Category: UAW

End of the line for G.M. Saturn

Truly a sad story:

General Motors Co. will shut down Saturn now that a deal with former race car driver and auto dealer magnate Roger Penske has collapsed, marking the end of a brand that was supposed to revolutionize the way small cars were built and sold in America.

The deal with Penske was supposed to be finalized Wednesday. But the unexpected end came when his company, Penske Automotive Group Inc., was unable to find a manufacturer to supply vehicles for the brand’s dealerships. GM had agreed to keep building Saturn models like the Aura, Outlook and Vue through at least 2011, but after that, Saturn would have to come up with its own products.

Penske’s tentative deal buy Saturn was announced in early June.

“This is very disappointing news and comes after months of hard work by hundreds of dedicated employees and Saturn retailers who tried to make the new Saturn a reality,” GM CEO Fritz Henderson said. He said Saturn and its dealership network will be phased out.

via GM to Shut Down Saturn as Penske Walks  WXYZ-TV / Detroit

I remember when G.M. introduced this line of vehicles back in 1990. My parents almost bought one of those ugly cars; I personally could not stand them. I thought they were just plain ugly. I see that they have improved the look of them; quite a bit. But, more importantly, I remember thinking if G.M. ever hit hard times that these cars would be the first to go. Tragically, it turns out that I was correct.  My father also had the chance to go to Spring Hill, TN to the plant down there. Luckily instead, my Dad chose to go to the Detroit/Hamtramck assembly plant instead. I feel for all of those people who went down there; to make a better life for themselves and now they find themselves out of work. Some Conservatives may want to mock this; I am not one of them. I do not believe in mocking anyone’s misfortune.

Some Conservative bloggers would use this opportunity to bash the unions and the Democrats and Obama for their politics and policies; I am just not going to do it. There is a time and a place for that; and quite frankly, this just is not one of them. As a Son of an autoworker; I know the feeling of Dad being laid off, not knowing if he was going to be working again or not. I have been there. So, I am just not going to politicize this at all. I will leave that the other heartless bloggers, who get their kicks on trashing those who actually work for a living; unlike some of the bloggers who trash them. I could name names, but I think you know who I mean.

My Prayers are with the people of Spring Hill, Tennessee and the people working for Saturn. May God be with them, during this extremely difficult time.

Gore-backed firm takes money from Government to build car that nobody can afford.

This is an outrage!:

A tiny car company backed by former Vice President Al Gore has just gotten a $529 million U.S. government loan to help build a hybrid sports car in Finland that will sell for about $89,000.

The award this week to California startup Fisker Automotive Inc. follows a $465 million government loan to Tesla Motors Inc., purveyors of a $109,000 British-built electric Roadster. Tesla, like Fisker, is a California startup focusing on high-end hybrids, with a number of celebrity endorsements that is backed by investors that have contributed to Democratic campaigns.

Fisker’s Karma hybrid sports car, above, will initially cost about $89,000.

The awards to Fisker and Tesla have prompted concern from companies that have had their bids for loans rejected, and criticism from groups that question why vehicles aimed at the wealthiest customers are getting loans subsidized by taxpayers.

“This is not for average Americans,” said Leslie Paige, a spokeswoman for Citizens Against Government Waste, an anti-tax group in Washington. “This is for people to put something in their driveway that is a conversation piece. It’s status symbol thing.”

via Gore-Backed Car Firm Gets Large U.S. Loan – WSJ.com.

Ten years ago, my reaction would have been, “So what?” But now that I am a bit older and much wiser; when it comes to politics, this just sends me through the roof. Why the hell are my tax dollars being used to build a car, that no one that I know of, including me; could even afford? I hate to break to you all, but I just do not have $89,000 laying around to buy a car.  Much less an electric car! 🙄

The just totally reinforces the idea, that the Democratic Party does not give a flying flip about the average common man anymore. They are simply out to fulfill their own warped agenda and if they happen to step on anyone in the process, so be it.   I mean, look at Al Gore; the dude has gotten filthy rich on peddling paranoia about Global Warming. This another one of those investments for himself. The sick part is, he is using tax dollars to further that warped agenda of his.

