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Comments

1. #1
   On December 2nd, 2008 at 10:52 am, Misscheryl said:

   Congress will give them the money. They always do what makes the least amount of sense.

2. #2
   On December 2nd, 2008 at 10:53 am, PBoilermaker said:

   Let.them.fail.

3. #3
   On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:00 am, BuckNutty said:

   I’m sure the union president is willing to work for a dollar a year, and the union members are willing to go without their merrit increases.

   \s

4. #4
   On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:09 am, On-my-soap-box said:

   Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally says he’ll work for $1 per year if the automaker has to take any government loan money.

   I’d like to see that end of year bonus!

5. #5
   On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:10 am, Mr.J said:

   Heck, I’ll work for a $1 this next year running my business if I can get 25 billion!

6. #6
   On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:12 am, b-cat said:

   The union will never allow
   

   its cost cutting efforts with the United Auto Workers

   .

   Nice try. Try again. This time try it with your hat in your hand and a little more submissive demeanor.

7. #7
   On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:12 am, 30 pcs of silver said:

   They are seeking the bailout loans to help them through the recession and the worst sales downturn in 25 years.

   They say that as if other businesses aren’t feeling the pain of an economic downturn. Well, in case they are under that assumption… Newsflash: everybody is feeling the heat. You make sacrifices and change the way you do business… or better yet, you don’t set up a business model that is doomed for failure. PB said it best: “let.them.fail.”

8. #8
   On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:18 am, Flyoverman said:

   This is nothing more than a ritual dance. Meaningless.

   The Congress has it’s little darlings in the UAW that need protection and the Big Three can only offer tactical solutions to a strategic problem.

   In the same U.S. market, Honda, Toyota, Kia, and VW are all building new plants, hiring workers, and expanding their U.S. production. That shows it is not the market, but the competitive environment.

   Better to let them Chapter 11, reorganize and get competitive. Reinforcing a strategically untenable position is throwing away money, delaying the inevitable and increasig the suffering.

9. #9
   On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:21 am, Flyoverman said:

   On December 2nd, 2008 at 10:52 am, Misscheryl said:
   Congress will give them the money. They always do what makes the least amount of sense.

   Misscheryl, that is the most plausible explanation for this that anyone will ever be able to come up with. Kudos!

10. #10
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:31 am, gandolphxx said:

    It is in the bag – our money to prop them and the UAW up for 6 months, then crash.

    I will never buy a vehicle from these looters, hope they have that in the plan.

11. #11
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:32 am, FruNobulux said:

    Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally says he’ll work for $1 per year if the automaker has to take any government loan money.

    He’s still overpriced if he can’t get labor and pension costs down.

12. #12
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:33 am, willie peter said:

    I’d like to think that if the Republicans were in power that they wouldn’t cave in to the UAW.
    But then I’d like to think that when the Republicans were in power that they wouldn’t have allowed Clintons’ minions to have their way with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
    And I’d really like to think that I had some money left in my 401k.
    F’ng politicians.

13. #13
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:43 am, cabrerski said:

    Wait a minute…

    If Ford has enough cash for 2009, what are they doing at the trough?

    Here is the likely scenario, they outline the plan of cuts, get the dough, then renege on the plan, then nothing happens. No accountability. Just watch…

14. #14
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:47 am, rocketman said:

