As Toyota Goes ...

NY Times ^ | 6/17/05 | T Friedman

[KingNo155]

T Friedman should deliver newspapers instead of writing them, its a job more suited to his mental capacity.

[JSteff]

"I'm rooting for GM (and all other carmakers)to toss the unions out on their a$$e$ and go to performance-based pay."

That will never happen. Do you seriously believe the GM board would want to be on a real performance based pay plan?

Do you think any of management would? Even if they do with out outside influence it would be like prisoners deciding on parole for each other.

Never work.

[rmh47]

Republicans run the house and senate, Frist is a candy ass.

Well, technically, yes. But in actuality, only sorta.

The problem is, while the Republicans do have a majority in the Senate, conservatives do not. There are several liberal senators, including two from Maine, one from Rhode Island, and one from Pennsylvania; a pair of half-RINO senators from Ohio as well as one from North Carolina; and a loose cannon from Arizona and a loose cannon wannabe from South Carolina. My list is not all-inclusive.

With the retirements of Zell Miller and John Breaux thee are absolutely no conservative Democrats in the U.S. Senate anymore.

[BlazingArizona]

If Friedman's okay with seeing GM execs out on the street, and I'm okay with seeing UAW goons out on the street, then GM collapsing must not be all that bad.

Especially since toyota alreay builds a substantial percentage of its cars in the US. It's cheaper than building them in Japan.

[Publius6961]

OK 'fess up.
You're a GM union worker, right?

[gcruse]

My Daimler-Chrysler Sebring was built in the US by Mitsubishi. Great car, strange world.

[Hardastarboard]

OMg, for a second I thought that Milton Friedman wrote this. I was stunned. But, sometimes it's good to be wrong, and this was one of them.

[kaktuskid]

GM sold off its interest in Isuzu (who is about ready to go under BTW)

The current Chevy Malibu is basically a US built Opel...similar chassis design

They also have a decent operation in Australia, Holden (which still makes big sedans that are loved by Aussies)

I have a feeling that Toyota and Honda are ignoring the Korean auto makers..primarily Hyundai..that are going after their markets.