Here is my question to Al Gore and his countless number of supporters; Mr. Gore are you planning on using Union Labor to build these cars with? After all, the Democratic Party has used the big labor vote as its resident useful idiot for many years, have they not? It is kind of like the African-American community, because seeing the Democrats cannot keep the Negros in slavery anymore, they have to use them for something; so, why not votes?

Yeah, I know, what I wrote up there was potentially offensive; it is no more offensive than the millions of babies that are slaughtered at the hands of the Socialist Liberal Democrats, who enacted such legislation. It is no more offensive that the millions of Children, that are molested at the hands of homosexuals; of whom that party enables.

Mr. Gore, I await your answer. Of course, I will not hold my breath, least I turn blue and die.

Update: Letter from the Attorney of the Conservative Black Beaten by SEIU thugs

Here is a letter from the Attorney of the Black Conservative man who was beaten by SEIU union thugs.

This comes from the St. Louis Tea Party Blog: (H/T Gateway Pundit)

August 7, 2009

Dear Mr. Hennessy:

I am Kenneth Gladney’s attorney. Kenneth was attacked on the evening of August 6, 2009 at Rep. Russ Carnahan’s town hall meeting in South St. Louis County. I was at the town hall meeting as well and witnessed the events leading up to the attack of Kenneth. Kenneth was approached by an SEIU representative as Kenneth was handing out “Don’t Tread on Me” flags to other conservatives. The SEIU representative demanded to know why a black man was handing out these flags. The SEIU member used a racial slur against Kenneth, then punched him in the face. Kenneth fell to the ground. Another SEIU member yelled racial epithets at Kenneth as he kicked him in the head and back. Kenneth was also brutally attacked by one other male SEIU member and an unidentified woman. The three men were clearly SEIU members, as they were wearing T-shirts with the SEIU logo.

Kenneth was beaten badly. One assailant fled on foot; three others were arrested. Kenneth was admitted to St. John’s Mercy Medical Center emergency room, where he was treated for his numerous injuries. Kenneth was merely expressing his freedom of speech by handing out the flags. In fact, he merely asked people as they exited the town hall meeting whether they would like a flag. He in no way provoked any argument or altercation, as evidenced by the fact that three assailants were arrested.

We hope that Kenneth fully recovers from his injuries; however, he is in great pain at this time. We will be pursuing legal action at our discretion. This was a truly senseless hate crime carried out by racist union thugs. Regretfully, Representative Carnahan’s statements blaming Kenneth for being a disruptive force are wholly untrue and slanderous. We would like to think that an elected official in Representative Carnahan’s position would gather accurate information before carelessly rushing to judgment.

Kenneth supports conservative ideals, although he subscribes to no particular political party. We are calling on the SEIU, Representative Carnahan, and President Obama to condemn the racist actions of these union thugs. In the days to come, we will be investigating whether these thugs are working at the behest of Representative Carnahan and how strong their alliances to various organizations–such as ACORN–may be.

We hope the St. Louis Tea Party and tea party organizations around the country will protest Representative Carnahan’s offices and also protest SEIU offices in every major city across the U.S. These Democratic strong-arm tactics must end now.

Regards,

Attorney David B. Brown

Contact the SEIU and demand that they renounce this violence:

TELL THE SEIU THAT WE OPPOSE VIOLENCE

SEIU
5585 Pershing Ave.
Suite 130
St. Louis, MO 63112

PHONE: 314.367.0013
FAX: 314.361.8704

Contact the AFL-CIO and demand that they condemn this act of violence:

AFL-CIO
815 16th St., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006
Contact these unions and DEMAND that they condemn this act of violence:

Name: Air Line Pilots Association
Address: 1625 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 703-689-2270
Website: www.alpa.org

Name: Amalgamated Transit Union
Address: 5025 Wisconsin Ave., N.W. 3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20016
Phone: 202-537-1645
Website: www.atu.org
Name: American Federation of Government Employees
Address: 80 F St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-737-8700
Website: www.afge.org

Name: American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada
Address: 1501 Broadway Suite 600
New York, NY 10036
Phone: 212-869-1330

