Free Republic

Word is that Ford Motor, because of my constant badgering at packed events, is going to cancel their deal to go to Mexico and stay in U.S.

In the wonderfully funny movie “Mom and Dad Save the World,” one of the heroes admits that his people are not so bright. “But what we lack in brains,” he says, “we make up for in ...good intentions.” Gentle mocking here of the frequent appeal of the incompetent for tolerance of their mistakes: How can you blame us if our intentions are good? The trouble is that much of what's really rotten in the world is due to people who thought that their good intentions would ensure a favorable result. Maybe the best example of this: former president Jimmy Carter....

The weekend break has not helped Volkswagen.Shares in the troubled German carmaker are crashing again, down 8.5% at 12.50 a.m. BST (7.50 a.m. ET).Google FinanceVolkswagen shares have been diving since it emerged that software in the company's cars was juicing the numbers on diesel emissions.On Monday, news broke that the scandal was even worse than first thought — over 2 million Audi cars are fitted with the same emissions-cheating software as Volkswagen's cars. Audi is owned by Volkswagen and produces higher-end cars.Bloomberg is also reporting that Volkswagen executives in Germany were directly involved in the faking of emissions, and former...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California officials say some 482,000 Volkswagen and Audi diesels were engineered to falsify their emissions for federal tests—a violation that opens the German automaker to a theoretical fine totaling $18 billion. The EPA and California Air Resources Board say the affected models had software in its computer engine controls that could sense exactly when it was being tested for emissions quality. At all other times, it would run the diesels in a different mode with illegal levels of pollution; for example, spewing up to 40 times more nitrogen oxide, a key component of smog,...

The United Auto Workers union will accelerate its bargaining efforts with Fiat Chrysler Automobile in the hopes of hammering out a template for a new labor contract the other two Detroit auto makers will match. The choice of Fiat Chrysler's FCA US unit as the target company for shaping the new contract, disclosed by the union on Sunday, kicks off an intense negotiating period expected in part to focus on a two-tier wage system that has financially benefited auto makers but rankled workers. The UAW's current contract with Fiat Chrysler, General Motors and Ford Motor expires on Monday, but labor...

MADISON, Wisconsin — A worker-freedom organization is sending a special legal notice to unionized employees of the Big Three automakers in Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan. The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation wants United Auto Workers members at General Motors, Ford and Chrysler to know their new workplace rights now that they are residents of right-to-work states. Those new rights kick in Sept. 15, after the old UAW contracts, which included forced union dues, expire. In a statement Thursday, the Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation said that once the UAW’s “monopoly bargaining contracts” with the automakers end, all...

With barely a month to go in its contract talks, Ford Motor Co. has thrown a meaty bone to the United Autoworkers Union. And it may also take Ford out of the presidential debate, where it recently became a target of Republican front-runner Donald Trump. Negotiations got off to a slightly testy start last month following news that the second-largest domestic automaker would likely move production of several key small car lines from Michigan to Mexico. Now, however, Ford says it plans to shift a heavy-duty version of its F-Series pickups from Mexico to a plant in Ohio, a move...

Representatives from Coca-Cola, Ford Motor Co. and Xerox say they’ve asked Planned Parenthood to remove their names as corporate donors to the embattled organization. The move follows a Daily Signal report revealing the names of 41 companies that Planned Parenthood listed as donors. That list, which was featured on Planned Parenthood’s website, has since been removed. This latest development comes in the wake of two undercover videos that showed Planned Parenthood executives talking about the sale of fetal body parts. Planned Parenthood is facing both federal and state investigations—and the possibility of losing taxpayer funding. Earlier this week, The Daily...

In a recent story in MLive, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation is given credit for "retaining" 40,200 jobs in Michigan when it awarded two MEGA tax credits to the Ford Motor Company. The story reports: "… in the end the two credits were supposed to retain up to 40,200 jobs.” ForTheRecord says: At the time of the agreement in 2010, the MEDC reported that Ford had 36,720 employees in Michigan. Ford Motor Co. estimates there are 40,000 employees in Michigan currently. That means the MEDC is taking credit for retaining every job in the Ford Motor Company. Would the company...

In the wake of two videos allegedly showing Planned Parenthood officials discussing the sale of aborted fetal body parts, Republicans in Congress are working to ensure that Planned Parenthood is stripped of its federal funding. However, it’s not only the government that fills Planned Parenthood’s coffers. According to 2nd Vote, a website and app that tracks the flow of money from consumers to political causes, more than 25 percent of Planned Parenthood’s $1.3-billion annual revenue comes from private donations, which includes corporate contributions. 2nd Vote researched the corporations and organizations to find which supported Planned Parenthood and found that more...

