Michael Steele says GM turning into Amtrak

[Pwnerer]

Podcast: RNC Chairman Michael Steele says GM will turn into Amtrak under Obama administration - Michigan Auto News & Reviews - MLive.com

General Motors is on its way to becoming a sluggish, government-run company in the mold of Amtrak, Republican National Chairman Michael Steele told Frank Beckmann Tuesday on WJR AM-760 in Detroit.
Steele criticized President Barack Obama's managed bankruptcy plan for General Motors, arguing that the private sector could ultimately provide the best solution.
"The checks and balances that are inherent in an open economy or a free market system will weed out the bad stuff and keep the good stuff," said Steele. "Here you have the government making those decisions, and it's artificial."
"And we know the results, it's a little thing called Amtrak. It loses $2.5 billion a year, no one rides it and no one can compete against it. So, that's where 'Government Motors' is going to be in 30 years."

While the confidence which with he makes his prediction is a little too great for me I can see how he draws the conclusion. The 'auto industry makeover' is overseen largely by an inexperienced, recent college grad who is still wet behind the ears. The decision to close over 1000 profitable or break-even GM dealerships simply because "That's not how Toyota does it" is mind-numbingly stupid. Then there is the selling of Saab, Hummer(to a Chinese military manufacturer, no less) and shutdown of Saturn. GM is being run horribly. In my opinion it's even worse than when they ran themselves into the ground without the help of the government.

Last fall when the Big Three started asking for help I said "Don't give them money, just let them file for bankruptcy and recontract with UAW, because this isn't going to save them". And here we have them filing anyway.

 

[JustOneWay]

I dare not question Steele. He is beyond reproach

 

[Pwnerer]

I dare not question Steele. He is beyond reproach

Hrar hrar.

 

[DaisyDay]

If 20 years is recent, you must be pretty old.

 

[eldermike]

Without Trucks GM would have been gone years ago. They make the best SUV's and Pickups. GM is not going to make it. The only reason we have Amtrak is they are the only game in town, not true with GM.

 

[Fantine]

And the alternative (2 million Americans laid off, along with GM suppliers going out of business and doing their own layoffs) is better?

The Republicans aren't proposing any positive ideas. They shrug their shoulders, figure Obama's plan has a 50-50 chance of succeeding, batter it in the press, and hope they're on the winning end....

What's their alternative?

 

[Douger]

And the alternative (2 million Americans laid off, along with GM suppliers going out of business and doing their own layoffs) is better?

Far better. Keeping an obsolete business going just to save jobs is a bad idea. Think about the mechanization of agriculture and all the jobs lost there.
People will move on and find their places in a more modern world. Jobs and business will be taken over by successful companies.
There's no reason to artificially prop up the outdated way of doing things

 

[jgarden]

Far better. Keeping an obsolete business going just to save jobs is a bad idea. Think about the mechanization of agriculture and all the jobs lost there.
People will move on and find their places in a more modern world. Jobs and business will be taken over by successful companies.
There's no reason to artificially prop up the outdated way of doing things

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List of the WWII General Motors War Material Production 1940-45:
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198,000 Diesel engines for tanks & landing craft
206,000 Airplane engines
13,000 Complete bombers and fighter planes
97,000 Aircraft propellors
301,000 Aircraft gyroscopes
38,000 Tanks, tank destroyers and armored vehicles
854,000 Trucks, including amhibious DUKWs
190,000 Cannons
1,900,000 Machine guns and submachine guns
3,142,000 Carbines
3,826,000 Electric motors
11,111,000 Fuses
360,000,000 Ball and roller bearings
119,562,000 Shells
39,181,000 Cartridge cases

540,619,000 Grand Total

http://wiki.gmnext.com/wiki/index.php/1942,_Production_Goes_to_War

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It should also be noted that GM was by no means the only major US car manufacturer contributing to the American WW2 effort.

The question remains, what is the strategy of spending $ billions on the US military and Homeland security, while dismantelling the very infrastructure and dispersing the trained workers than could prove essential if/when America is engaged in another major military in the future?

With much of America's manufacturing base already "rusting" or shipped "offshore" to reduce labor costs, writing GM as "an obsolete business" might be just a little premature.

 

[LUColt27]

And the alternative (2 million Americans laid off, along with GM suppliers going out of business and doing their own layoffs) is better?

The Republicans aren't proposing any positive ideas. They shrug their shoulders, figure Obama's plan has a 50-50 chance of succeeding, batter it in the press, and hope they're on the winning end....

