The Virtuous Cycle of Oh Shit, We're Idiots Compared to Germany Now?!??!!

Interesting bit HERE in the New York Times (or, as I call it, "The Times") on capitalism's virtuous cycle and how we've for some reason gotten away from it, with the most shameful (lately, anyway) of course being Caterpillar:

Today the prevailing cut-to-the-bone business ethos means that a company like Caterpillar demands a wage freeze and lower health benefits from its workers, while posting record profits. 

Surely an ironically-named company for such behavior.