    I stopped buying American designed (Detroit) cars 26 years ago due to their poor fuel economy, poor running engines, shorter service life, and much higher breakdown / failure rates. I got tired of having them die on me in the desert at midnight in sandstorms, etc.
    ***
    I have bought Toyota and Honda (Japanese designed / partial American manufacture) cars since then. I drove a 100 mile round trip daily to White Sands Missile Range for 41 years–about a million miles. I got 30 miles per gallon, the cars ran well and were fun to drive, and had very few problems–I put over 250,000 miles on each car. Almost no engine, transmission, or air conditioning problems.
    ***
    My experiences with the Detroit vehicles were many “new car” construction and design problems and big engine, transmission, and air conditioning problems at 100,000 miles–despite my careful maintenance attempts.
    ***
    I did most minor / normal maintenance on these cars myself. I worked a lot less once I stopped buying the American (Detroit) problems. The superior engine and transmission / transaxle design in the Japanese designs was immediately obvious to me as an engineer and “shadetree” mechanic.
    ***
    The Detroit designs put in heated seats, talking warnings, failure prone electronic dashboards, etc. in their cars–and a racing stripe or two! No room for better machinery–too expensive.
    ***
    The Detroit Bailout will probably not address the basic lower quality / designs and higher costs of the American designed car. Only the Japanese cars have the VTEC engine–great performance, economy, and life.
    ***
    Building electric cars and hybrids does not help us Westerners (El Paso, Texas)–we need a car that can reliably and economically do long distance desert commutes. Visiting family members in Phoenix (460 miles) is not doable in an electric car. The other technologies (fuel cell cars, hydrogen powered cars) are untested, environmentally and safety questionable, and very expensive “pie in the sky” stuff at the present.
    ***
    Natural gas powered cars are available–but a large and heavy high pressure tank takes up a lot of room in the trunk or truck bed–crash safety questions. And Economics 101 says natural gas prices will rise as more vehicles use this fuel–a lot of it is imported from foreign countries now.
    ***
    The corn based E80 ethanol alcohol fuel vehicles use a fuel that must be subsidized by taxpayers to compete with other fuels. The pollution benefits are missing this fuel also.
    ***
    At present the gasoline or diesel powered vehicles are the only good solution to transportation in “cow country”–unless you want to go back to horses–and they pollute a lot also. DRILL HERE–DRILL NOW! Don’t buy one of these “greenie” turkeys.
    ***
    John Bibb

15. #15
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:47 am, BayStateRepublican said:

    The plan Ford is presenting to Congress this week also says it will cancel all management employees’ 2009 bonuses and will not pay any merit increases for its North American salaried employees next year.

    And so they should be rewarded for what they should have been doing in the first place?

    Let them go Chapter 11. Its not like Americans will stop buying cars, they’ll just need to ratchet up production at Detroit’s smarter rivals.

    Natural selection in the marketplace. I thought the left felt Darwinism is good?

16. #16
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:49 am, The Master said:

    “The company also will accelerate plans to roll out electric cars as part of the plan it will present to Congress this week.”

    Yup, that’s a brilliant idea: spend more time and money building cars that no one wants and not even the Japanese automakers can figure out how to sell at a profit.

17. #17
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:52 am, katherine. said:

    the auto makers need to take a look at the deal currently being negotiated between Yellow Freight (YRCW) and the Teamsters.

    As the economic downtown threatens Yellow, the Teamsters are negotiating a wage decrease rather than let the company fail…or begging for a government bailout.

18. #18
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:53 am, b-cat said:

    On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:47 am, BayStateRepublican said:
    Natural selection in the marketplace. I thought the left felt Darwinism is good?

    They are naturally selective about their “principles”.

19. #19
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:59 am, jjmurphy said:

    This is nothing more than a ritual dance. Meaningless.

    Dead on, Flyoverman. They will get their money and it will not help one bit. The unions must get their reward from the democrats, even if it destroys them in the end. Which it will. (Remember Eastern Airlines?)

    The part about the electric cars is stupid. If the public wanted electric cars, they would already be available.

20. #20
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 12:00 pm, tre said:

    Part of the deal should be all union contracts are null and void.
    But, I doubt that’ll happen.

    I’ll continue to buy American whenever possible, since it could be my job that gets saved in the process.

21. #21
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 12:07 pm, jjmurphy said:

    I own two older Fords. Before that we had another Ford, and three Dodge minivans. (Kids)

    Our next car, whenever the heck we can afford one, will not be GM, Chrysler or Ford. We will find a USA-built Japanese car.

