Dec 07 2008
What is wrong with people?
As in why is there an overwhelming public majority against the auto industry bailout? Are you heartless? Stupid? Selfish? If it’s another reason, please enlighten me because that is about all I can think of. People whined about wanting help for ‘Main Street’ instead of “Wall Street” and here it is. Landed nicely in your lap with the added bonus of rich guys begging and people are all “nope, we want you to fall on your face”. I got it for the BBQ bailout…I was against it. It wasn’t well thought out and it didn’t seem like they had a real idea of who they were helping (turns out I was sooooo right about that). But this is different. The bailout would benefit all of the ‘little people’ whose jobs are going to go the way of the dinosaur if we let these companies fail. And don’t think I just mean the people who work building the cars. Nope…what about the business in the towns the factories are in. The mom and pop grocery stores, diners, furniture stores, gas stations etc that are going to go belly up when all of the people who were at the factory have to move and find new jobs (right, like that’s going to happen in this economy). And in case you are thinking of telling me it isn’t going to be that bad just shut it. It will be that bad. It will probably be worse than bad. Hell, it might be worse than bad even if they do bail out the companies the way we are sinking but without the bail out there won’t even be life boats around. It’ll be the freaking Titanic…you saw that movie right? People drowning in icy water because they were too flipping retarded to swap off on the boat (hated that movie). Random…point is we have to help the other people in the water or people are going to die (financially, for those of you who are even more literal than I am). Which brings me back to my original question of…what is wrong with you people?!?! 60% say no bailout…who are you and what are your freaking reasons?
They got $15 billion, but that’s nowhere near enough to keep people employed.
A good chunk of that 60% belongs to the 46% of the country that voted for McCain…anti-union practically to a person. That leaves 14% who got rubbed the wrong way (and should have) by the previous bailout (or if you’re Palin, bellout), and ran flat out of give-a-damn.
Or at least that’s what I think is going on with this.
Automobiles wreck the environment. I propose we all ride bikes like people from the Netherlands.
I think the resentment comes because people don’t think that the industry is going to change (fuel efficiency, green technologies etc…). Obama won’t give them money though, unless if they change. I’m confident in this, and while I’m not crazy about this bailout idea, it’s a lot less big of a deal than the 700 billion dollar one.
Oh don’t worry birdie, change is on the way.
http://newsday.today.com/2008/12/07/big-three-executives-under-fire-from-congress/
Lee Iacocca got Chrysler a federal bailout in 1980. UAW agreed to reduce some of their benefits and wages at the time but by 1986, the union got back everything and some.
The bottom line is the Big Three do not produce vehicles many people want and they have not controlled their costs. Too many golden parachutes. Too many high pensions. Too many early retirements. Too many family members receiving benefits. Too many SUVs. Too much resistance to green technology. Too little innovative thinking.
The recent gas-price spike and the current credit crunch surely didn’t help matters. However, the Detroit auto industry was in trouble 18 months ago, when gas and credit were comparatively cheap.
What will change if Detroit gets federal loans? History says nothing. Better to have the companies file Chapter 11 bankruptcy and reorganize, just like the Tribune Company did today. Tear up contracts and draw new ones that will keep the companies solvent.