How Patriotic........no bailouts for GM

[samplegirl]

This is all about Union busting and nothing more! Every Republican congressmen speaking against bailouts. Why do they hate working people so badly???
Guess they would rather see Toyota rule.

[Auggie]

1. Obviously on a mission to lose all their congressional seats

[DJ13]

2. I dont understand why idiots like Shelby (R- Al) think the resulting depression

..... will be good for the foreign automakers that operate in their states?

I've never seen congressassholes so shortsighted before in my life.

[donco6]

3. Are they just being oppositional?

Or are there that many people that support letting them die?

[Oregone]

4. The GOP is forcing the big 3 into liquidation, so we can easily nationalize them!

Socialized green auto-production. Hurray! (if only)

[samplegirl]

5. Woo Hoo!!!

We can all ride bikes!!

[Oregone]

7. Haha...something doesn't have to be a bike to be "green", or at least, "greener" than the standard

[rhett o rick]

16. No GOP is forcing the car manufacturers into bankruptcy so they can dump their retirees

and renegotiate their labor contracts.

[Samantha]

20. I agree

Pretty obvious tactic. And it is barbaric.

I think we should ponder paying Senators and Congressmen $14.00 an hour with no benefits. Then we can observe how they survive in this economy and use them as a example for the rest of us to follow.

What is really upsetting is that figure something like $74.00 an hour they quote the auto makers as pulling in. That includes all the benefits the workers receive: retirement, vacation, 401(k), sick leave, health care, dental ... but the public is taking that literally. I have had two outraged Republicans quote that number to me in a fit of anger. The top paid workers make about $42 hourly, which really isn't that much considering the value of today's dollar. (Of course, that is not mentioned much in these assessments).

Some of these auto workers are tremendously highly skilled, such as welders. It takes a long time and a lot of practice to become expert at this. To those who say it does not, we need to put that to the real test, like removing strategic parts of their automobile and having an amateur weld it back on, someone making $14.00 an hour who hasn't done the hard work and put in the time to master the trade. Then we could see how far they got in their car and when those strategic parts started falling off, ask if they wanted to reconsider paying a master welder to fix it.

I am not one who makes my living with my hands, but I have the utmost respect for those who do, and I believe those automobile workers deserve every penny they have been paid by GM and others. They probably are a lot better at what they do, more hardworking, and a little bit more honest than these people in Congress ridiculing them.

Sam

[rhett o rick]

21. I was raised with my father in a union. Every three years they renegotiated their contract.

Each time the business offered them less total compensation than they were getting. When they asked for more than offered, the media used that amount as what they were asking for. For example, if they were getting total compensation of 20 dollars an hour, the business would offer them 17 dollars an hour. Then they would ask for 22 dollars an hour for inflation, the media would say they wanted a 5 dollar an hour raise. In actuality they were just trying to match inflation.

[Why Syzygy]

6. Patriotic?

Like the sales they had after 911? I got so sick of auto commercials. We're freaking un-patriotic because we can't buy new cars?

Your thinking is messed up.

[samplegirl]

9. Huh.......my thinking is messed up??

Somethings wrong with your thinking if you think America should not support American made cars.

[endarkenment]

11. your sarcasm went woosh!

sometimes the :sarcasm: is required or the readers get false positives.

[Why Syzygy]

22. No. I think American made cars should support Americans.

I don't worship PRODUCTS.

[samplegirl]

23. Well I'm thinking about the millions of people

who will not have a job or a pension check. Right here in our state!

[Why Syzygy]

27. I don't blame you for that.

But Americans can't buy new cars. What has the auto industry done for any of us? Nada. Have they helped out Michigan over the past decade as it was crumbling beneath them? Or did they know they would go to DC with their hand out even though they acted irresponsibly? I'm a big "consequences" person. Until people learn to accept them, we remain immature and suffer.

[samplegirl]

28. You have got to be kidding me...

this is the republican dream where millions more can work for 6.00 and hour.
What did AIG do for you???

[sarcasmo]

8. Bingo, you are spot on. 25 Billion for Citigroup zero for the working class.

[Double T]

10. rethugs like slaves and slave wages. rethugs want to establish.........

the $10.00/hour USA worker that has no benefits and no pension. The new world order continues under bushit rule. WE must clear out the Big 3 American Auto Makers to make way for the Chinese made cars that are on the way. BO has said he will not be heavy handed with the criminal and corrupt business and financial community; what a disappointing sellout!! Business as usual continues.

[rucky]

12. John Boehner's district faces massive unemployment if GM goes down.

There are several small boutique factories & plants that serve GM around here. Fuck Boehner.

[OhioChick]

13. K&R

:kick:

[BrklynLiberal]

14. Yep. Union busting would be a bonus for the repukes. That is exactly what they want

[Initech]

15. Maybe they're taking the Oakland A's approach:

Gut the whole damn team and start over again and see if that works.

[bvar22]

17. I thought the Democrats held a sizeable majority in the House?

:shrug:

[KamaAina]

24. But a razor-thin one, if any, in the Senate

particularly now that Obama (perhaps prematurely) resigned his seat. Even counting Lieberman :eyes: , it's 50-49, with Kennedy still dealing with his health issues -- and until Jan. 20, a tie gets resolved by Dick Cheney, with extreme prejudice.

[This One]

18. Guess the GOP is conceding the rust belt for the next 100 years

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

19. The "bailout" isn't a "bailout" - its DIP financing for Chapter 11

The only reason Detroit has not already filed for Chapter 11 is because they lack the funds to re-organize under bankruptcy protection and would just wind up in Chapter 7 and in the present market their prospects of getting bebtor-in-possession financing are nil.

If you bailout detroit they will just take the money to finance their bankruptcies and discharge their liabilities under Chapter 11.

[obiwan]

25. Nope. It's about bad decisions and greed by both management and labor.

Fuck GM. And Ford. And Chrysler. We can't go back to 1970.

I am a liberal, and I am tired of paying for other people's fuckups.

[leeroysphitz]

26. Scorched earth. n/t

[pipoman]

29. Nope, Toyota is ruling

because of the failed 3's failed business plan. The plan which intentionally built flaws into vehicles to enhance parts sales. Toyota has for years concentrated on building a quality, trouble free product. The not so big 3 attempted to market patriotism and produced inferior products. And enough with the meme about Americans should support American companies. I would agree if there were any loyalty to Americans by these "American companies" who have year after year exported US jobs. Toyota manufactures as many if not more vehicles using US labor than any of the pathetic 3. The profit margin at a corporate level is dwarfed by the cost of production. If 1 or 2% of the sale price of a vehicle goes to Japan, I could care less, most of the sale price goes to raw materials and US labor which enhances the US economy. OTOH the sale of a Mexican made GM product only lines the pockets of the white collar elite in Detroit who I could care less about and does nothing for the US economy.