Congressional Leaders Want Bush to Help Automakers

[tigerbob]

I am not as sensitized as you, but fairly close. I live in West Michigan, which used to have Tier I and Tier II suppliers like Prince (JCI) but are now in Mexico. I don't see how this bailout is going to prevent the inevitable. What is to stop GM from moving to Mexico or China AFTER they receive this government money? The workers are screwed anyway.

I mentioned safeguards? Not moving jobs out of the country would be one of them.

 

[WillowTree]

What adjustments will the big 3 make if the government gives them this money? Will they decide they want to compete with Japan or will they continue on their path of "same ole same ole" and run the companies into the ground, so that in ten years, the taxpayer gets to bail them out again?

they cannot compete with Japan, They've had years to prove they could and have failed. Miserably.

 

[elvis]

they cannot compete with Japan, They've had years to prove they could and have failed. Miserably.

They failed because they said they had been doing it the same way for years and been successful so there was no reason to change.

 

[WillowTree]

They failed because they said they had been doing it the same way for years and been successful so there was no reason to change.

How many years in a row was the Toyota Camray the number one selling car? The only reason the American big 3 have stayed in business is in their ability to sell pickup trucks.

 

[elvis]

How many years in a row was the Toyota Camray the number one selling car? The only reason the American big 3 have stayed in business is in their ability to sell pickup trucks.

Right, but now they can't sell pickup trucks. They wanted to do things their own way whether it worked or not and now we get to pay for it. Are they going to change or continue their idiocy?

 

[elvis]

I mentioned safeguards? Not moving jobs out of the country would be one of them.

If this is Bush's decision, there will be no safeguards, I guarantee it.

 

[tigerbob]

How many years in a row was the Toyota Camray the number one selling car? The only reason the American big 3 have stayed in business is in their ability to sell pickup trucks.

F-150 in the top selling vehicle in the world. And it isn't even sold outside North America.

 

[elvis]

F-150 in the top selling vehicle in the world. And it isn't even sold outside North America.

At these gas prices (in the summer) how can that be?

 

[WillowTree]

Right, but now they can't sell pickup trucks. They wanted to do things their own way whether it worked or not and now we get to pay for it. Are they going to change or continue their idiocy?

I'm hoping all three will not be bailed out. All we need is one automobile company to make those tiny little cars the Democrats are going to soon force us to drive. That's all we need. Now why Pelosi is being so two faced and begging President Bush to bail them out when she knows she has every intention of not letting us drill for our own oil is way beyond me. I still haven't figured out why Pelosi insisted that every American worker except her American Samoan workers should have a minimum wage hike. Have you?

 

[tigerbob]

At these gas prices (in the summer) how can that be?

I was referring to a couple of years ago actually. I'd be very surprised if it was still number 1. If so, it must have had one hell of a big lead over number 2.

I'm stunned at how much gas has come down. Most I ever paid was $4.29 for regular in Michigan. Where I am now (Maine) it's £2.25. Unreal. Now costs me less than $50 to fill my truck. Used to cost over $90.

 

[elvis]

I'm hoping all three will not be bailed out. All we need is one automobile company to make those tiny little cars the Democrats are going to soon force us to drive. That's all we need. Now why Pelosi is being so two faced and begging President Bush to bail them out when she knows she has every intention of not letting us drill for our own oil is way beyond me. I still haven't figured out why Pelosi insisted that every American worker except her American Samoan workers should have a minimum wage hike. Have you?

Pelosi drives a fucking Suburban. So I am waiting for her to trade it in on a Prius.

 

[elvis]

I was referring to a couple of years ago actually. I'd be very surprised if it was still number 1. If so, it must have had one hell of a big lead over number 2.

I'm stunned at how much gas has come down. Most I ever paid was $4.29 for regular in Michigan. Where I am now (Maine) it's £2.25. Unreal. Now costs me less than $50 to fill my truck. Used to cost over $90.

It's nice. It's 2.00 here in west michigan. I don't know how long it will last.

