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#6 |
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#10 |
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The big question is what to do about the thousands and thousands of employees who will lose their jobs if GM and the others are allowed to go bankrupt.
Perhaps a new massive public works project, wherein the autoworkers dig big pits and bury the Big 3 executives alive? Or perhaps just up to their necks, and then let loose the fire ants? We could also use them for mortar for that wall between us and Mexico. |
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#11 |
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Originally posted by Boris Godunov
The big question is what to do about the thousands and thousands of employees who will lose their jobs if GM and the others are allowed to go bankrupt. Why should anything different be done about them than about the 4 million or so other people who lose their job every month in the US? |
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#12 |
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7736301.stm
Ford's president, Alan Mulally, said a failure at even one car company would have widespread consequences. "The industry is so interdependent. We're nearly 10% of the US GDP, and if one of the automobile manufacturers gets into serious trouble, it has just tremendous implications for the entire industry," he said. ![]() GM has warned it could run out of cash in a matter of weeks and cannot wait until President-elect Barack Obama - who has promised to help the industry - is sworn in in January. matter of weeks ![]() |
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#13 |
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Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Why should anything different be done about them than about the 4 million or so other people who lose their job every month in the US? there is always an option to go to Somalia and reinvent your career as a pirate manager... while not as lucrative as raiding US taxpayers it's a growing enterprise ![]() |
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#14 |
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#15 |
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Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Mortem tuam annuntiamus, domine, et tuam resurrectionem confitemur, donec venias. http://apolyton.net/forums/showthrea...&goto=lastpost ![]() Have to admit, unlike Asher you got style. ![]() Then again he's a tech wizzie only proficient in English. PS: I understand Obama's comments about aiding the automobile industry. That said, Europan leaders are afraid of (American) protective measures though, and they're ready to play it hard. |
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#16 |
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Originally posted by DanS
The Detroit Three's exaggerations are disheartening and insulting. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the contribution of motor vehicle output to the economy is 2.3% right now and about 3% in good times. That includes products that the car companies don't sell (some heavy duty trucks, etc.). That includes the Japanese and European car companies who assemble vehicles in the States, and who, incidentally, have over half market share. See line 15... http://www.bea.gov/national/nipaweb/...&LastYear=2008 Not only half the market, I'd bet they also create most of the 2.3% as well. |
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#17 |
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#18 |
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Originally posted by Traianvs
[...] PS: I understand Obama's comments about aiding the automobile industry. ![]() ![]() I don't think you "understand" the possible motivations behind his push for support at all. Detroit's automobile industry has zero value for the government of the US, they produce nothing which can't be cheaply imported and which the federal government is dependant upon. Ergo, it's not really protectionism motivated by nationalism. edit: unless your name is Patrick J. Buchanan and you presume cars are still the most high-tech products of our era which are so hard to produce related to other products that they can be used to extort other countries which don't produce them by manipulating their export level, thus causing jeopardy in the country importing them because of the supply market of cars is still supposed to be (in this fantasy world) extremely limited. |
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#19 |
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Well, for what it's worth (very little, I know), I sent an email to my rep asking that he oppose bailing out the automakers. I haven't seen or heard him take a position yet.
I heard one of my senators this morning (Dodd) supporting the idea. He made the right noises about how they don't really deserve it, but he thinks it's necessary. I may send him an email too (and the other ****ing guy too), but I suspect any little chance I have lies with my 2nd-term Rep, not the senators. -Arrian |
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#20 |
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Seriously, at this point the Detroit 3 are just giant pension and health plans financed by car sales. Why shouldn't the main stakeholders in this arrangement (current and past employees) have control of and responsibility for the health of their company?
The fiction of union "negotiating" with management is outdated. The unions can win as much as they want in any contract. The only reason they don't do it is to avoid killing the company entirely. If this is the arrangement, then make it explicit. Convert union (and other debtholders) into equity. Wish them good luck. ![]() |
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