22. #22
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 12:12 pm, 30 pcs of silver said:

    Why gamble when plunking down $15k-$35k on a vehicle when you can buy a sure thing in Honda or Toyota? The benefits are endless and the resale value is a nice bonus.

23. #23
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 12:16 pm, Flyoverman said:

    Buy American can be confusing. I use two have two cars; a Chevy Lumina (built in Canada) and a Toyota Camry (built in the U.S.).

    So which car was more pro-American?

    I am not even going to get into where are the components manufactured……

24. #24
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 12:20 pm, DJM said:

    A dollar a year salary?

    The question should be, will they forgo their bonuses?

25. #25
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 12:26 pm, sonofdy said:

    But if they can prove their “viability,” why do they need my money?

    Stop asking questions peasant and pay your taxes!!!

    Washington DC ahole mode off/

26. #26
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 12:27 pm, feebiebabe said:

    But where’s the beef? Without fundamental structural changes in the auto industry related to its bloated labor costs, these concessions are cosmetic gimmicks.

    Should we all just make our checks out to the UAW now, and cut out the middle man?

27. #27
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 12:35 pm, 30 pcs of silver said:

    Can someone please explain what the Bush administration means by “viability”… I seem to have left my RINO BS translator at home?

28. #28
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 12:40 pm, feebiebabe said:

    

29. #29
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 12:45 pm, swmbo said:

    “We are sticking to our guns that the companies have to prove that they are viable before the taxpayer dollars should be given to them,”

    First you have to have a GUN to stick to.

30. #30
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 12:47 pm, 30 pcs of silver said:

    On December 2nd, 2008 at 12:40 pm, feebiebabe said:

    For me? Thanks.

    December 2nd, 2008 at 12:45 pm, swmbo said:

    No kidding.

31. #31
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 12:53 pm, et said:

    Can someone please explain what the Bush administration means by “viability”… I seem to have left my RINO BS translator at home?

    Viability n. My Presidential Library needs donations.

32. #32
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 12:58 pm, shooter said:

    the companies have to prove that they are viable before the taxpayer dollars should be given to them,”

    That means re-write union contracts, reduce their avg annual pay to way below $150,000.00, and no more “job banks”……($150K, AVERAGE, are u kidding me?)

    I hope.

33. #33
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 1:00 pm, sonofdy said:

    This is stupid, they throw arround 1.5 TRILLION Aand all of a sudden 25 billion is a big deal? Please.

34. #34
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 1:03 pm, walterc said:

    the companies have to prove that they are viable before the taxpayer dollars should be given to them,”

    So why don’t the banks need to prove their viability before getting kabillions of taxpayer money? Oh, because our elected representatives voted to give Paulson unfettered control over the CS1 & 2.

    I’ll bet the automakers are busy trying to be re-classified as a bank as part of the business plan.

35. #35
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 1:04 pm, txvet2 said:

    If they’d let the big three run their own businesses, they wouldn’t be in such bad shape. Of course, then the unions wouldn’t have the bucks to bribe Dem congressmen. There’s no way any of them will be viable with CAFE standards and union contracts, when it costs GM and Ford around $75 per hour per worker, as opposed to around $45 for Toyota and Honda. And the government requiring them to build inferior small cars as opposed to their biggest sellers – pickups and SUVs – is guaranteed to cause failure. Of course, we’ll get the bill.

36. #36
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 1:07 pm, txvet2 said:

    On December 2nd, 2008 at 1:03 pm, walterc said:

    the companies have to prove that they are viable before the taxpayer dollars should be given to them,”

    So why don’t the banks need to prove their viability before getting kabillions of taxpayer money? Oh, because our elected representatives voted to give Paulson unfettered control over the CS1 & 2.

    I’ll bet the automakers are busy trying to be re-classified as a bank as part of the business plan.