 

[Neubarth]

Whoever's fault it is, NAFTA needs to be repealed. If American corporations can't afford to hire American workers, they need to scale down operations so they can start to. No more CAFTA in exchange for loans to the auto-makers, no more FTA's ever again. American jobs stay on American soil.

Scale down operations? As in only manufacture for the American market at inflated prices? To make American cars competitive with Hundais and Toyotas and Nissans, we would have to slap a high tarriff on the imported cars. That would not be fair to the American Consumer. No, the correct answer is to build cars in America that are competitive with those foreign cars. Let GMC and Fore and Chrysler go throughthe Chapter 11 process and renogtiate their labor contracts. If they can not do that, then they need to fold and start up companies with new contracts need to build the cars.

 

[elvis]

Scale down operations? As in only manufacture for the American market at inflated prices? To make American cars competitive with Hundais and Toyotas and Nissans, we would have to slap a high tarriff on the imported cars. That would not be fair to the American Consumer. No, the correct answer is to build cars in America that are competitive with those foreign cars. Let GMC and Fore and Chrysler go throughthe Chapter 11 process and renogtiate their labor contracts. If they can not do that, then they need to fold and start up companies with new contracts need to build the cars.

What about the lost jobs and market crash that follows?

 

[WillowTree]

Pelosi drives a fucking Suburban. So I am waiting for her to trade it in on a Prius.

doh! the hell you say?

 

[Neubarth]

If this is Bush's decision, there will be no safeguards, I guarantee it.

It is ludicrous to pay autoworkers forty dollars an hour when the same workers in other industrialized countries earn half that. The whole purpose of NAFTA and other agreements like that around the world is that we can stop protectionism and build a World Economy. Just because Americans are horrible at the realization of competition in the world marketplace does not mean we should take the ball and run home to mommy. We need to learn how to play fair and in accordance with the rules.

It is either that, or our economy suffers. We have the means and the power to be the world's major car producer. We just need to step up to the task.

 

[Neubarth]

What about the lost jobs and market crash that follows?

Well podner, the market crash is happening and is a reality. We expect to see the average stock price down a lot from the present value. Stocks are still to expensive.

As far as letting the Big 3 fail. Let it be a reality and then we can see the traditional NEW American car companies start up and build quality fuel efficient cars. That could be a reality within six months, about the time that unemployment checks run out. The models are already designed. All we have to do is stamp them out of steel and build them.

 

[DiveCon]

I was referring to a couple of years ago actually. I'd be very surprised if it was still number 1. If so, it must have had one hell of a big lead over number 2.

I'm stunned at how much gas has come down. Most I ever paid was $4.29 for regular in Michigan. Where I am now (Maine) it's £2.25. Unreal. Now costs me less than $50 to fill my truck. Used to cost over $90.

i know we seem like a remote area, but we are still using Dollars here

 

[dilloduck]

Well podner, the market crash is happening and is a reality. We expect to see the average stock price down a lot from the present value. Stocks are still to expensive.

As far as letting the Big 3 fail. Let it be a reality and then we can see the traditional NEW American car companies start up and build quality fuel efficient cars. That could be a reality within six months, about the time that unemployment checks run out. The models are already designed. All we have to do is stamp them out of steel and build them.

Steel imported fron China ?

 

[elvis]

It is ludicrous to pay autoworkers forty dollars an hour when the same workers in other industrialized countries earn half that. The whole purpose of NAFTA and other agreements like that around the world is that we can stop protectionism and build a World Economy. Just because Americans are horrible at the realization of competition in the world marketplace does not mean we should take the ball and run home to mommy. We need to learn how to play fair and in accordance with the rules.

It is either that, or our economy suffers. We have the means and the power to be the world's major car producer. We just need to step up to the task.

Nafta put all those people completely out of work, and now they work at Walmart or McDonalds. Building a world economy? You mean the ones where the CEO's continue to bring in 30 million dollars a year while they pay Chinese workers three dollars a day and work them 15 hours a day seven days a week in horrible conditions? Is that your dream for the future? Is that what a global economy looks like?