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Firestone Revisited: Was Toyota a Takedown Target in the Name of NUMMI?
Andrew Breitbart's Big Government ^ | March 9, 2010 | Liberty Chick

Posted on 03/09/2010 2:24:35 PM PST by Oklahoma

As a gloomy, snowy February came to a close in the nation’s capital, so did the most recent circus attraction on Capitol Hill. Several days of congressional hearings on the Toyota recalls didn’t exactly deliver many more facts for Americans but they did leave behind a plethora of speculation and opinion to feast upon. While the saga now known as GasPedalGate flailed around quietly for several years, it’s suddenly taken center stage and today plays out like a bad made-for-TV-movie, complete with its villain, its victims, and most telling, a very long list of opportunists.

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


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: automakers; nummi; sua; toyota; uaw; unions
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Very interesting article showing the connections between big labor, trial lawyers, and the government in the SUA fiasco.
1 posted on 03/09/2010 2:24:35 PM PST by Oklahoma
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To: Oklahoma

Firestone revisited? I had 5 of those Firestone tires, and I blew all of them in one trip from Texas to CA on my Ford Country Squire station wagon. Firestone wasn’t a scam. Actually I probably blew 6-7 tires because we kept getting them replace along the way. It was a nightmare trip.


2 posted on 03/09/2010 2:44:23 PM PST by afraidfortherepublic
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To: Oklahoma

I perused the article but frankly I could not follow all the abbreviations and acronyms.

As best I can summarize, Toyota wants to close a plant in California, the workers want a severance package with Toyota and NOT endless attempts to keep the plant open, while the unions involved are all together to villanize Toyota.

At any rate, I’m very suspicious about all these sudden acceleration incidents and want to know the truth. The very first case of SUA given in the article killed an entire family. Toyota claims it was caused by a mismatched floor rug getting caught around the gas pedal.

As to who put the mismatched rug in the car is not clear. The Toyota was on loan to the drive from a Toyota dealership.

From then on all cases of this SUA thing are very suspect, at least as I heard them. In one case, a lady testifying before congress said the first thing she did when her Toyota gas pedal got stuck was...CALL HER HUSBAND!

Finally, today, there was a guy in California I believe, whose gas pedal got stuck. He called 911 (why can’t these people just pull out the ignition key? Wouldn’t this stop the engine, thus the car?). A cop did come to his aid, getting in front of his car and guiding him to a stop.

They have this car in custody, so to speak. Well let’s see what’s going on with this car cause could it be that all these unions are somehow hiring people to fake stuck gas pedals.

I’m being a sincere Devil’s Advocate here and don’t want to fight. I’d love to know what the truth is.


3 posted on 03/09/2010 2:45:56 PM PST by Fishtalk
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To: Oklahoma

Not only very interesting but exceedingly informative!


4 posted on 03/09/2010 2:55:23 PM PST by BrewingFrog (I brew, therefore I am!)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

I had one of those kind of trips, courtesy of General Tire. “Sure we’ll fix your car. Just send us the tires first.”


5 posted on 03/09/2010 2:59:06 PM PST by Cyber Liberty (I'm Ellie Light!)
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To: Fishtalk
... (why can’t these people just pull out the ignition key? Wouldn’t this stop the engine, thus the car?)

Sure, in addition to locking up the steering wheel. Thanks crime busters of the '70's.

6 posted on 03/09/2010 3:01:02 PM PST by Cyber Liberty (I'm Ellie Light!)
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To: Fishtalk

I want to know why they don’t shift into neutral.


7 posted on 03/09/2010 3:03:56 PM PST by Darksheare (Tar is cheap, and feathers are plentiful.)
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To: Oklahoma

I will buy a Toyota before I buy another GM (Government Motors) vehicle. What is going on in DC is typical Washington Theater or Circus, whichever you like.


8 posted on 03/09/2010 3:05:04 PM PST by Dapper 26
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To: Oklahoma

Liberty Chick is pretty sharp....


