For Sale: “Slightly Used Hummer Auto Manufacturing Facility“
Fully Loaded, Tinted Windows, Reliable 401k, Health & pension opportunities, Needs minor work, Must sell!!, All reasonable offers considered, Bad Credit? No Credit? No Problem!
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I’m not a hater. I think it’s fantastic that the big three U.S. automakers are hitting hard times. They needed this 25 years ago. The only thing better, would be if they actually went bankrupt for real and had to reform using actual business logic. But, the government just isn’t going to let that happen are they?
For the record, the third quarter winners are (among others):
- GM = 2.5 billion loss
- Ford = 2.9 billion loss
- Chrysler is already dead.
My dream: No support. No government aid. No goddamned bailout. It’s a reward for poor business behavior. Instead, maybe take your pay cut seriously, and maybe expand on that idea as if your business depended on it. Help your minions. But instead, GM CEO Wagoner gets his money back which wouldn’t be a big deal if it was based on some form of success, but it’s more an indication of the myopic approach this American industry has towards adaptation. It is not 1950. Your products are no longer viable options within the market. Full on billion dollar idiocy.
Ah well, it’s already past at this point… the U.S. Automakers are successfully leveraging the hostage of the American public, for the ransom of a government bailout. Just like the others.
Responsibility. If you make a wrong decision, you should reap the dividend either way, and yet these extortionist will sit on their fat, and watch as Uncle Sam comes to their high dollar rescue. And how many years now, has it been painfully obvious that their approach to transportation couldn’t be more inappropriate.
Good thing gas prices are on the down. My hummer needs a fillup.
November 9th, 2008 at 11:31 am
[...] For Sale: “Slightly Used Hummer Auto Manufacturing Facility“ Fully Loaded, Tinted Windows, Reliable 401k, Health & pension opportunities, Needs minor work, Must sell!!, All reasonable offers considered, Bad Credit ? No Credit More [...]
November 9th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Good start, now keep going & hold individual people to the same standards.
Personal responsibility.
November 9th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
I wonder how much money they could “Save” if they didn’t pay the board of directors, and pulled funding from things like NASCAR?
They could probably save a factory.
November 9th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
I live about 2 miles from the H2 plant and if it go’s in the dumper this area is in a world of hurt. I’m not defending the truck, it is a giant pile of shit and needs to die. It looks like after the first of the year the boys (And girls) at the H2 plant will be building some kind of taxi. If you would like I will ride over to the plant and have a picture taken in front of the sign with me giving it the full moon.
November 9th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA FWA HA HA HAFWAAAAAHA….
Sorry all…I just think it is funny cuz all of this is a long time coming.
November 9th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Maybe we can turn those empty car factories into the bicycle plants that have left us…then give the cyclist the tax breaks for riding to work like the H2 drivers got when they were driving to work….
November 9th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
i couldn’t agree w/ you more Dave. I am rather irritated w/ this whole “bail-out” in general. Every one of these companies that WE are bailing out is in the position they are as a result of greed and unsustainable business practices.
One has to wonder WHY this “bail-out” concept even came to be. WHO first idealized it, a private entity big-wig or one of our elected officials who is in bed w/ a private entity big-wig…?
I have a hard time accepting the idea that our elected officials pushing this “bail-out” are doing so solely in the best interested of the general public. What are the chances that the elected individuals pushing this w/ intimidation of another great depression have undoubtedly received large sums of monies from affilites of these troubled corporations in the past to influence the same policy-making that created this whole quagmire to begin with….
November 9th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
If you want to understand what is wrong with the US auto industry look to the new Chevy Camaro not the Hummer H2. We shouldn’t be surprised that a corporation took advantage of circumstances favorable to big trucks, after all, they had bills to pay. The mistake they made thinking that when the shit hit the fan people would continue to associate GM with the first time they got laid, not the latest time the got fucked.
