A Picture of our Economy

A Picture of our Economy
A Picture of our Economy

(H/T to ParaPundit)

New York Times has the story:

But the inventory glut in Long Beach is not limited to imported cars. There has also been a sharp drop in demand for the port’s single largest export: recycled cardboard and paper products.

This material typically goes to China, where it is used to make boxes for new electronics and other products that are sent back to the United States. But Chinese factories reacting to sharply falling demand are slowing production, so they need less cardboard. Tons of paper are piling up recycling businesses around the port, the detritus of economies on hold.

Long Beach is an important port, particularly for the West. It is where imported products arrive and filter through the tributary of trucks, trains and retailers into the hands of consumers. But now, products are just sitting.

“We’re supposed to move things, not store them,” Mr. Wong said.

Roughly 20 percent of the nation’s container imports last year came through Long Beach, putting it close behind the largest container port, Los Angeles. This year, shipping volume at Long Beach is down 10 percent from 2007, and nearly all major ports around the country have seen similar declines. Veteran port workers say the slowdown since mid-October is like nothing they have ever seen. And it is having a cascading impact on other businesses and workers. – Read the rest

Go read the rest of the story. But it’s not only cars, it’s everything. I think Obama might just come; too little, too late. 🙁

Zo continues the resistance to the Democrats

He’s back with a new video! and a cool looking Website too! 😀 (Language Warning!)

Zo’s New Website

Mitt Romney throws himself out of the running for President in 2012

(H/T to Liberal Values)

I saw this and I could not pass it up.

I’ve already Blogged about another Madison Avenue Conservative who thinks that the Detroit auto worker is a piece of shit. (Who, by the way, removed my trackback, like the little fat coward fuck that he is…) Strike that, it’s still there. My bad. Was looking in wrong place. 😀

Now have another Madison Avenue Conservative coming out against the American Auto worker. Mitt Romney, the idiotic Mormon Freak is now opening his mouth towards the Detroit Auto Worker.

Mormon freak boy writes:

IF General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automotive industry goodbye. It won’t go overnight, but its demise will be virtually guaranteed.

Without that bailout, Detroit will need to drastically restructure itself. With it, the automakers will stay the course — the suicidal course of declining market shares, insurmountable labor and retiree burdens, technology atrophy, product inferiority and never-ending job losses. Detroit needs a turnaround, not a check.

I love cars, American cars. I was born in Detroit, the son of an auto chief executive. In 1954, my dad, George Romney, was tapped to run American Motors when its president suddenly died. The company itself was on life support — banks were threatening to deal it a death blow. The stock collapsed. I watched Dad work to turn the company around — and years later at business school, they were still talking about it. From the lessons of that turnaround, and from my own experiences, I have several prescriptions for Detroit’s automakers.

First, their huge disadvantage in costs relative to foreign brands must be eliminated. That means new labor agreements to align pay and benefits to match those of workers at competitors like BMW, Honda, Nissan and Toyota. Furthermore, retiree benefits must be reduced so that the total burden per auto for domestic makers is not higher than that of foreign producers.

That extra burden is estimated to be more than $2,000 per car. Think what that means: Ford, for example, needs to cut $2,000 worth of features and quality out of its Taurus to compete with Toyota’s Avalon. Of course the Avalon feels like a better product — it has $2,000 more put into it. Considering this disadvantage, Detroit has done a remarkable job of designing and engineering its cars. But if this cost penalty persists, any bailout will only delay the inevitable.

Second, management as is must go. New faces should be recruited from unrelated industries — from companies widely respected for excellence in marketing, innovation, creativity and labor relations.

The new management must work with labor leaders to see that the enmity between labor and management comes to an end. This division is a holdover from the early years of the last century, when unions brought workers job security and better wages and benefits. But as Walter Reuther, the former head of the United Automobile Workers, said to my father, “Getting more and more pay for less and less work is a dead-end street.”