We haven’t checked in on the state of affairs in the auto industry recently, but it may soon be back in the news in a big way. Ford is making noises about the fact that they are losing money on the smaller, high efficiency cars which they must produce to stay on top of the eco-minded consumer market, such as the Ford Focus. So what’s a business to do? One suggestion being floated is that they just give up on turning a profit in Detroit and head down south of the border. Ford Motor Co.’s decision to end production of...

Ford plans to move production of two of its smallest cars from its assembly plant in Michigan to a plant overseas by 2018 to maintain competitiveness. Ford did not say where it would relocate production of the Focus and C-Max, amid media reports that Mexico was likely. The Focus is already produced at several locations around the world. 'We currently are reviewing several possible options,' said spokeswoman Kristina Adamski. 'We are committed to continuing to improve competitiveness and to invest where it makes the best sense for our business.' The announcement came as Ford and the other two large US...

It was a milestone month for FCA. For the first time ever, Chrysler has outsold Ford in US retail sales, reports Reuters. Retail sales refers to only cars sold directly to consumers, not counting sales of fleet vehicles to corporate customers. Including fleet sales, Ford moved 223,666 cars and Fiat Chrysler group sold 186,864. General Motors, meanwhile, saw sales slip slightly year over year and sold 265,825 cars. For the industry as a whole, it was another good month as car sales continue to go up. 2015 is expected to see even more growth in car sales, as the market...

American business magnate, Donald Trump said in his announcement to run for President on Tuesday, that he will levy punitive taxes on America’s second largest automaker, Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) if the company continues with its $2.5 billion expansion plans in Mexico, which he said will cause thousands to lose their jobs in the US. Referring to “Ford’s head” – likely the company CEO Mark Fields – as someone he knows, Mr. Trump said he will call him to share the “bad news”. (exerpt, please follow link for full article) http://www.bidnessetc.com/45870-can-donald-trump-really-block-ford-motor-company-from-expanding-into-mexico/

QUESTION: Do you hear anything that would indicate that Donald Trump would make a positive difference in the “Big Bang” should he become president? He says he will jawbone Ford Motor Co/ to not build a plant in Mexico and that he will use some form of tariff to “fix” the trade balance between China and the U.S. ANSWER: Trade is not our problem, debt is. The Donald knows all about debt since his corporations have filed for bankruptcy twice. Donald Trump has become infamous for his TV show yelling, “You’re fired!” every week on primetime television. Yet, after Trump’s...

Republican presidential hopeful and billionaire Donald Trump wants to bring the pain via punitive tariffs to Ford for manufacturing vehicles in Mexico. During his announcement of his 2016 campaign Tuesday, The Detroit News says Trump vowed he would levy a 35 percent tariff on Ford parts and vehicles imported from Mexico if the automaker presses forward with a $2.5 billion investment in the nation, claiming the move would “take away thousands” of jobs from American workers. http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2015/06/republican-hopeful-donald-trump-threatens-ford-with-tariffs-over-mexico/(

One of the inherent rights of owning a vehicle is the ability to get on one’s backside — a wrench in one hand and a grease rag in the other, and just tinker to your little heart’s desire. Since the vehicle was invented, it’s been an important facet within the community of gearheads. General Motors — the same company responsible for 87 deaths related to faulty ignition switches, FYI — wants to take that right away from you citing safety and security issues. Along with a few other big names. It’s called the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). It’s been around...

Ford is to sell a car that can read road signs and adjust its speed accordingly to ensure the vehicle is not driving too fast. The speed-limiting tech can be activated via the steering wheel and briefly overridden by pressing firmly on the accelerator. The car company suggests the facility will help drivers avoid fines and could reduce the number of accidents. However, one expert said the innovation might only serve as a "stopgap". "There's a plan for speed restrictions to be beamed to your car's computer systems and controlled from there, rather than requiring street sign visual recognition systems,"...

Much as we'd like to emulate our NASCAR heroes, breaking the speed limit often comes at a price. Ford is hoping to prevent accidents and speeding tickets by introducing cars that can see what the speed limit is and preventing heavy-footed motorists from driving any faster. Ford's Intelligent Speed Limiter tech will first appear on the new Ford S-Max that's launching in Europe that could just change the way that we drive.

U.S. President Barack Obama spoke by phone with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday evening, and protested remarks made by the latter during his election campaign against the establishment of a Palestinian state and Israel's Arab citizens. Obama did not accept the explanations Netanyahu provided during an interview with NBC, in which he backtracked on some of the statements he made during the final days of the election campaign. According to a senior White House official, Obama told Netanyahu that the U.S. will need to reassess its options regarding the Israeli-Palestinian peace process in light of the prime minister's new...