    Maybe GM should reorganize and make the car manufacturing arm a subsidiary of GMAC. Then they could get a bank bailout and everybody but us taxpayers would be happy.

37. #37
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 1:22 pm, marsouin said:

    This is a total embarassment and pathetic reflection of our times. How low have the titans of American industry fallen. Can anyone imagine 50 or 100 years ago such behavior by their predecessors? This is the kind of societal rot that the Founders understood would inevitably result from Big Government. And all thanks to the US Supreme Court for making all of this crony capitalism possible!

38. #38
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 1:29 pm, GaryG said:

    All the auto industry selfish crooks want is to continue their life of luxury, the heck with the taxpayer. Let them all fail and go under. Then, maybe some of this “change” the left wants will really happen.

39. #39
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 1:29 pm, locomotivebreath1901 said:

    White House: Prove your “viability”

    Oh. For second there I thought he was speaking to Congress…

40. #40
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 1:31 pm, ajmontana said:

    Have no fear!!!!!
    His Royal Hopey Changey is near!!!!
    Dunt Dunt Daaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!

    rofl.

41. #41
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 1:35 pm, oldcollegeguy1980 said:

    I am against the bailout of the auto industry.

    I am for them using the bankruptcy option and reorganizing through that process.

    I also submit that if the money is given then it is only going to stave off the inevitable.

    Who is more likely to invest in a GM, FORD or Chrsyler after watching them grovel in washington?

    If they get the money from the taxpayer, I will only buy Nissan Toyota, or other foreign label autos in the future.

    I had rather support the worker in Tennessee making Nissans, than the money pit of Detroit.

42. #42
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 1:38 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    Mulally says Ford has said it has enough cash to make it through 2009 and may not need government help.

    Then go back to Detroit and get back to work panhandler.

43. #43
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 1:47 pm, TK-421 said:

    Let me get this right Ford being an American Company pretty much still has to prove its “viable for support” while promising next to nothing saleries.

    Versus Banks getting BILLIONS thrown at them for no charge, banks with contracts in other non-friedly (or other) goverments who’s CEO’s used the money on themseleves in more than a few cases, don’t?

    I’m not saying we should bail them out I’m saying

    Hey whats with the double standards why are global missmanaged groups who outsource are getting a free lunch while Ford and other largely US based companies are having to jump into a hoop of fire. Absurd.

44. #44
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 1:58 pm, md1964 said:

    It’s easy to work for $1 a year salary when you have a corporate credit card to pay for everything.

45. #45
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 2:07 pm, CleanGuy said:

    The White House said on Tuesday that it was sticking with its position that ailing automakers must prove their viability before receiving government aid.

    You mean they have to QUALIFY for their govt loan? You mean like people have to qualify for their mortgage? So if the company fails, will there be a bailout for the bailout?

46. #46
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 2:19 pm, Paul-Cincy said:

    There’s no greater “market inefficiency” than the govt bailout of the Big 3. If they can’t withstand bankruptcy, let them fail. The govt is just throwing money at them.

47. #47
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 2:33 pm, cheapseat said:

    this is an absolutey perfect example of why the walmart business model works, and the union business model doesn’t. so of course our corrupt politicians want to force the union model upon the masses with legislation, while bailing out it’s failed businesses. have you heard of any handouts for walmart? i’ve only ever heard of lockouts, like senator dodd locking walmart out of connecticut to protect the citizens from cheap prices. anyone who doesn’t shop walmart for groceries is a fool.

48. #48
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 3:13 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    “prove” their “viability”

    Oh but if we could get that standard for Government programs, rules, regulations and laws. Perhaps the Big 3, and us, might not be in this predicament if only our government did NOT do something.
    Maxine Waters, Kalifornia 35, let the cat out of the transparent bag when she talked of Nationalizing the Oil Companies.No Cars-No Oil…
    I would take the Phoenix Light Rail but they had their first accident today–and they have not started yet! Your Federal Tax Dollars at work.