You don’t have to look far for industries with unions that went down that road. Companies in the 21st century cannot perpetuate the destructive labor relations of the 20th. This will mean a new direction for the U.A.W., profit sharing or stock grants to all employees and a change in Big Three management culture.

The need for collaboration will mean accepting sanity in salaries and perks. At American Motors, my dad cut his pay and that of his executive team, he bought stock in the company, and he went out to factories to talk to workers directly. Get rid of the planes, the executive dining rooms — all the symbols that breed resentment among the hundreds of thousands who will also be sacrificing to keep the companies afloat.

Investments must be made for the future. No more focus on quarterly earnings or the kind of short-term stock appreciation that means quick riches for executives with options. Manage with an eye on cash flow, balance sheets and long-term appreciation. Invest in truly competitive products and innovative technologies — especially fuel-saving designs — that may not arrive for years. Starving research and development is like eating the seed corn.

Just as important to the future of American carmakers is the sales force. When sales are down, you don’t want to lose the only people who can get them to grow. So don’t fire the best dealers, and don’t crush them with new financial or performance demands they can’t meet.

It is not wrong to ask for government help, but the automakers should come up with a win-win proposition. I believe the federal government should invest substantially more in basic research — on new energy sources, fuel-economy technology, materials science and the like — that will ultimately benefit the automotive industry, along with many others. I believe Washington should raise energy research spending to $20 billion a year, from the $4 billion that is spent today. The research could be done at universities, at research labs and even through public-private collaboration. The federal government should also rectify the imbedded tax penalties that favor foreign carmakers.

But don’t ask Washington to give shareholders and bondholders a free pass — they bet on management and they lost.

The American auto industry is vital to our national interest as an employer and as a hub for manufacturing. A managed bankruptcy may be the only path to the fundamental restructuring the industry needs. It would permit the companies to shed excess labor, pension and real estate costs. The federal government should provide guarantees for post-bankruptcy financing and assure car buyers that their warranties are not at risk.

In a managed bankruptcy, the federal government would propel newly competitive and viable automakers, rather than seal their fate with a bailout check.

Hey, Mormon freak boy! Care to share how many workers your asshole father laid off, while he was the President of American Motors? Do you also care to share with the rest of the country of how much of a disaster your daddy’s term as Governor of the State of Michigan was? Especially with his aborted run for President of the United States?

I did agree with some of what he wrote like this:

Second, management as is must go. New faces should be recruited from unrelated industries.

[….]

The need for collaboration will mean accepting sanity in salaries and perks. At American Motors, my dad cut his pay and that of his executive team, he bought stock in the company, and he went out to factories to talk to workers directly. Get rid of the planes, the executive dining rooms — all the symbols that breed resentment among the hundreds of thousands who will also be sacrificing to keep the companies afloat.

However, when freak boy writes stuff like this here:

The American auto industry is vital to our national interest as an employer and as a hub for manufacturing. A managed bankruptcy may be the only path to the fundamental restructuring the industry needs. It would permit the companies to shed excess labor, pension and real estate costs. The federal government should provide guarantees for post-bankruptcy financing and assure car buyers that their warranties are not at risk.

Yeah, let’s kick all the fucking retirees to the damned curb, let’s get rid of all the fucking unions and let the god damn workers work for minimum wages and not give the middle class to have a chance to have a piece of the American dream. All the while the big three make all the damn money and we the middle class American worker gets screwed. Two Words Romney; fuck you! 😡

Classic Madison Avenue, snobby nosed, fiscal Conservatism, the classic Republican attitude of, “I’ve got mine and screw you.”

That mother fucker Romney had better not run in fucking 2012, he wouldn’t get fucking vote one, at least not from this Moderate Libertarian Conservative, not at all. It just so happens that if the big three here in Detroit crash, the whole fucking area will collapse. But that mother fucking Madison Avenue asshole doesn’t care, he’s got his fucking millions. So, it will not affect him.

