Posted on 11/16/2008 5:22:26 AM PST by gusopol3
The problems will not just “remain intractable,” they will get much worse.Bush has already smacked the ailing thing with a mallet. The Left President and the Left Congress will go at it now with steam hammers and C-4.
his conclusion as well.
He could always bring out of retirement the government employees who have made Amtrak the thriving symbol of American industrial might that it is today.
Free Republic wasn’t around in those days (of Amtrak’s start up) to flesh out the issues. I don’t remember the issues well enough to have a full appreciation of the parallels to the present, though I can see the general outline.
Ironically if GM were allowed to declare bankruptcy they could pay off their suppliers X% on the dollar but have the right to renegotiate with the unions. That would save their pathetic company.
And Washington will determine what the automakers manufacture and how, not the buying public.
I am letting my Congress-critter know I will no longer buy autos from any company that receives bailout money.
The Obama solution may end up transferring retirement and medical obligations to the federal government so it can be used as an excuse to nationalize those industries. The automakers get to keep their companies although it will be more regulated and therefore quasi-government controlled.
This is similar to the financial bailout in which taxpayers are paying the bill for bad business decisions of those companies.
But, surprise, surprise!! The heavily subsidized passenger rail system still is not a major player in this country, and will most likely never be one. The only hope for the passenger rail business is a general collapse of the economy, which would make rail travel more acceptable to people who can no longer afford to drive a personal vehicle down the interstates.
There's a circle of life in there somewhere, Simba.
Mismanagement at the corporate AND the union level have created this situation.
When I was in an AFL-CIO affiliated independent union (we voted against UAW membership) we had a great working relationship with the company. We topped out at around $15 an hour but we had good insurance. One important issue was the fact that we had a non strike clause in our contract which led to fewer tensions between the union and company.
On the other hand, union membership wasn’t a choice for labor and there were more than enough worthless jerks who lived with the union attitude of “I don’t get paid to do that job”.
Why is it okay to bail out banks, insurance companies and marketeers and not auto workers? Everyone is jumping on the auto industry and completely ignoring the fact that we just gave away almost half a trillion dollars to industries that produce nothing.
Where was this before the election from that Inquirer rag?
If the Government nationalizes the car industry, will the American people buy these cars?
I doubt it!
There are too many alternatives such as toyota, Nissan, etc.!!
The auto industry in the USA is DOA!!
RIP!!1
Actually, they’re starting to see the light, I hope, having cancelled my decades long subscription around 9/1. For instance, their editorial board did publish a minority faction endorsement of McCain.
THAT, if enough people do it, might have some sort of an effect. Thanks.
can you make an argument, even ill-conceived, that not allowing the credit market to dry up “promotes the general welfare,” whereas bailout of a specific industry promotes only specific welfare?
That’s a good idea, Wendy—”Dear Senator, if you bail out the Big Three, I will never buy an American made car again.”
I had already e-mailed my congress critters I was against the bailout, but I think your message is even better.
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