[Dilbert San Diego]

Can anyone explain why so many companies are announcing layoffs after the election? Certainly their long term business plans showed trouble ahead, before the election, and layoffs would have happened regardless of the election results.

[CodeToad]

“Certainly their long term business plans showed trouble ahead, before the election, and layoffs would have happened regardless of the election results.”

Not really. The short term outcome of the election could have radically altered the long range results. Many companies were going to layoff until they heard Romney promise to cancel OmabaCare, reign in the EPA, regulations, change banking rules, etc., and get the economy going. So, companies had two plans: Obama and Romney. The Obama plan included layoffs.

[newfreep]

I believe most, if not all, were hoping Romney would win and provide a small light of hope.

Now there is no hope....

[Tucker39]

As I see it, these companies were hanging on by their fingernails, hoping for a POTUS who understood business. When Oblamer was declared the winner, these companies knew it was no use hanging on, and they threw in the towel!

[dinodino]

Very simple: the largest single cause of uncertainty in the business community right now is Obamacare, which Romney had vowed to repeal. Once Romney lost the election, businesses had to start implementing the layoff plans they had made just in case Obama won.

[JAKraig]

I recall when the International Harvester Corp union workers went on strike. This was in the early 70’s. Floor sweepers were making more money than the company could possibly afford and then the union wanted even more.

The strike went on and on, finally the company went out of business. Oh there is still an IH but they just sell other peoples stuff. Most of the strikers lost everything they had, their houses and many their marriages because of their stupidity.

Unions have gotten WAY too powerful. We did it to ourselves.

[DannyTN]

"Can anyone explain why so many companies are announcing layoffs after the election?"

Possibilities...

• They were deluded and thought things might improve if Romney won. But I can't think of a single short term thing that would have improved including Rombamacare.
• They wanted Obama to win, so they held off on their decision to lay off until the election was over.
• Things have gotten worse, and the layoff's are related to the election, just the turn in the economy.
• Hillary has FBI files on them all and is causing Obama trouble.
• It's a giant Karl Rove plot.
• It's Bush's fault.
• They don't really have to lay off, they are just being vindictive.
• Layoffs beget layoffs. Once the layoff's start, other companies will take the opportunity to lay off too, because it is perceived as an economy wide thing, instead of the failure of a specific company's management.

[Chickensoup]

If they are like my friends they have been waiting to see if there would be a business positive administration. When it didnt happen time to lay off, downsize or close.

[ballplayer]

The same reason Politicians hold the Bad economic data until after the elections. Case in Point Connecticut which is completely controlled by Democrats,last year quietly pass a Law that says economic data on deficits will not be released until after Elections. So after a 2.5 billion dollar tax increase last year we find out Yesterday that the State is 350 million in debt for the first quarter of this year and projected to be 1.2 billion in the hole next year. Never enough folks,never enough, Democrats Lie through their teeth,they never cut spending on anything,its just reductions in the rate of increase and the taxpayers get the increases in their taxes 100% of the time

[cableguymn]

many knew that Romney would change many things and where holding out hope that Romney would actually kill Obama care.

They where burning through reserves trying to hold out till after the election.

Then there where those that held out to help Obama because they wanted him to win.

[Road Glide]

“Can anyone explain why so many companies are announcing layoffs after the election? Certainly their long term business plans showed trouble ahead, before the election, and layoffs would have happened regardless of the election results.”

Only a guess on my part, but they were hanging in there to see if Romney won. If he had, they might have tried to tough it out without layoffs in the hope that the business environment would soon show signs of improvement.

With Obama, there’s only one way the business environment is gonna go. So, might as well lay them off now and get it over with...