Name: American Federation of School Administrators
Address: 1101 17th St., N.W. Suite 408
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-986-4209
Website: www.admin.org

Name: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
Address: 1625 L St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20036

Phone: 202-429-1000

Website: www.afscme.org

Name: American Federation of Teachers
Address: 555 New Jersey Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-879-4400
Website: www.aft.org

Name: American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
Address: 5757 Wilshire Blvd. 9th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: 323-634-8100
Website: www.aftra.org

Name: American Postal Workers Union
Address: 1300 L St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-842-4200
Website: www.apwu.org

Name: American Radio Association
Address: 1755 East Plumb Lane Suite 111
Reno, NV 89502
Phone: 510-281-0706

Name: American Train Dispatchers Association
Address: 1370 Ontario St. Suite 1040
Cleveland, OH 44113
Phone: 216-241-2770

Name: Associated Actors and Artistes of America
Address: 165 W. 46th St.
New York, NY 10036
Phone: 212-869-0358

Name: Actors’ Equity Association
Address: 165 W. 46th St.
New York, NY 10036
Phone: 212-869-8530
Website: www.actorsequity.org

Name: American Guild of Musical Artists
Address: 1430 Broadway
New York, NY 10018
Phone: 212-265-3687
Website: www.musicalartists.org

Name: American Guild of Variety Artists
Address: 363 7th Ave. 17th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Phone: 212-675-1003

Name: Screen Actors Guild
Address: 5757 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: 323-549-6675
Website: www.sag.org

Name: The Guild of Italian American Actors
Address: Canal Street Station PO Box 123
New York, NY 10013-0123
Phone: 212-420-6590
Website: www.giaa.us

Name: Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union
Address: 10401 Connecticut Ave.
Kensington, MD 20895
Phone: 301-933-8600
Website: www.bctgm.org

Name: Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen
Address: 917 Shenandoah Shores Road
Front Royal, VA 22630
Phone: 540-622-6522
Website: www.brs.org

Name: California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee
Address: 2000 Franklin Street
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: 510-273-2280
Website: www.calnurses.org

Name: Association of Flight Attendants
Address: 501 Third St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-434-1300
Website: www.afanet.org

Name: California School Employees Association
Address: 2045 Lundy Ave
San Jose, CA 95131
Phone: 408-473-1000
Website: www.csea.com

Name: Communications Workers of America
Address: 501 Third St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-434-1100
Website: www.cwa-union.org

Name: Farm Labor Organizing Committee
Address: 1221 Broadway Street
Toledo, OH 43615
Phone: 419-243-3456
Website: www.floc.com

Name: Federation of Professional Athletes
Address: 1133 20th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-756-9100
Website: www.nflpa.org

Name: Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers International Union
Address: 608 E. Baltimore Pike
Media, PA 19063
Phone: 610-565-5051

Name: International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, Its Territories and Canada
Address: 1430 Broadway
New York, NY 10018

Phone: 212-730-1770

Website: www.iatse-intl.org

Name: International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers
Address: 1750 New York Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202-383-4800
Website: www.ironworkers.org

Name: International Association of Fire Fighters
Address: 1750 New York Ave., N.W. Third Floor
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202-737-8484
Website: www.iaff.org

Name: International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers
Address: 9602 M.L. King Jr. Highway
Lanham, MD 20706
Phone: 301-731-9101
Website: www.insulators.org

Name: International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
Address: 9000 Machinist Place
Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
Phone: 301-967-4500
Website: www.iamaw.org

Name: International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers
Address: 753 State Ave. Suite 570
Kansas City, KS 66101
Phone: 913-371-2640
Website: www.boilermakers.org

Name: International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Address: 900 Seventh St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20001-3886
Phone: 202-833-7000
Website: www.ibew.org

Name: International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers
Address: 501 3rd Street, N.W. Suite 701
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-239-4880
Website: www.ifpte.org

Name: International Longshore and Warehouse Union
Address: 1188 Franklin St. 4th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone: 415-775-0533
Website: www.ilwu.org

Name: International Longshoremen’s Association
Address: 17 Battery Place Suite 930
New York, NY 10004
Phone: 212-425-1200
Website: www.ilaunion.org

