Right so my comment was just in the context of GP’s argument against returning 100% FCF to investors, because any money given to employees as wages or severance

Right so my comment was just in the context of GP’s argument against returning 100% FCF to investors, because any money given to employees as wages or severance wouldn’t be a part of FCF I’m the first place. The real argument we should be having is whether workers are getting paid enough, which I think is what you’re getting at. I believe the answer for low- to medium-skill workers is no for a variety of reasons. I have less concern for highly-compensated, high-skill tech employees from IBM or TI. Also, I think if we made businesses shut off all returns to investors whenever they lay people off, like some seem to be suggesting, we would have many more contractors/short-term employees, with more workers in precarious employment situations. There is some empirical evidence for this in Europe. Instead of blocking the return of profits, I would instead argue for increased taxation of corporations and middle-/high-income earners in order to provide a stronger social safety net, in the event they are let go they are not destitute and starving. But also happy to hear arguments for other solutions, it’s obviously a complex topic with lots of interconnected pieces.