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Shelby warns of filibuster of auto bailout
Politico ^ | 12/7/08 1:19 PM EST | JOHN BRESNAHAN

Posted on 12/07/2008 7:53:28 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach

With job losses mounting and Detroit’s Big Three automakers facing a battle on Capitol Hill over emergency federal aid, President-elect Barack Obama on Sunday predicted more hard times for the U.S. economy before it starts to turn around, and Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) threatened a potential filibuster of any attempt to bail out the automakers.

”This is a big problem. It’s gonna get worse,” Obama warned on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“Things are going to get worse before they get better,” he added.

Obama’s comments came on a busy Sunday morning that saw Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice making stops on three talk shows to talk about the fallout from the Mumbai terrorist attacks, and lawmakers clashed over whether a $15 billion “bridge loan” to American automakers should be approved.

Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), a staunch ally of the U.S. carmakers, and Shelby, who has emerged as the leading opponent of any aid package for the Big Three, sparred over the whether the American government should rescue U.S. automakers during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday.”

Levin said he was “confident” that Congress would consider a bailout bill for the auto industry, but stopped short of predicting whether it would pass. Democratic leaders in the House and Senate are considering a $15 billion “bridge loan” to help out the automakers.


"I think they're very close to a deal, I think there will be a deal and that will happen in 24 hours," Levin told host Chris Wallace. “Obviously, that's a much more complicated question of whether the votes are there. What I'm confident of is that a bill will be introduced."


(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 110th; autobailout; automakers; bailout; bailoutnation; detroitauto; economy; shelby
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To: Spktyr
My project Jag runs the same HEI system as a 77 Impala (right down to the GM part numbers).

What was wrong with the original 12 cylinder?

81 posted on 12/08/2008 6:15:10 AM PST by Sir Francis Dashwood (Arjuna, why have you have dropped your bow???)
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To: Sir Francis Dashwood

It never had a V12. It’s an XJ*6* with the LeMans-winning inline six.


82 posted on 12/08/2008 6:16:45 AM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Spktyr

Short wheelbase?


83 posted on 12/08/2008 6:18:28 AM PST by Sir Francis Dashwood (Arjuna, why have you have dropped your bow???)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

I would agree to a bailout on one condition. That all officers and board members immediately step down with no severance.


84 posted on 12/08/2008 6:18:38 AM PST by dfwgator (I hate Illinois Marxists)
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To: Spktyr
By the way, apparently the Viper guys are having a competition - who can get to a 2000hp streetable Viper first.

A buddy of mine got 1800 out of his old XJS...

85 posted on 12/08/2008 6:20:32 AM PST by Sir Francis Dashwood (Arjuna, why have you have dropped your bow???)
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To: dfwgator
I would agree to a bailout on one condition. That all officers and board members immediately step down with no severance.

I want to pick a new Vette off the nearest lot...

86 posted on 12/08/2008 6:22:59 AM PST by Sir Francis Dashwood (Arjuna, why have you have dropped your bow???)
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To: Sir Francis Dashwood
No, 87 with the Pininfarina-tweaked styling on the long wheelbase. The short wheelbase went away in 1978 for the sedans.

The short wheelbase chassis is what underpinned the XJS and in heavily modified form is under the XK8/R.

This one's mine:

I've currently got it apart to replace the transmission with a 700R4. I kind of blew up the Borg Warner M-66... one too many neutral drops shattered the input drum. :P

87 posted on 12/08/2008 6:23:17 AM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Sir Francis Dashwood

What, offshore racing V12 plus nitrous?


88 posted on 12/08/2008 6:23:52 AM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Candor7
They don't make 75 bucks an hour. That figure includes people already on pensions etc, and is not the hourly wage of their workers. They earn, on average about what the non Union plants make. What they need to do is streamline. The biggest expense they have and the most damaging thing the Unions have done to the big 3 is the fact they have to keep jobs that they don't need.

When they first started automating their lines the unions went on a tear and got them to make many concessions about jobs that the big 3 need to dump.

Its like the railroads, they had to keep a fireman in the cab of the engine even after they went to diesel/electric power, useless but still soaking up revenue. There are jobs like that in the big 3.

Bottom line of what I am trying to say is: Chapter 11, cut the fat, it is better to employ fewer people than to shut down, and I mean cut the useless executive and supervisory jobs also.

89 posted on 12/08/2008 6:31:49 AM PST by calex59
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To: Spktyr
Can you “see” the difference in your test light between 9.4V and 9.5V? The module will work at 9.5, won’t work at 9.4.

Like I said, If I suspect such a case, I can easily jump between the batt and the dist. problem solved.

If you did so, you would learn that most computerized cars can actually limp home if anything BUT the CPS fails.

A buddy's Dodge got hauled out of the woods- Computer kept shutting it off for insufficient oil pressure. Turns out it wasn't the oil pressure at all. It was the sensor.

In my case, since gauges are mechanical, I can make an intelligent diagnosis, choose to ignore the faulty gauge, and go on my way. He still had to walk out, trailer the rig out, pay to fix it, and etc.

All the complication is not worth it.

90 posted on 12/08/2008 6:35:20 AM PST by roamer_1 (Proud 1%er... Reagan Conservatism is the only way forward.)
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To: roamer_1
You are aware that this is also the case on *many* non-computer cars, right? Ford and Mopar have both been known to ground the ignition through an oil pressure switch. No pressure (except when the key is turned to "start"), no run. If the pressure switch doesn't work, no run. If the connector comes off or the wire breaks, no run.

That has nothing to do with "computerized" or not, just the maker's particular design. My Nissan truck is computerized; you can disconnect most of the sensors and it won't care much. It will keep running. It will set a code, but it will keep running.

Like I said earlier, since your only experience with computerized cars appears to be with domestic crap, I can understand why you hate them.

What do you think of this 1970 Pontiac Firebird? It has been stripped out to be a drag car; it has a recent crate Pontiac 350, new GM starter, new GM alternator, battery relocation kit, Edelbrock 1405, HEI conversion from Mallory, nitrous, and a brand new and tested pair of batteries. Right up your alley, no?


91 posted on 12/08/2008 6:57:52 AM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Good for Senator Shelby. There is no reason why auto workers in non-union states (or anyone else for that matter) should subsidize UAW “legacy” promises which weren’t realistic then and are even less realistic now.


92 posted on 12/08/2008 7:10:46 AM PST by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or, are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
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To: Spktyr
What do you think of this 1970 Pontiac Firebird? It has been stripped out to be a drag car; it has a recent crate Pontiac 350, new GM starter, new GM alternator, battery relocation kit, Edelbrock 1405, HEI conversion from Mallory, nitrous, and a brand new and tested pair of batteries. Right up your alley, no?

Yeah! I like the iron... Though the only Pontiac motor I really fall over for is the 428 interceptor... very partial to that one. For the trouble I'd have gone Chevy small block myself... :D

Funny, I like the Birds- The front end gives them better styling to me, but I don't like Camaros all that much. More of a Chevelle guy, normally.

93 posted on 12/08/2008 7:14:16 AM PST by roamer_1 (Proud 1%er... Reagan Conservatism is the only way forward.)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
I'd like to see all three companies survive as lean, innovative, modern manufacturers with rebranded product lines that are somewhat scarce and in great demand.

But none of them are going to survive by cranking out mediocre cars in quantities 40-50% higher than the American market can absorb and in turn needing to promulgate absurd credit schemes to make their products virtually free to consumers in the short term. If that's the only way they know how to do business, then they'll have to go bankrupt.

Toyota, BMW, and Boeing can buy up whatever assets have commercial or military value and repurpose the production lines to make products that will sell. Big Three bankruptcies aren't going to be the "disaster" that would prevent us from having enough trucks and tanks to win WWII again, should the need ever arise.

94 posted on 12/08/2008 7:21:18 AM PST by Mr. Jeeves ("One man's 'magic' is another man's engineering. 'Supernatural' is a null word." -- Robert Heinlein)
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To: roamer_1
Only one little problem with it.

It won't start, not even with TWO new fully charged batteries connected to it, without a boost from another vehicle. All of the electrics are new and properly installed, the starter is correct for a 10:1 Pontiac 350, when the starter is installed on another Ponty 350 it'll spin over fine, additional grounds don't help, bypassing the solenoid doesn't help. All the starting parts are new GM or Mallory made parts. Timing and mixture are correct, etc., etc., we've swapped parts with a known good car, etc., etc. It just won't start when cold or hot without help.

My Pathfinder boosting the Firebird:


95 posted on 12/08/2008 7:22:46 AM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Spktyr
It won't start, not even with TWO new fully charged batteries connected to it

First thought: New motor, motor is too tight? How's it spin by hand?

96 posted on 12/08/2008 7:26:33 AM PST by roamer_1 (Proud 1%er... Reagan Conservatism is the only way forward.)
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To: roamer_1

Spins over by hand just fine - well, as fine as a 10:1 engine can, anyway.


97 posted on 12/08/2008 7:33:42 AM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: roamer_1

Oh, and this is something recent - car didn’t use to do this, per the owner. The Pontiac isn’t mine.

Remember, all this stuff is directly from GM or a reputable vendor. No installation errors, we’ve checked everything and had other people look at the car.

Which leaves only “GM SUCKS” as the remaining cause. Either they screwed up the engine or those aren’t 10:1 pistons in there.


98 posted on 12/08/2008 7:36:35 AM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Spktyr
Spins over by hand just fine - well, as fine as a 10:1 engine can, anyway.

I got nothing then. Providing cabling is sufficient to deliver the battery to the solenoid, solenoid to the starter, providing the grounding is as you say, and providing there isn't a big ol Jimmy Blower sitting on top of that 350 stuffing it up to about 12:1, I dunno what else to tell you.

99 posted on 12/08/2008 7:46:54 AM PST by roamer_1 (Proud 1%er... Reagan Conservatism is the only way forward.)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

thought is was Caroll Shelby and there would be some nice mustang pics. no such luck.


100 posted on 12/08/2008 7:48:51 AM PST by thefactor (yes, as a matter of fact, i DID only read the excerpt)
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