Name: International Plate Printers, Die Stampers and Engravers Union of North America
Address: 906 Dennis Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20901

Name: International Union of Allied Novelty and Production Workers

Address: 1950 W. Erie St.
Chicago, IL 60622
Phone: 312-738-0822
Website:

Name: International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
Address: 620 F St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: 202-783-3788
Website: www.bacweb.org

Name: International Union of Elevator Constructors
Address: 7154 Columbia Gateway Drive
Columbia, MD 21046
Phone: 410-953-6150
Website: www.iuec.org

Name: International Union of Operating Engineers
Address: 1125 17th St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-429-9100
Website: www.iuoe.org

Name: International Union of Painters and Allied Trades of the United States and Canada
Address: 1750 New York Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202-637-0700
Website: www.iupat.org

Name: International Union of Police Associations
Address: 1549 Ringling Blvd. 6th Floor
Sarasota, FL 34236
Phone: 941-487-2560
Website: www.iupa.org

Name: Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association
Address: 444 N. Capitol St., N.W. Suite 800
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-638-5355
Website: www.d1meba.org

Name: Professional Aviation Safety Specialists
Address: 1150 17th Street, NW Suite 702
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-293-7277
Website: www.passnational.org/

Name: National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Address: 1325 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-628-5451
Website: www.natca.org

Name: National Association of Letter Carriers
Address: 100 Indiana Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-4695
Website: www.nalc.org

Name: National Postal Mail Handlers Union
Address: 1101 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-833-9095
Website: www.npmhu.org

Name: Office and Professional Employees International Union
Address: 265 W. 14th St. 6th Floor
New York, NY 10011
Phone: 800-346-7348
Website: www.opeiu.org

Name: Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association of the United States and Canada
Address: 11720 Beltsville Drive Suite 700
Beltsville, MD 20705-3166
Phone: 301-623-1000
Website: www.opcmia.org

Name: Seafarers International Union of North America
Address: 5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746
Phone: 301-899-0675
Website: www.seafarers.org

Name: Sheet Metal Workers International Association
Address: 1750 New York Ave., N.W. Sixth Floor
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202-783-5880
Website: www.smwia.org

Name: Transport Workers Union of America
Address: 1700 Broadway 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10019-5905
Phone: 212-259-4900
Website: www.twu.org

Name: Transportation Communications International Union/IAM
Address: 3 Research Place
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: 301-948-4910
Website: www.tcunion.org

Name: United American Nurses
Address: 8630 Fenton St. Suite 1100
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: 301-543-8320
Website: www.uannurse.org

Name: United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada
Address: Three Park Place
Annapolis, MD 21401
Phone: 410-269-2000
Website: www.ua.org

Name: United Mine Workers of America
Address: 8315 Lee Highway
Fairfax, VA 22031
Phone: 703-208-7200
Website: www.umwa.org

Name: United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial & Service Workers International Union
Address: Five Gateway Center
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: 412-562-2400
Website: www.usw.org

Name: United Transportation Union
Address: 14600 Detroit Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44107-4250
Phone: 216-228-9400

Name: United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers
Address: 1660 L St., N.W. Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-463-7663
Website: www.unionroofers.com

Name: Utility Workers Union of America
Address: 815 16th St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202-974-8200
Website: www.uwua.net

Name: Writers Guild of America, East Inc.
Address: 555 W. 57th St. Suite 1230
New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212-767-7800
Website: www.wgaeast.org

Contact these unions and ask them, do they approve of violence against Black men expressing their opinions?

Al Sharpton’s Organization:

National Action Network
Crisis Department
106 W. 145th Street
Harlem, New York 10039
(212) 690-3070
(877) NAN-HOJ1

Local Auto News: Chrysler looking at Bankruptcy

A pretty sad thing to wake up today. However, I am sorry to say this, but I knew it was coming. Chrysler never was able to get their act together; unlike G.M. and get a resolution together.

The Report comes via the Washington Post, I won’t quote the whole thing and I kindly ask that you go over and read the whole thing. But rather, I will give some my impressions from the interesting stuff.

