Letters to the Editor
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Another bailout?
"it's our interest that in government we find out ways that we'll be able to work to make sure that this industry is as vibrant and solid as possible."
What about the free market working its magic, hey? Is this going to be another "too big to fail" kind of bailout? Maybe slap tariffs on foreign cars to try to grease Chrysler's wheels? Or bust the UAW for good, under the pretext of saving the industry's bacon?
If people aren't buying American cars, rather than the government trying to protect the industry-as-is, maybe the industry needs to do some soul-searching and make better cars. Maybe they should push for biodiesel. Maybe they can have better designs, and make them more affordable.
For example, the retro Ford Mustang, the discontinued T-bird, those are cool-looking cars; I don't like Chrysler's PT Cruiser, but I think the VW New Beetle, the revamped Cooper, that kind of thing would still sell well, like taking old styles and re-engineering them and applying modern technology to them. Everything old is new again.
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Good News...
...for the people that matter in Bush's world. After all, when he says "we'll be able to work to make sure that this industry is as vibrant and solid as possible," he means that it will continue to genereate profit for its shareholders and corporate executives. I'm certain that this "cost-cutting move" by Chrysler execs will be rewarded on Wall Street, and in turn generate bonuses in the hundreds of millions for the men who cut the jobs. And this is exactly how success is defined in Bush's Gilded Age vision for America.
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Vibrant
One of the dictionary meanings of vibrant is "characterized by perceptible vibration".
Presumably that would include the phenomenon of people quaking in their boots?
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he emerged to say that he was "confident" that the automakers were "making the right decisions."
Of course, this came from a guy who ran three startup oil companies into the ground after being unable to find oil in Texas.
Also, iIn 2004, Bush spoke at a Timken Bearing plant in Ohio to say tax cuts had helped this factor. A few eeks later it was closed (it's also a mark of how clumsy John Kerry was that he or his staff didn't think of doing a follow-up public appearance at the now-shuttered plant).
Many people have said that Bush, in meetings, asks no questions. So I suspect that Bush met the the auto execs, they told him all the feelgood lines and maybe even lulled him with some charts and Powerpoint and advertising video, and he emerged honet-ta-Gawd believing taht everything's up to date in Motor City. Maybe what we should be looking for in a president is somebody who can ask sharp and probing questions. Except that would require that we had a political press corps that could ask sharp and probing questions instead of "How do you feel?" questions.
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How...
many people are still employed by Chrysler? How many will be employed in the coming years since Chrysler made this decision to keep themselves solvent?
I lost my job in Oct. '06 and spent two months looking feverishly to find my new job in Dec. '06 so I know what it feels like. It's part of life.
No job lasts forever, unless your a two bit Salon commentator. Then you can have a job for all time no matter how many people dislike your work.
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so, its Bush's fault?
Does this article intend to convey the message that it is President Bush's fault the automakers are at fault? If so, maybe you should rethink. The facts are that the American auto industry is saddled with paying for far too many unproductive people with pensions and health insurance. All of which the foreign auto makers do not pay. Next, blame yourselves for buying those foreign autos. President Bush has NO authority in which car you buy. Blame yourself. Get off this Bush bashing and look in the mirror.
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Jake
So which foriegn cars should we not buy? I have a Mazda made in Dearborn, a Nissan made somewhere in Tenessee, and a Ford made in Canada. Many of the chrysler plants are also in canada. Bush didn't cause this, bad business practices and marketing choices did. And that is capitalism at it's finest. (Now if there is a big bailout...that is socialism at ITS finest.) The point of the post was highlighting that the boss is out of touch, not that this is necessarily news.
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Zoom Zoom
Maybe he was just shopping for a new car. (Republican Government Discount included) After all "living in this beautiful White House" (see Tim Grieve above) where he is shielded from Iraq, doesn't it make sense that they should spare him a trip to the showroom as well...
It's good to be the king.
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Who said it?
We will not change our lifestyle? Right on GWB. And the carmakers listened insisting on supercars, heavy pickups, and larger "Mini"vans, boasting about the tremendous horsepower of their large engines, just look at their commercials with the vehicles going up the mountainside. Their overseas competitors relied on smaller versions of the same types with better fuel economy, quite essential at gasprices in the 60 Dollar range. In other words the troubled Fords, Chryslers and GMs missed the boat, Humvees may be good (?) for the armed forces, especially when they are field reinforced because of safety concerns for the soldiers in them, but to unwieldy for the average person or family. Daimler Chrysler is rumored to get ready to put the Chrysler part of the company up for sale, good luck. Somebody got to start thinking logically, ie. smaller more economical vehicles of all types. Than may be.
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Market Forces
Hey Jake
First, DaimlerChrysler is a foreign company. What about the infallible Market Forces? Why should Americans be forced to buy gas guzzling monstrosities? Shouldn't the Big 3 be paying attention to and forecasting what the market trends are going to be?
Where's my Smart?