November 9th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Bailout should be conditional on the big three dummies producing 70 mpg vehicles. We put a man on the moon for politics, but we can’t make fuel efficient cars? Bullshit. If they can’t do that, then yeah, let’s make them into bike factories–like the 1890s when bike factories abounded as did sweet bikes for citizens. Like mine, which I’m going to take for an evening spin in what’s forecast to be Flagstaff’s first substantial snowstorm of the season.
November 9th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
And yeah, Mitch is exactly right: it’s a self perpetuating cycle of corporate kick backs fueled by tax dollars. (A great documentary would be: Who lobbied for the bailout and why; who decides its divy and why.) This is why campaign finance reform, REAL campiagn finance reform, remains a foremost environmental, social, and democratic issue. That corruption fundamentally undermines how our representative democracy was designed to work. Anyone with power in our current political system is to some degree addicted to and afflicted by it.
November 9th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
the fact of the matter is corporate america has our polititians on the hook and those w/ the biggest rod & reel have the biggest boat filled w/ political fish that are only thrown back into the government lake if they agree to policy that benefits the boat floating the deck they are gasping for green on….
November 9th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
you know what would be nice?
if the current Pres Elect could actually change the system.
If the Govm’nt as a whole took Americas overwhelming majority to mean we are sick (and tired) of this shit!
How’s about a little real change here guys. If we as a nation don’t evolve we will end up being the next generations Rome.
November 9th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
…hey…what everybody said…i fully agree…
November 9th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
just wanted to clarify my position on this, in that aside from taxation, we are a free economic & capitalist society and i’m all for it. everyone should have to work for and earn what they have unless they have a legitimate impairment that prevents them from doing so (alcoholic deadbeat single parent of 7 mouths is not an impairment, it’s a choice).
Our government is meddling with a system that left unto itself would self balance and self correct.
Flat tax. i’m out.
November 9th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Why can’t we just talk about bikes? It seems everyone everywhere is worried about this topic. Why noy deal with the issues of alcohol and cycling?
I am no fan of a bailout. If a business fails a new one will start.
;)
November 9th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
Guys-
Is this some moonbat joke? Would you really watch the American auto industry die while you apply for loans to your Asian overlords?
Follow the money: the Asian (and a couple of European) automakers want you to believe their vehicles are “made in America.” What they mean is, “assembled by American non-union hillbillies.” They’re laughing all the way to the bank.
If the big three U.S. automakers could unilaterally divest themselves of union labor and their onerous dealer networks, do you think they could design and build market-competitive vehicles?
Something to think about.
Mikey
November 10th, 2008 at 12:13 am
Unions and dealer networks didn’t force the big three to build hummers instead of hybrids in the face of a climate crisis and four dollar gas. The industry suffers from a fatal lack of ingenuity. American ingenuity. And Toyota doesn’t. Any bailout should be conditional on the industry being forced into change it’s been too greedy and stupid to make on its own. Or people could ride bikes instead and subvert the whole damn thing. Which, with two inches of fresh snow in Flagstaff tonight, makes for some wonderfully pleasent soft silent night riding. Just finished a single speed build that’s perfect for a winter bike–fat 2.5s, really old Univega frame with slack angles–ugly and plush and nice in the snow and ice. This discussion really is about bikes.
November 10th, 2008 at 4:11 am
Being from Michigan, we here better understand how much bigger then the auto industry this really is. The Big 3 are the core of the industrial manufacturing industry in the US, and 1 out of every 10 jobs in the US is somehow tied to the Big 3 and the auto industry. Allowing them to fail would tear the heart out of the manufacturing industry in the US.
As it is already, many of my cyclist friends have already lost their jobs, or are worried about such. I’ve already lost about 2-3 of my buddies to jobs out of state, and could lose many more if things continue to go down the drain.
November 10th, 2008 at 7:12 am
What determines the worth of an overpaid american autoworker? I know several people that went from high school to the GM plant in Janesville, WI to make $45,000 to $75,000K with insane benefits. I went to college and was lucky to make $36,000K after several years in the job market. I will make a generalization of the american auto worker…overpaid and expecting more every year. To do what…throw some doors on, push a few buttons…complain about how bad their jobs suck…the un-skilled redundancy of their jobs affords new vehicles, fishing boats and homes. Not as hard-working, but surely higher salaries as construction workers or teachers to name a few. One of the reasons these poorly-built and designed american autos are so expensive is because of this fucked-up inflated pay scale. How can we compete in a world market without realistic salaries for auto-workers?