My impressions:

The Obama administration last night planned to send Chrysler into bankruptcy, replace chief executive Robert L. Nardelli and pump billions of dollars more into the effort, all in hopes the company can emerge from court proceedings as a reenergized competitor in the global economy.

Government officials clung to 11th-hour hopes last night that bankruptcy could be averted, but talks broke down with Chrysler’s creditors. A bankruptcy filing could happen as soon as today.

The U.S. government’s attempt to save the automaker amounts to another extraordinary intervention in the economy and a landmark event in the history of the American auto industry.

Under the administration’s detailed court strategy, ownership of Chrysler would be dramatically reorganized, the leadership of Italian automaker Fiat would take over company management and the U.S. and Canadian governments would contribute more than $10 billion in additional funding.

Company and government officials had feared that a bankruptcy would stain the brand, shake customer confidence and erode sales, but the administration said it would seek to use the process to create a new Chrysler company. Its ownership would be divided, with the company’s union retiree health fund receiving a 55 percent stake, Fiat would claim as much as a 35 percent share and the United States would take 8 percent. The Canadian government would receive two percent.

Basically this is what General Motors did voluntarily. Minus the Fiat equation, of course. It is a tough break that the creditors, bond holders, and company management could not come together to an agreement.  The main and good thing is, that the automaker, itself, will be saved, and that American jobs will be saved.

Now comes the part that will make people like Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Malkin, and the rest of the far right wing people howl at the moon:

The automaker’s current majority owner, the private-equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, would have its holdings wiped out.

Now, to be fair; I will report the truth about this holdings company. This company, from what I have read and have been told; is notorious for buying up struggling companies, like Chrysler and shutting them down and selling off the assets to make money. They have done this in past, from what I told. So, while I hate to see anyone lose their money. I actually am glad to see Chrysler being taken away from this company.

Let me also say this. As an Conservative, who believes in “America First”, and believes that business sometimes have to fail; I am not exactly jumping for joy, when it comes to fact that this auto company is having taxpayer dollars being pumped into it. Nor am I happy at the fact, that a US automaker is having a foreign auto company’s management taking over its operations. However, I believe we must be realistic about such matters. We are not living in the 1950’s any longer, we are in a economic recession of monumental proportions, and if we do not drastic measures quickly, we could see a total collapse of the American auto industry. I also know that there is a undeniable truth that “as Detroit goes, so goes America.” Pat Buchanan and I, have been saying this all along; if allow the big three or in this case, the big two to disappear our Nation’s economy would go into free fall. I shudder in absolute horror at the thought of the far reaching implications of such an event.

I will say, as a devout Paleo-Conservative; If we would have rejected the globalism of the Rockefeller-type conservative types and would have imposed strict trade restrictions on Japanese and other such foreign automotive products, these auto companies would not be in the position that they are today.  It is because of the Rockefeller-type, Madison Avenue, Neo-Conservatives, whose mantra is “screw the American middle class”, is the reason we are in this position today.  Further more, it is the reason that the world is also partaking in our recession as well.  Perhaps President Obama will see the state of our globalist economy and will rethink his position on NAFTA and TAFTA and the rest of those toxic free trade agreements that are in place; and impose strict tariffs on imports that are bleeding our economy dry.

Realistically however, I highly doubt that President Obama will do any of that, because he is trying to run as a centrist, or as I like to call it; he is sucking up to the Neo-Conservative right, as they are his biggest supporters, strangely, after trying so very hard to defeat him in the election. Of course, we Paleo-Conservatives know why this is; because the only difference between a Neo-Conservative and a Democrat is the letter next to the name.

Ed, that's nothing new

Just a little reply to Ed Morrissey’s posting about unions invoking of Religious texts.

Ed, That’s nothing new at all. They’ve been doing that sort of stuff around here for years. Even going as far as to infiltrate Churches.

Notice how on that little photo that they went out of their way to put on there, “Blessings Be upon him” for the stuff that Mohammad said? But the Christian stuff was not even praised at all.