9 posted on 03/09/2010 3:09:58 PM PST by Cyber Liberty (I'm Ellie Light!)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Correct. Comparing it to Firestone is actually perfect. Firestone radial tires then were junk then. I also had four that shredded and replaced before they even admitted they were crap. Guess the comparison is perfect to Toyota.


10 posted on 03/09/2010 3:22:01 PM PST by Proud2BeRight
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To: Proud2BeRight

I figured the union astroturfers would show up.


11 posted on 03/09/2010 3:27:06 PM PST by Oklahoma
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To: Oklahoma

Again you are showing how wrong you are. I have never been a member of a union and never will. Of course I said that yesterday as you were defending these things that are killing Americans. Your comment further weakens your argument as much as the article posted is weakened by comparing the Toyotas to Firestone tires.


12 posted on 03/09/2010 3:37:01 PM PST by Proud2BeRight
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To: Fishtalk
(why can’t these people just pull out the ignition key? Wouldn’t this stop the engine, thus the car

No need to pull it out, just turn it to the "off" position. The engine will die. Might want to put the transmission in neutral rather quickly as well, so you can more easily control your slow down with the brakes. You might want to coast to a position of relative safety. You don't want to be stalled out in the middle of a highway just before rush hour begins to slow it down.

13 posted on 03/09/2010 4:03:47 PM PST by El Gato ("The second amendment is the reset button of the US constitution"-Doug McKay)
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To: Fishtalk

The first case (with the California Highway Patrolman and his family), as far as I know, has been confirmed as being caused by the floor mats. They were the wrong size for the car and the pedal became entrapped. I think the official report makes note of this.

There is almost no evidence whatsoever about any other problems actually existing. I’d also love to know the truth of the matter, but I don’t think the media is interested in the truth any more.


14 posted on 03/09/2010 4:21:03 PM PST by flintsilver7 (Honest reporting hasn't caught on in the United States.)
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To: Proud2BeRight

This is all overblown bullshit. How many US citizens die in car accidents each year, 40,000, 50,000? And you have your drawers in a wad over the 2 or 3 per year that have died in so-called sudden unintended acceleration accidents?

Are you a trial lawyer?

I’m automatically suspicious of any claim of “runaway” Toyotas. Probably a crooked lawyer lurking somewhere in the background.


15 posted on 03/09/2010 5:13:58 PM PST by Oklahoma
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To: Oklahoma
So now you think I'm a lawyer? LOL

Get a clue Toyota apologist. I have no financial or business interest in anything related to this. I am just enjoying watching the cult-like defenders of these things make excuses, blame others and make accusations as the truth comes out.

16 posted on 03/09/2010 5:37:40 PM PST by Proud2BeRight
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To: Darksheare
I want to know why they don’t shift into neutral.

BUMP! Hear, hear!

That's what I want to know, too. Seems simple and common sense enough. Why not?

17 posted on 03/09/2010 5:45:31 PM PST by upchuck (Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened.)
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To: Proud2BeRight

Your intelligence shows itself once again. I never said I thought you were a lawyer. I ASKED if you were a lawyer.

To take the side of unions, trial lawyers, big government, big media, and anti-Japanese bigots against Toyota means something. Are you comfortable with your compatriots?


18 posted on 03/09/2010 5:58:23 PM PST by Oklahoma
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To: flintsilver7

Husband tells me he just heard that the cop pulled up next to the “runaway” Toyota and indicated by hand action that he should turn off the ignition key.

The cop car than helped the guy drift to a stop.

So...

YOU CAN TURN OFF THE DAMN IGNITION KEY!! Second, why you gotta tell them this?


19 posted on 03/09/2010 6:07:15 PM PST by Fishtalk
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To: Fishtalk

Other reports say that the car didn’t hit the patrol car until both were essentially stopped. This would mean that the car was totally capable of stopping on its own. This begs the question - why was police intervention needed at all?


20 posted on 03/09/2010 8:12:28 PM PST by flintsilver7 (Honest reporting hasn't caught on in the United States.)
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