November 10th, 2008 at 7:37 am
I’m with you Hellbelly, well said. One of the big 3 strikes every yr, regardless of need or the economy, for more money and more bennies. I never understood it, just like I never understood where all the money came from for all those $300,000 and $500,000 homes. I’m just a poor boy who along with a bunch more will now bail out the rich, it’s the Ameican Way.
No Bail Out, let them suffer the consequencies of their wrongs.
November 10th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Hellbilly, et al. I moved to Janesville 12 years ago to take a middle management job in manufacturing- not cars. I have three neighbors from GM who live a bunch nicer than I do. They are exactly as you describe. Houses and bass boats are now for sale.
The autoworkers’ expectations are ridiculous, but the rest of the middle class really does need help. We need a realignment that re-creates the middle class as something viable.
Post WWII middle class investiment in the GI Bill and assistance led to the golden age we’ve been leaving since the 80’s.
GM is it’s own worst enemy, but we need to invest in developing the middle class like Germany has done. It can work.
November 10th, 2008 at 9:13 am
merkin,
The middle class is 100% viable, people in that earnings bracket just refuse to live within middle class means, instead pissing away money on stupid shit like plasma tvs, 30 month car leases and 400 channel satellite.
November 10th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
mxracer, true, true. The intoxication of consumerism.
But all the same, I’ve wondered how we can sustain an economy based only on selling things to each other.
I guess I’ll have to get a better understanding of this than my measly two semesters of freshman Econ from years ago at the ole U.
I really doubt that the “magic of the market” will solve this on it’s own.
November 10th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
The plane is crashing. It’s going to be huge. Nobody even realizes.
November 10th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Shit luck.
http://www.actionext.com/names_m/modest_mouse_lyrics/shit_luck...
November 10th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
yup shit is goin down. I still have a smirk on my face though…because of all the people who once told me to invest in stock. I thought to myself. Damn. I have a little bit of money…and I put it here and all the sudden(if done right) I will have a whole bunch. Then I looked at the other angle…one of the best lessons in life that my Mom gave me, is that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. So…the whole investment in that form idea went right out the window. And I vowed to live from then on as humble as possible.(with a bike of course) And now…all these people have all this shit that they are losing…and Im sittin here with not much…so I really have nothing to lose. (I am gonna go buy a bow though, in case food continues to go short) Welcome america to your new 3rd world status. That is if everything keeps going exactly how it is now.
November 10th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
lopo-
who is smirking? Are you sure it’s not the rich guys who made their fortunes investing in securities? The stock market is not going away. Of course, you’re free to work until the day you die or live on the dole, suit yourself.
Mikey
November 10th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
i am smirking. Is richness really in money?
November 10th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
money just means more shit you dont need.
November 10th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
money just means more shit you don’t need. Calmness is the greatest thing you could ever achieve. And money definitely does not bring that.
November 10th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
“i am smirking. Is richness really in money?”
lopo-
Ah, the Buddhist view. Excellent point. In our culture however, “rich” is a term commonly applied to people with a lot of money. So yeah, there is richness in being rich.
“Calmness is the greatest thing you could ever achieve. And money definitely does not bring that.”
Actually, it turns out that “rich” people typically live longer and report happiness. If money is all that makes them happy, well that seems debatable.
So why not have both? Work hard, invest wisely, and don’t buy a lot of shit you don’t need. I just bought a camelbak and a wheel set and I feel convinced both will increase my calmness. My 25-mile rain ride yesterday didn’t increase my calmness as much as a warm, dry ride would have, especially as I wasn’t running a front fender and my feet got wet and cold, so hey, it can be confusing. At least for me it is. But I digress. Enjoy the ride, keep the rubber side down.
Mikey
November 12th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
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