Countdown to outraged imams protesting in the streets for Mohammad’s writings being used for non-Muslim purposes. Oh, Wait, the liberals are in bed with the Muslims and the terrorists. My Bad. 🙄

The Worry in my Father’s Eyes (A Personal GM Posting)

As many of you know, I am the son of a retired General Motors worker.  Ironically, I am also a Conservative.  No, I am not a Republican; or even a formal Libertarian.  I am someone that believes that the less Governmental interference in my life, the better.   However, there is a place, where my politics ends and a genuine concern for my family begins.

I see that General Motors is going to be taking more money from the Government, and is desperately trying to salvage what is left of that company:

Quote:

General Motors Corp. will get up to $5 billion and Chrysler LLC $500 million in short-term aid, according to a 250-page government report obtained Monday by The Detroit News.

The Detroit News reported Friday that GM would get about $5 billion and Chrysler $500 million, citing an Obama administration official, which prompted a denial from the White House.

The short-term aid figures are disclosed in the report from the Treasury Department’s Inspector General on the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program.

The report was obtained from a congressional source late Monday.

Meanwhile General Motors is is doing its damnedest to rid itself of waste:

General Motors Corp. has started notifying about 1,600 white-collar workers — most of whom work in southeast Michigan — that they will lose their jobs this week as the cash-strapped automaker cuts costs that could help the automaker qualify for up to $16.6 billion in additional federal aid.

The announcement was made by GM North American President Troy Clarke in an e-mail sent to employees today, spokesperson Tom Wilkinson said.

“This is part of really restructuring the company to a smaller, leaner company, one that can, as the (Obama) administration requested, be profitable on an ongoing basis,” Wilkinson said.

While this might be a good thing, there are those out there that believe that this is too little too late:

It’s ironic enough that Italy’s Fiat Auto could end up being the savior for Chrysler. After all, former Chrysler President Bob Lutz once likened Fiat to a dead bride when his old boss, Lee Iacocca, wanted the company to join up with the Italian carmaker. Now, Lutz is at General Motors until he retires in December, and Fiat may help his current employer.

Yes, the Italian carmaker is reportedly in talks with GM about forming a partnership with its European and South American businesses, says Automotive News. How ironic is that? Well, in 2000, GM bought 20% of Fiat Auto for $2.4 billion. Back then, GM was healthy and Fiat was in serious financial trouble. The Italian company was wracked by quality issues. It was so bad that GM actually paid another $2 billion a few years later just to avoid a put option that would have made GM the sole owner of Fiat. GM’s board didn’t want that kind of headache.

But now, after Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has fixed the company, he could help save Chrysler in the U.S. and GM in Europe. GM lost $1.5 billion in the Olde World last year, with its Opel and Vauxhaul brands suffering mightily with too many factories. GM is actually doing very well in Latin America, where the auto giant earned $1.3 billion last year. Fiat is pretty strong there, too, so they could make a powerful pair down there. The only catch is that Fiat doesn’t have any cash either. But the alliances will help be getting each company jointly-engineered vehicles and sharing parts.

The bottom line: Fiat is not a great carmaker by any stretch. But Chrysler and GM are in so much trouble that anyone could help at this point. Even Fiat.

Which brings me to my point; have any of you really looked at your Father?  I have.  I see worry in his eyes.  I see worry in both my parents eyes.  The questions my parents are facing, as they enter into their golden years are unfathomable, for someone my age.  Will my parents lose everything that my father worked hard to obtain?  We are talking 31 years worth of blood, sweat, and tears.  My Father earned every damned last penny.  I dare some idiot beltway type to say otherwise.

I have been a critic of the Obama Administration for much, as of late.  However, I will give him credit for one thing.  The President is looking out my Father.  I just hope he does not throw my Father under the bus, as he has many others in his short time in the White House.

Some of you might look at this posting and call me some sort of a hypocrite.  That is your right as an American.

However, if you could only see my Father’s eyes; you might just might be able to understand.

Memo to Fox News: Kiss my Detroit Ass!

Oy. I swear, no wonder Fox News’s ratings are in the damned toilet.

In forcing the resignation of General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner, President Obama said he was seeking a fresh start, a “new vision and new direction,” for the beleaguered automaker.

But some critics are questioning why the president of the United Auto Workers union didn’t meet the same fate, to signal a fresh start on the other side of the bargaining table.