The State of Michigan has been in recession since around 2001 or so. unemployment is though damned roof, if we let these companies fail, which they will do, if we do not bail them out. If that happens, the economy will go into a full blown nose-dive and this area will become another damned Russia, people will leave in mass and there will be massive bread-lines, it will make for an horrific event.

But the fucking asshole Madison Avenue Conservatives could give a fuck less, they’ve got theirs. Which is why I could never, ever call myself a fucking Republican, Ever!

I am not a fan of Nationalizing of anything, but we’ll prop banks up, and keep the wealthy rich, but to hell with the middle class auto worker. What idiotic bullshit! 😡

Some people, like Mormon freak boy Mitt Romney ought to be seen and not heard. Period!

It is official: Ed Morrissey is a tool

I’ve held my tongue long enough.

It is official in my book. Ed Morrissey is nothing more than a Republican tool. Not to mention a Neo-Conservative, Pope-Worshiping tool.

I just got done reading Ed’s rather idiotic ramblings about how we should just allow Detroit’s big three to drop dead and die.

You see, there’s a small problem with that, My Dad was employed by G.M.; He’s retired now; and when you insult G.M., The UAW, and the workers at G.M., you are insulting my Father.  The last time some ignorant son-of-bitch insulted my Dad to my face; I ended up breaking his collar bone, in three places, cracked about 5 of his ribs and broke about 5 of his front teeth. Oh yeah, I was that angry. 😡

My Father and I, we’ve had our disagreements in the past and there’s been times, when he’s really ticked me off, but you let someone badmouth my Dad and it’s on. It’s a southern thing, and I highly doubt that you damned Yankees would even understand it at all. Politics is one thing, but family’s another and Ed just crossed into the “Fuck off and Die” category with me, when he took occasion to basically say that my Father and all of the Father’s at General Motors, Ford and Chrysler were nothing but pieces of shit. Yes, I am taking it personally.

I guess I’ll use this opportunity to say this publicly, I won’t be returning to Ed’s daily show. Because you see, when you insult my father, I tend to take that a bit personally and it tends to make me a little angry. No, let me rephrase that, that makes me a whole bunch of angry.

There was a period, when I thought that Ed Morrissey was one of the more level-headed Conservatives, needless to say, I was very wrong in that estimation of him. The truth is, Ed’s nothing more than your a-typical “well to do” Conservative, who’s attitude is “I’ve got mine and screw you” attitude, which is so-typical of your Republicans and most Conservatives.  Much like that slant-eyed bitch that he works for.

So, Ed, if you happen to read this…. On the behalf of my Father and Family, who also worked for G.M….. two words fat boy, fuck you and the fucking horse you rode in on, asshole.

Creepy, Freaky and quite deaky!: Obama to appoint an "auto czar?"

(H/T to Michelle)

Full Disclosure: My Dad is a retired G.M. Employee and Union member.

You know, living here in the middle of all things Liberal, being a Libertarian Conservative is a bit, well; Odd. It does have it’s advantages. I tend to be a bit more Moderate about things. However, this one here spooks me.

This one’s via US News and World Report:

The troubles of the ailing auto industry are quickly becoming a major focus for President-Elect Barack Obama’s young administration. As Congress and President Bush debate an industry bailout, sources indicate that Obama may favor creating a White House office, headed by an “auto industry czar,” to oversee reforming the troubled American auto industry.

The Detroit News reports that both “Bush and Obama are signaling they may favor appointment of an auto czar to oversee the government’s efforts to funnel emergency assistance to automakers.” Congressional leaders and members of both the outgoing and incoming administrations have all said that automakers might receive federal aid only on certain dictions, including efforts “to further improve fuel efficiency and show that they have a plan to return to profitability. Automakers could also be required to give the government preferred stock in the companies and accept government representatives as board members. As in the 1979-80 Chrysler bailout, workers may have to make wage concessions.”

The press was unable to get direct confirmation of the plan yesterday. John Podesta, the former Clinton administration official heading Obama’s transition team, told the Washington Post “When we have an announcement about that, we’ll raise it.”

