...-safety-debate

[FireStation46]

No more tax breaks for any companies as the citizens wind up paying the bill.
End support for professional sport teams.
Let each business make it on their own merits and no government sponsored wefare for these outfits.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by flamadiddle

Even the fake news king "CNN" has it at $50M, but I guess it's just pocket change so who really cares...

Why Delta and Atlanta need each other - Mar. 1, 2018

Sorry , but no - that would be Faux News. After all, they invented fake news.

The local media has it pegged at $38 million.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

Here is a direct link to the memo circulated by Delta CEO Ed Bastion to Delta employees and the media today that is directly referenced in the Time article that Pemgin just linked to and in the CNN story that I just linked to...

"Ed Bastian memo: Delta and the school safety debate" (Delta Airlines News Hub)
https://news.delta.com/ed-bastian-me...-safety-debate

Delta's keeping it classy, while still having the last word!

After his little temper tantrum and near meltdown over this, I don't believe Cagle is intelligent enough to deal with an obvious 'out' he might have here....

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by JMatl

Delta's keeping it classy, while still having the last word!

After his little temper tantrum and near meltdown over this, I don't believe Cagle is intelligent enough to deal with an obvious 'out' he might have here....

Cagle reminds me of the class moron who thinks he belongs on the Honor Roll because he had perfect attendance.

[-thomass]

Little shout out to Nathan deal. Who would have thought he’d end up as one of the better governors we’ve had.