Even though UAW President Ron Gettelfinger argues that his workers have made significant concessions in recent years, critics say Gettelfinger should have gone the way of Wagoner — whose ouster could be seen as the final judgment for GM’s pursuit of gas-guzzling SUVs at a time when foreign manufacturers were winning over their customers with fuel-efficient cars.

“Every bad thing you can think a union can do, the United Auto Workers did,” said Kevin Hassett, the director of Economic Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute.

Hassett said Gettelfinger presided over negotiations that kept the auto giant burdened with costly benefits programs and protected higher-paid, long-term employees from the cutbacks set in place for new workers.

via With GM’s Wagoner Ousted, Should Union Head Have Met the Same Fate? – First 100 Days of Presidency – Politics FOXNews.com.

On the behalf of my 63 year old Father, who is a Retired General Motors worker. Kiss my Fat White Detroit Union ASS!

No the damned head of the U.A.W. should have not met the damn same fate as the automaker head. He did not cause the problems at General Motors. The Management did; and I don’t wanna hear all that stupid god damned anti-union horse shit either.

So, Fox News… Please, Go fuck yourselves!

and for those who do not like my use of the f-word, I give you this:


Is the Obama Administration letting G.M.'s New C.E.O. do it's dirty work for them?

Full Disclosure: My Father is a Retired General Motors Worker and U.A.W. Member.

——-

It sure as heck looks that way to me here.

The reason I ask this question is because a new report from CNBC that the new C.E.O. of GM is essentially saying that bankruptcy is the only option:

General Motors’s new chief executive told CNBC that filing for Bankruptcy may be the best option for the struggling automaker.

In a taped interview to be aired tonight on NBC Nightly News, Fritz Henderson said that because of greater demands from the Obama administration to restructure, GM is considering the bankruptcy option. The auto giant previously had ruled out such a move, saying it would discourage people from buying GM cars.

Henderson’s comments came after President Obama bluntly rejected turnaround plans by GM and Chrysler and demanded that both companies make fresh concessions in order to get more federal aid.

Henderson, who was GM’s president and chief operating officer, was named the new CEO after the government forced the resignation of CEO Rick Wagoner on Sunday. GM’s board is also being restructured.

Henderson told reporters that the company would still prefer to restructure outside of court, but the level of support Washington is offering would help the company quickly restructure through bankruptcy.

Henderson says GM  needs to work faster and go deeper to get more concessions from bondholders and the United Auto Workers union. President Obama has demanded that GM come up with a better restructuring plan in 60 days in order to qualify for more government aid.

I find it very interesting that President Obama, instead of doing the dirty deed himself, ousted the CEO of G.M. and basically has let the new G.M. head honcho be his fall guy for basically screwing the bond holders and also the unions. This way, Barry comes off clean. It is a strategy that is quite slick, quite risky; but none the less slick.

The Wall Street Journal has more:

Inside a windowless, ornate room Thursday just across from the Oval Office, President Barack Obama and a group of senior economic advisers began the job of remaking the American automobile industry.

The first order of business: Oust General Motors Corp. Chief Executive Rick Wagoner.

It “wasn’t the hardest decision,” said one government official.

Steven Rattner, a former investment banker who is heading the administration’s auto restructuring; chief economic adviser Lawrence Summers; and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner were among those gathered around the polished wood table of the Roosevelt Room in the White House’s West Wing. They were there to decide under what conditions the government would continue to prop up once-powerful Detroit car companies GM and Chrysler LLC.

In the post-World War II boom, they were at the pinnacle of a quintessentially American industry. At Thursday’s meeting, once the Obama administration concluded the pair were running out of money, their effective dismantling began.

Beyond seeking Mr. Wagoner’s resignation, the officials also gave failing grades to GM and Chrysler for the restructuring plans they submitted to the government Feb. 17. They also set a deadline — one month for Chrysler, two months for GM — after which the government might force a bankruptcy restructuring of both companies and break up two of America’s business icons.

Many of GM’s problems didn’t start during Mr. Wagoner’s term, and most predate the economic downturn that sent car sales slumping, such as union contracts and the costs of paying for retiree health care. GM made a bad situation worse with huge bets on trucks and SUVs that piled up on dealer lots amid soaring gas prices last year.

