Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Obama weighing idea of "auto czar," aide says
Yahoo ^

Posted on 11/13/2008 7:15:44 AM PST by Sub-Driver

Obama weighing idea of "auto czar," aide says 11 mins ago

CHICAGO (Reuters) – President-elect Barack Obama is considering naming a point person to lead efforts to help the distressed auto industry return to health, an Obama aide said on Thursday.

General Motors Corp, Ford Motor Co and Chrysler LLC are seeking a federal bailout of up to $50 billion.

Automakers and Democratic congressional leaders have discussed a two-stage process in which government would provide $25 billion in direct loans to meet urgent needs. A second $25 billion would come later and could be applied to a United Auto Workers (UAW) retiree health care trust, freeing up more cash for operations.

An Obama transition official said the president-elect was looking into "identifying someone in charge of the auto issue who would have the authority to bring about reforms that would lead to an economically viable auto industry."

Obama said at a news conference last week that he considered federal help for the industry a high priority for his transition and called the auto companies "the backbone of American manufacturing and a critical part of our attempt to reduce our dependence on foreign oil."

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 111th; autoczar; automakers; bailouts; bho2008; detroit; obama; obamatransitionfile; socialists
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-62 next last
To: RichardW
Thank you....Now multiply it...x no of workers!! Nuf said!!

We're being blackmailed. Let GM etc. go away. Toyota will take it from there...And open more USA plants.

21 posted on 11/13/2008 7:29:36 AM PST by Sacajaweau (I'm planting corn...Have to feed my car...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver
A second $25 billion would come later and could be applied to a United Auto Workers (UAW) retiree health care trust

NFW

22 posted on 11/13/2008 7:30:04 AM PST by johniegrad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: null and void
It won’t be a very long wait.

The US economy is already shy 2 quarts of oil.

23 posted on 11/13/2008 7:30:57 AM PST by mlocher (USA is a sovereign nation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver

More useless programs... great...just great.

Instead of cutting, he is adding.

Now we are screwed.


24 posted on 11/13/2008 7:36:55 AM PST by Porterville (Senate Wackyland: 100 nuts and a squirrel)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver

If he really wants to help the US auto industry, he’ll allow the oil companies to drill locally. Enough of this foreign oil crap ... we have our own, let’s use it while continuing to develop alternative fuels.


25 posted on 11/13/2008 7:37:05 AM PST by al_c (Avoid the consequences of erudite vernacular utilized irrespective of necessity)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver

If he really wants to help the US auto industry, he’ll allow the oil companies to drill locally. Enough of this foreign oil crap ... we have our own, let’s use it while continuing to develop alternative fuels.


26 posted on 11/13/2008 7:37:06 AM PST by al_c (Avoid the consequences of erudite vernacular utilized irrespective of necessity)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mlocher
An auto czar, for the manufacturers of cars, is very bizarre. By far.

Thank you, Dr Seuss.

27 posted on 11/13/2008 7:37:41 AM PST by al_c (Avoid the consequences of erudite vernacular utilized irrespective of necessity)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: LottieDah

All these czars is this Russia?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Don’t be ridiculous! Czarist Russia had a leader who knew how to get something done!


28 posted on 11/13/2008 7:37:56 AM PST by RipSawyer (Great Grandpa was a Confederate soldier from the cradle of secession.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: technically right
"SOMEONE STILL HAS TO WANT TO BUY THE DAMN THINGS!!!"

Think Trabant. The government will produce one car and you will buy it whether you like it or not.


29 posted on 11/13/2008 7:38:26 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: mlocher

“You can’t keep your heat at 72 degrees or drive wherever you want.”


30 posted on 11/13/2008 7:38:51 AM PST by Sacajaweau (I'm planting corn...Have to feed my car...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: al_c

Huh? Not sure how that double post go there. Apologies.


31 posted on 11/13/2008 7:39:16 AM PST by al_c (Avoid the consequences of erudite vernacular utilized irrespective of necessity)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: al_c; BRL
Thank you, Dr Seuss.

That is one of the nicer things that people call me!

32 posted on 11/13/2008 7:39:26 AM PST by mlocher (USA is a sovereign nation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: mlocher

Well it was meant as a compliment. Nice post.


33 posted on 11/13/2008 7:39:55 AM PST by al_c (Avoid the consequences of erudite vernacular utilized irrespective of necessity)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: Sacajaweau

Take your rice rockets and stuff them!


34 posted on 11/13/2008 7:40:43 AM PST by dalereed
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: al_c

Thanks!


35 posted on 11/13/2008 7:40:54 AM PST by mlocher (USA is a sovereign nation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Sacajaweau
“You can’t keep your heat at 72 degrees or drive wherever you want.”

I know... I keep mine at 74.

36 posted on 11/13/2008 7:43:01 AM PST by Sword_of_Gideon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Xenophon450

You might not be all that far off. I don’t know how many vehicles the federal government buys in a year but I would wager it’s not an insignificant amount. It’s entirely plausible the Obama could mandate that the federal government purchase vehicles only from Ford, Chrysler and GM.
And I would guess that the price would be fixed as well to ensure that a tidy profit was turned by the companies, meaning yet another taxpayer subsidy.

You know what we’re talking about here is in reality the real definition of Fascism. Lots of folks throw the term around to include totalitarian forms of government in general but Fascism really is the operation of privately held corporations by the government.

I never thought I would see anything like this in my life but my guess is there’s going to be a lot of things I wouldn’t have believed could happen before this is all over with.


37 posted on 11/13/2008 7:44:26 AM PST by technically right
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver
An auto czar in charge of The Big One, or Half a One, or Quarter of a One or Anything Our Economy Can Afford One. Maybe he can oversee the production of the Civilian Assault Vehicle (CVA) for use by the Civil Defense Squads.
38 posted on 11/13/2008 7:45:20 AM PST by Dixie Yooper (Ephesians 6:11)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dalereed
Not what I REALLY meant...Either GM has to change or it will fall to Toyota...

Kodak stayed on it's old path until they lost the film business...and came into the digital camera business many years TOO LATE.

39 posted on 11/13/2008 7:46:03 AM PST by Sacajaweau (I'm planting corn...Have to feed my car...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: silverleaf
"people can't be ordered to buy them"

That's right. BUT, with people like AlGore being vetted for "enviromental czar" they can outlaw internal combustion engines, and we'll be forced to buy them or ride the bus. I don't support that, I'm just sayin'.

They'll confiscate our cars just as soon as they finish confiscating the guns...in that order.
40 posted on 11/13/2008 7:48:13 AM PST by FrankR (Operation Tightbelt...he can't redistribute what isn't there...stop all un-necessary spending.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-62 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson