Posted on 12/25/2008 6:39:29 PM PST by quesney
Before I'd left [for Detroit], I'd asked an acquaintance if he was from Detroit. "Indeed I am," he said, "Give me all your f--ing money."
Another colleague, always mindful of my desire for maximum material, suggested, "You should go when it's warm, you'd have a better chance of getting hurt."
Somewhere along the way, Detroit became our national ashtray, a safe place for everyone to stub out the butt of their jokes...
But with millions of jobs on the line, including their own, the Detroit Three honchos went to Washington to endure the kabuki theater, first in their private jets, then in their sad little hybrids. All to get their slats kicked in by Congress (and who has been more profligate than they) in order to secure a bridge loan to withstand an economy wrecked by others who'd secured no-strings bailouts before them. The absurdist spectacle was best summed up by car aficionado Jay Leno: "People who are trillions of dollars in debt, yelling at people who are billions of dollars in debt."
It happens, though, when you're from Detroit. In the popular imagination, the Motor City has gone from being the Arsenal of Democracy, so named for their converting auto factories to make the weapons which helped us win World War II, and the incubator of the middle class (now leading the nation in foreclosure rates, Detroit once had the highest rate of home ownership in the country), to being Dysfunction Junction.
To Detroit's credit, they've earned it.
(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...
Yeah - I'm sure. Or Paul Frehely or George Criscuola... I'll bet Ace was a blast to meet. Seems he and Peter were always the most approachable..
Chuckle. Thanks for the giggle.
Maybe. It's like the part in "A Christmas Carol" where the spirit of Christmas yet to come points a bony finger at a tombstone.
Great read. Thanks for posting.
So what? Welcome to an integrated, global economy. I would say that your comment is breathtaking in it's ignorance and stupidity.
A comment as silly as "the profits also go offshore" is so idiotic in its simplicity, it almost doesn't deserve a comment. Whatever "profits" are generated are taxed by the Federal, State and possibly even local governments. Secondly, what is equally important, is where is that money put to work? Are the foreign national corporations building more "final assembly" plants in the states creating an economic ripple that affects hundreds of thousands (yes).
Your shallow statements show a sophomoric understanding of the complexities and benefits of global trade. If the Big 3 go out of business, they and their employees will have no one to blame but themselves. Capitalism's creative destruction will then give rise through necessity, innovation and demand to better, more efficient and more sustainable industries - so long as GOVERNMENT STAYS THE HELL AWAY.
You just don't sound like patriot material. You don't sound like you think America's worth fighting for. If America's enemies paid people to spread discouraging propaganda, I don't think they could find a better example. You really should join the journalism profession. You'd fit right in.
On the other hand, they get the benefit of your talents for free right here, so, why would they hire you...
Sums up this great article perfectly.
You have it all figured out.
But who asked you?
That was a pretty good comeback. Hope you get my point.
I'm looking at my 1998 Honda Civic HX CVT coupe and outside of the CVT transmission and a few other components, everything else on the car is manufactured in the USA. And that includes the complete engine, too.
They already have with the ACAC ARJ21, which is derived from the McDonnell-Douglas MD90 design. The first prototype recently started test flying and first deliveries should start some time in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Here a picture of the prototype:
Bring the noise.
“But it would have been impossible for all 3 car companies to have had bad management for such a long time. At least one of the car companies would have stumbled onto the right management team at some point.....”
BINGO!!!The only thing common in all 3 is the UAW...
Iraqi Hockey Player
The Detroit Red Wings foreign scout flies to Baghdad to watch
a young Iraqi play hockey in the new American sponsored league,
and is suitably impressed and arranges for him
to come over to the US. Ken Holland
signs him to a one year contract and
the kid joins the team for the preseason.
Two weeks later the Wings are down 4-0 to the Blackhawks
with only 10 minutes left. Mike Babcock gives the young Iraqi
the nod and he goes in.
The kid is a sensation - scores 5 goals in 10 minutes
and wins the game for the Wings! The fans are delighted,
the players and coaches are delighted,
and the media love the new star.
When the player comes off the ice he phones his mom:
“Hello mom, guess what?”
“I played for 10 minutes today, we were 4-0 down,
but I scored 5 goals and we won. Everybody
loves me, the fans, the media, they all love me.”
“Wonderful,” says his mom, “Let me tell you about my day.
Your father got shot in the street and robbed, your sister
and I were ambushed, raped and beaten, and your
brother has joined a gang of looters, and all
while you were having such great time!”
The young Iraqi is very upset.
“What can I say mom? I’m so sorry.”
“Sorry? You’re Sorry?!!” says his mom,
“It’s your fault we moved to
DETROIT in the first place!”
Instead of “made in Detroit”... cars will be made in Tennessee, or Kentucky, or North Carolina... by AMERICAN workers... working for multi-national companies.
You have a slave mentality
Americans should be making cars for American companies so the profits go to Americans
If it were up to me ever foreign car plant would be shuttered and dynamited
The Auto Industry needs to get the gummit off its back and get rid of the unions. Until that happens it is as doomed as PravdABDNC.
PRay for W, America and Our Troops
First rule of capitalism is that capitalists want to make profits
Toyota and Nissan profits go back to Japan
Americans who work in their factories here are working for a colonizing power
Similar to Guatemalans working on banana plantations for United Fruit except that this is 2008 and the Americans are the serfs
You might want to think your globalsim through
That is if you still have pride in the nation you were born in
You’re a good freeper, FRiend. I have enjoyed your posts for many years.
Yes, I am very cynical about America right now, and I do wonder if today’s America is even worth defending anymore. It almost seems like America no longer exists. But I never said I quit. If the nation can recover, I will do what I can to help.
FRegards,
LH
I do have pride in my country. A country with a constitution that allows me to buy what I want, when I want, from whomever I want at any price I can negotiate. It's called economic freedom brother. All I want from my governemnt is to stay the hell out of my wallet and my purchasing decisions.
Incidentally, Ford, GM, and even Chrysler all make cars internationally and do VERY WELL at it. The reason they're in the mess they're in now is because of too many government employment and contracting laws, too many environmental regulations and too many state regulations governing dealership agreements.
I'm tired of crybabies wrapping themselves in the flag because they're worried about competition from foreign companies. As a coach said to me in High School "Quit whining and start competing."
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