What's their alternative?

Let the market and customer demands decide. People are moving towards more fuel efficient cars that work for a long time, whereas GM is the steam-powered elephant in the room. Of course, neither Democrats and Republicans should be trusted with a red cent or even a single share of any business, because it is evident by the complete lack of ability of any government to balance a budget that having them in charge will result in anything but utter failure.

 

[LUColt27]

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**********************************************************
It should also be noted that GM was by no means the only major US car manufacturer contributing to the American WW2 effort.

The question remains, what is the strategy of spending $ billions on the US military and Homeland security, while dismantelling the very infrastructure and dispersing the trained workers than could prove essential if/when America is engaged in another major military in the future?

With much of America's manufacturing base already "rusting" or shipped "offshore" to reduce labor costs, writing GM as "an obsolete business" might be just a little premature.

There are other factories in the American South that can handle the workload. GM's business plan, at least, is obsolete. That much is true.

 

[MichaelFJF]

Last fall when the Big Three started asking for help I said "Don't give them money, just let them file for bankruptcy and recontract with UAW, because
this isn't going to save them". And here we have them filing anyway.

The "Big 3" didn't ask. Ford didn't ask, didn't take. Buy Ford.

 

[Panzerkamfwagen]

The "Big 3" didn't ask. Ford didn't ask, didn't take. Buy Ford.

I think I'm going to be shopping for a Mustang.

 

[Douger]

*********************************************************

**********************************************************
It should also be noted that GM was by no means the only major US car manufacturer contributing to the American WW2 effort.

The question remains, what is the strategy of spending $ billions on the US military and Homeland security, while dismantelling the very infrastructure and dispersing the trained workers than could prove essential if/when America is engaged in another major military in the future?

With much of America's manufacturing base already "rusting" or shipped "offshore" to reduce labor costs, writing GM as "an obsolete business" might be just a little premature.

That's very interesting. So you suggest keeping GM workers employed on government money as kind of a strategic reserve industrial workforce in case of a major war?
It's an interesting idea.

 

[utdbear]

And the alternative (2 million Americans laid off, along with GM suppliers going out of business and doing their own layoffs) is better?

The Republicans aren't proposing any positive ideas. They shrug their shoulders, figure Obama's plan has a 50-50 chance of succeeding, batter it in the press, and hope they're on the winning end....

What's their alternative?

GM has 300,000 workers according to Business Week. Where's the 2 million coming from?

Plus, GM filed Ch. 11. The only thing that would happen in a true Ch. 11 for GM would be the UAW contract would be out the door and renegotiate. That can only be a good thing.

 

[Burghman]

The Republican party has reached such a low point, the head of the RNC will grasp at anything to get attention.

 

[eldermike]

The Republican party has reached such a low point, the head of the RNC will grasp at anything to get attention.

Anything of worth is built from the lowest point. The RNC has no head at this point, it's seeking a foundation. There is no need for a leader until there is a clear vision and foundation. That will come.

 

[JustOneWay]

Anything of worth is built from the lowest point. The RNC has no head at this point, it's seeking a foundation. There is no need for a leader until there is a clear vision and foundation. That will come.

If the republican party is seeking a base then they are in worse trouble than I thought. Without leaders to take the visions and rally the base, how can the base ever seek it's own foundation? You always need a leader.

 

[allhart]

Aren't ya'll tired of playing on one another yet? The parties are all about the same these days. Don't you think? What about the confines of the constitution or does that take all the wind out of your sails? And leave you empty! Mindless no mads having nothing to criticize. To play character assignations on! You need a villain/ hellion to make yourselves look righteous?

like a villein

 

[eldermike]

If the republican party is seeking a base then they are in worse trouble than I thought. Without leaders to take the visions and rally the base, how can the base ever seek it's own foundation? You always need a leader.

The basis of a comeback is the constitution of the US. Education will take some time, most people could not answer even the most simple civics question. The current crop of republicans have lost the base of folks that put them in power. In fact I will vote against republicans in my state in 2010 unless they get off the coolaid and come back to the basics of the republican party.
There should not be any republican solutions offered to current issues, all current issues are a smoke screen to hide an agenda of the socialists. The solution is do nothing, even do less.

The taker-outers have not yet out-numbered the putter-backers, so there is hope. But it's close.

 

[JustOneWay]

The solution is do nothing, even do less.

I guess that is one way to do it.