While I will be the first to tell you, that General Motors has had its own share of issues. What Barack Obama did to G.M. and by proxy to the Union members and Employees of the company; was just flat out cowardly. Instead of forcing General Motors into bankruptcy himself.  Obama is allowing the new head honcho of the company and his Auto Czar; do it for him. This way Obama does not burn through his political capital as quickly and more or less comes out looking like the hero. Of course, President TelePrompter will say that he inherited this mess, and by rights he did. But to pass off the basic executing of a company and it’s people to someone else, is quite the cowardly move in my book.

Hey Barry, If you ever happen to read this; Grow some freaking Gonads,will ya? I mean, come on. If you going to screw the American worker; why not do it yourself? Instead of letting your damned patsies do it for you. Just a thought.

Fox News does something so stupid that I can't even defend it

Now I am about to post something that someone in the Conservative Blogosphere is going to say that proves that I am a fake Conservative. Well, I got one thing to say about that; Screw ’em 🙄

I will explain why this rather tweaks me off after the quote.

The Video: (Via The Politico)

Via The Raw Story:

On Fox & Friends Monday, host Steve Doocy took time to note that a former CNN employee, Mauricio Funes, has been elected President of El Salvador. “He is from a party down in El Salvador that is essentially the communist party,” Doocy explained.

“I wonder if he is just on a leave of absence from CNN, which, given his political inklings CNN could stand for the Communist News Network,” he said.

But Fox was so eager to tie CNN to communism that they couldn’t get the name of Venezuela’s leader right when making an unsourced allegation.

A second Fox pundit pointed out that Funes’ party, Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front, is liberal and said it was essentially communist. He then declared that FMLN “allegedly” has ties to Caesar Chavez.

Except that Caesar Chavez doesn’t lead a party in Latin America. He was a Mexican-American farm worker and labor activist who died in 1993.

It took a few moments before the Fox pundits corrected themselves — they were accusing the former CNN employee of being tied to Hugo Chavez, Venezuela’s sharp-tongued liberal president.

“Scary, guys,” quipped Fox’s Ainsley Earhardt.

Here’s why it bothers me:

Walter Reuther with Ceaser Chevez
Walter Reuther with Ceaser Chevez

Walter Reuther with Ceaser Chevez

Walter Reuther with Ceaser Chevez

Walter Reuther with Ceaser Chevez

Walter Reuther with Ceaser Chevez

Anyone that reads this Blog, other than to read just a single entry; knows that I come from a Union family. My Father is a retired General Motors worker, and a member of the United Auto Workers. Walter Reuther was, I personally feel, the United Auto Workers version of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In fact:

After Pearl Harbor, Reuther strongly supported the war effort and refused to tolerate wildcat strikes that might disrupt munitions production. He worked for the War Manpower Commission, the Office of Production Management, and the War Production Board. He led a 113-day strike against General Motors in 1945-1946; it only partially succeeded. He never received the power he wanted to inspect company books or have a say in management, but he achieved increasingly lucrative wage and benefits contracts. In 1946 he narrowly defeated R. J. Thomas for the UAW presidency, and soon after he purged the UAW of all Communist elements. He was active in the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) umbrella as well, taking the lead in expelling eleven Communist-dominated unions from the CIO in 1949. – Source Wikipedia

So, you see. Fox News not only insulted the memory of a dead man, who was unable to defend himself. Fox News also insulted the friend of one the greatest union leaders and in the writers opinion, one of the greatest Americans ever.

Hopefully, this will explain to you why that; outside of Bill O’Reilly, I steadfastly refuse to watch Fox News Channel.

And before anyone chides me for cheering for someone who was a Democrat. The Democratic Party of Reuther and Chevez’s day was a totally different party. Unlike the Socialist swine of today, the Democratic Party of the 1940’s was actually a Pro-American party. A pity that it has changed.

An Interesting Movie

I post this because I believe that it is interesting. Alex Jones has always struck me as a kook. Someone amongst the “Tin Foil Hat” crowd. However, it is something interesting to watch.

Enjoy…

What do you think? Do you think that there is any truth to this?

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