Rep Brad Sherman (D-CA) to Auto industry CEOs: "Raise your hand if you're planning to sell your jet"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

VIDEO CLIP @ the URL below:

Lawmaker asks auto CEOs to sell private jets
By David Thursday Nov 20, 2008 5:30am

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/lawmaker-asks-auto-ceos-sell-private-jets



Auto industry CEOs appeared on Capitol Hill today to ask for a $25 billion bailout. At least one lawmaker believes that the CEOs should change their luxury travel habits before getting access to taxpayer funds. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) asked the top execs if they would be willing sell their corporate jets and travel home on commercial flights.

Sherman asked the CEOs, "I'm going to ask you to raise your hand if you are planning to sell your jet in place now and fly back commercial."

"Let the record show, no hands went up," noted Sherman

MSNBC's Contessa Brewer and Mike Viqueira discussed the CEOs' lack of response. "I have to tell you, just listening to that is awkward," said Brewer.

[nightrain]

1. the CEOs are in a bubble. They don't get what suffering is

and refuse to downgrade, which probably equals failure in their mind. Some peoples' egos can't take the bruising/reality.

[panader0]

2. I saw that and it was beautiful.

That alone sank their little boat.

[Kalyke]

3. Did they ask the bank presidents that?

I say we yank the money from the financial institutions and give it to the Big 3 to keep Americans working.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

4. We're never going to see a fair balance between the banks and auto makers

I'm seeing a recurring theme in the posts on this subject, and it's just not going to happen.

There were more than a few posters on DU who characterized the $700B bailout as "necessary" and "the only solution," sometimes even going so far as to question the intelligence and / or reasoning powers of anyone who questioned giving Paulson & Co carte blanche.

And the government danced around the "we're not gonna let them keep their golden parachutes" talking point, but there's a long list of perks and spa retreats that made it under the radar.

So no, the treatment of the Auto Industry CEOs is not the same treatment that the financial CEOs received. And it will continue to be that way. The thinking in our current government is that Wall Street needs to be protected. I haven't heard concern for "working Americans" other than as an afterthought in one of Bush's weekly radio addresses.

[Bozita]

10. Betting the AIG corporate jet fleet is larger than the combined fleets of the Big3.

[tandot]

5. What really gets my blood boiling is that they are blaming the Unions and workers

for their failure.

[GodlessBiker]

6. They are clueless.

[wtmusic]

7. I loves me my rep.

:hug:

[guitar man]

8. they think

they think they are some kind of royalty or something. I say we tar, feather and horsewhip their asses just to show them they're not. :grr:

[bdamomma]

9. greedy bastards.

[KG]

11. that says all you need to know why the US auto industry is failing.