While I am bit happy to see that my dad’s 31 years will not be basically flushed down the toliet, because of incompetent managers.  The word Czar being used in the relation to Business, gives me the willies.  Least I be accused to trying to channel McCarthy; I think it reaks of Communism myself.

Could not they use another word? Like Commission, or Overseer, or something? Anything but Czar. 😮

I may just be a old paranoid weirdo, but Czar conjures up images of concentration camps, Nazi’s and all that sort of stuff.

Someone’s gotta say it!

I am, without apology, a moderate. For most political matters, I’m pretty much cut and dry. But when it comes to personal matters, I tend to lean more towards a moderate, compassionate stance.

This is one of them matters.

I happen to be reading my RSS feeds and I was rather alarmed by the coldness and dismissive tone of this Blog entry.

The entry which I happened to come upon by reading Lew Rockwell’s Blog. Some smart mouth jackass by the name of Philip Greeenspun says, basically, “To the hell with G.M. let them go bankrupt.”

Mr. Greenspun, on the behalf of my Father, a 31 year G.M. Employee and Retiree of General Motors, Cadillac Motor Car Division; and a United Auto Workers Member and everyone else in both of those organizations, who have done more physical labor, than you’ll ever hope to perform; I personally invite you to take a long, extended vacation……IN HELL.

There are just some issues where my Libertarianism stops and my Americanism or Nationalism starts. This is one of those places.  😡

Important Announcement From the Blogs 4 Borders Crew!

Jake Delivers a sobering announcement about the Blogs 4 Borders BlogBurst. 🙁

….and here I am unemployed and cannot help. 😥

If you want to help Jake get his show on the road, click here to send him a message. Or go to his YouTube site and leave him a message there.

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The Economist endorses Barack Obama

(Via The Corner)

This further increases my sinking feeling that McCain does not have a prayer.

From the Economist:

IT IS impossible to forecast how important any presidency will be. Back in 2000 America stood tall as the undisputed superpower, at peace with a generally admiring world. The main argument was over what to do with the federal government’s huge budget surplus. Nobody foresaw the seismic events of the next eight years. When Americans go to the polls next week the mood will be very different. The United States is unhappy, divided and foundering both at home and abroad. Its self-belief and values are under attack.

For all the shortcomings of the campaign, both John McCain and Barack Obama offer hope of national redemption. Now America has to choose between them. The Economist does not have a vote, but if it did, it would cast it for Mr Obama. We do so wholeheartedly: the Democratic candidate has clearly shown that he offers the better chance of restoring America’s self-confidence. But we acknowledge it is a gamble. Given Mr Obama’s inexperience, the lack of clarity about some of his beliefs and the prospect of a stridently Democratic Congress, voting for him is a risk. Yet it is one America should take, given the steep road ahead.

I can tell you right now, there are many wealthy people, who read this magazine and it’s distributorship is to many Conservatives. I look for many Conservatives to cross the aisle and vote Democrat.

From The Economist’s Political Blog Democracy in America:

And, by the way, he will probably get it. Here’s to hoping Mr Obama’s moderate and sensible side wins over his primary-season, protectionist-populist side.

I bet there’s a good number of people betting on that hope. But I highly doubt that Obama is going to do anything extreme during his tenure as President.

Anyhow, it was a very interesting endorsement.

You may have noticed…

That I’m not posting as much.

Well, it’s because I’ve been doing a little something for extra money. I’m doing a thing called Pay to Surf. The place that I am using is called take the globe, you might have noticed the new banner up there.  It’s not big money, couple of cents per site.

It’s something to do, besides it beats yammering on about politics all day long and it pays a little pocket change. If you sign up with them, by using my link or that banner up there. I get paid. Seeing I cannot get any donations, I’m doing this. Hint! Hint! 😉 😛 😆

anyhow, so, if you’re wondering that’s what I’m up to. Also, at this point, much of what is being blogged is really just either spin, opinion and stupdity. 🙄

So, back to money making I go. 😀