Disappointing and heartbreaking how Alaska Airlines got away with this ... ... but unfortunately, not at all surprising!!

Time after time, in industry after industry, corporate giants in US of A have made mockery of compliance efforts! Not to mention with ardent support from one party claiming 'gommnment should stay out of…

I am afraid this is a common excuse used by companies that do not accept accountability of their well debated decisions and priorities.

Another factor could very well be that Douglas was an American company, and most of those who died in crash were not Americans!! e.g. how much coverage you see about Boeing's role in their…

You are so correct in saying foreigners (mostly western) confuse pacifism / patience / tolerance with cowardice.

One way (and some say the only way) to move up or feel 'unique' / 'exceptional' in the US of A is by punching down. So anyone who doesn't push back is a target.

Good Question, but that is the brand of capitalism devised, practiced and 'advertised to the world' by US of A.

Government work with (or for) mega-corporations. Any attempt at introducing anything that will cost money is met with howling cries of 'government overreach', 'anti-business' and if everything else fails "FREEDOM"…

LOVE this !! It is relatively simple to ascertain how Ayn Rand's vaporware worked during reality of COVID in the US of A.

1) Who were doing the 'essential jobs'? ==Takers !!

2) What percentage of them believe in her "philosophy"? == I wager in single digit

May be this was also a decision made based on money calculations! i.e. money spent in developing this model vs. money lost due to loss of aircraft and inevitable lawsuits that follow.

This I consider as one of the problems with the "big picture guys/ gals". Yes, at their level they do need to be thinking about five years down the line, but where is the middle between now and 5 years from now?

To continue using your metaphor, yes long term plan to heal or prevent wounds should get priority, but one also…

Hah ... workers are so stupid!

Just because we called them "essential workers" in the heat of the pandemic, they thought may be they should be paid like ones!

</sarc>

Disgusting but not at all surprising! When there is national or international spot light on some embarrassing incident -- make a huge SHOW of "punishment". Then slowly but surely chip away at that punishment to reduce it to almost laughable levels. From Life Sentence to 4 years <smh>

Exactly! I started reading comments just to see if anybody mentioned about it.

In reality:

* Total monthly cost in 2000 (as per the table) $6484.53

* So total monthly cost in 2021 = 6484.53/ 1.51 = $4294.39