49. #49
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 3:24 pm, love2rumba said:

    Bush/Republicans/Democrats are just trying to look tough after they put us in debt 750 b’s…They are such a joke

50. #50
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 4:54 pm, Misscheryl said:

    Mulally says Ford has said it has enough cash to make it through 2009 and may not need government help.

    cry me a river!

51. #51
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 6:04 pm, Dimsdale said:

    On December 2nd, 2008 at 1:00 pm, sonofdy said:

    This is stupid, they throw arround 1.5 TRILLION Aand all of a sudden 25 billion is a big deal? Please.

    That is Congress trying to prove its viability!

52. #52
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 7:02 pm, MtsEdge said:

    This is nothing more than a ritual dance. Meaningless.

    flyover, my thoughts exactly…I thought it was funny, too, that Wagoner came in a car instead of flying commercial…just can’t quite bring himself to fly with the peasants, can he? (those same peasants from which he’d like to fleece his portion of $25B)

53. #53
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 7:57 pm, CantCureStupid said:

    On December 2nd, 2008 at 3:24 pm, love2rumba said:

    Bush/Republicans/Democrats are just trying to look tough after they put us in debt 750 b’s…They are such a joke

    You have nailed it, my friend.

    That $25 billion of freshly printed toilet paper is burning a hole in their pockets and they can’t wait to give it away, if not to the Pig 3 (not a typo), than to some other mental midget reprobate with a crappy business model.

    To hell with the lot of them.

54. #54
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 7:59 pm, MarcoPolo said:

    Our next car, whenever the heck we can afford one, will not be GM, Chrysler or Ford. We will find a USA-built Japanese car.

    We’ve been shopping for a new car for about a month. We switched to the same strategy after discussing it at length over the weekend.

    We live in MI, and I will tell you that it is not just the bailout, but the attitude of the workers. They are absolutely convinced that they should not be made to give up a dime while the rest of us should pitch in and help them out.

    If we all have to suffer together, then let’s just do it. But I won’t carry my share and theirs too.

55. #55
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 8:05 pm, MarcoPolo said:

    Michelle said: But if they can prove their “viability,” why do they need my money?

    Exactly. You’d think that at least one of the banks we bailed out could spare a loan of $25 billion or so.

56. #56
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 8:15 pm, MtsEdge said:

    CCS #53, you’re too funny!!

57. #57
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 9:34 pm, bjc said:

    I spent 33 years in and around the Big 3 and the transplants while employed by various Tier 1 parts suppliers; The Big 3 and the UAW have a strong aversion to each other; Company execs continued to feed the monster, not realizing it would eventually devour them; As I have said before, the UAW is a cross between a scorpion and a vampire bat; Like a scorpion, they paralyze a company in their day to day operations, and in their short and long term business planning, then, like a vampire bat, they bleed the company dry; That is the UAW business model.

58. #58
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:38 pm, robert537 said:

    I think we’re all hosed… one way or the other, the UAW “workers” and retirees will be bailed out.

    If the (formerly) Big 3 go Chapter 11, the gummint will probably assume these pension obligations (so we’re getting stuck one way or the other). The only difference is where the checks come from: DC or Detroit.

    Devils advocate: If you worked in an industry until retirement under agreements that your company signed and you planned your retirement around same – what would you do?

    Like much of the rest of this debacle, the libs own far more of the blame than most people realize… after all, who made it so easy for the UAW and the Big 3 to enter agreements that anyone with a modicum of common sense knew would eventually go off the cliff?

    I guess it was the same people who signed up California taxpayers to pay the state employee pensions that have brought us to the brink of insolvency.

59. #59
    On December 2nd, 2008 at 11:49 pm, cabrerski said:

    I can’t even count to eleventy trillion…but then again, i are a publik skool gradumate.