The Note, 12/09/08: Czars and Orphans
EmailBY RICK KLEIN WITH ARNAB DATTA AND FERDOUS AL-FARUQUE
Remember when spending money in Washington was supposed to be fun?
With the auto bailout paralyzing politics for the moment — who wants this to pass — really, really wants it to become law?
Surely not the American people — not with a new ABC News/Washington Post poll showing 54 percent opposition to an auto bailout.
Maybe not the current president — who’s deep into legacy mode and would rather not deal with this particular crisis at this particular time.
“We just don’t want to put good money after bad,” President Bush told ABC’s Cynthia McFadden, in a “Nightline” interview Monday. “There are some pretty strict standards. One is that anything that’s done would as best as possible guarantee the taxpayers get their money back. In other words, there needs to be viability.”
Probably not congressional Republicans, some of whom are sensing a powerful issue at a time that they’re set to see their power wane. (And don’t Democrats miss the Obama and Biden votes — again?)
“Once a deal is set between Democrats and the Bush administration, it must win the support of at least 10 Senate Republicans. The Republican leader, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, was expected to voice an opinion on Tuesday,” The New York Times’ David M. Herszenhorn reports. “His support will be crucial.”
Maybe not President-elect Barack Obama, who is busy guarding his left flank on the day of one of his more important meetings of the transition period: His face time with former vice president Al Gore.
For Obama, this is dangerous territory. And if he really does want the auto bailout to pass (even in its shaved-down form), he has an interesting way of not fully showing it (and who can blame him, really).
“It all sounds perilously close to a word that no one in Mr. Obama’s camp wants to be caught uttering: nationalization,” David E. Sanger reports in The New York Times. “Not since Harry Truman seized America’s steel mills in 1952 rather than allow a strike to imperil the conduct of the Korean War has Washington toyed with nationalization, or its functional equivalent, on this kind of scale. . . . Government’s record as a corporate manager is miserable, which is why the world has been on a three-decade-long privatization kick, turning national railroads, national airlines and national defense industries into private companies.”
Pity your rank-and-filer, too: “Grim-faced and drawn, lawmakers Monday began parading across the Senate floor to give their views on the measure — the start of what will surely be a joyless run-up to one of the least popular votes of the year,” Time’s Jay Newton-Small writes.
No deal quite yet: “Details of the plan, including what kind of oversight and conditions would be imposed on the automakers, could be cause for disagreement. On Monday afternoon, White House officials were concerned that the draft bill does not make explicit enough that loans would only go to companies that can prove they are viable,” ABC’s Jonathan Karl, Ann Compton, and Kate Barrett report.
“One area being hammered out concerned the exact role and powers of a government overseer — one person, or a group, to supervise company restructuring plans and oversee spending — with veto power on major company decisions,” James R. Healey reports for USA Today. “Another concerned a provision banning automakers taking the loans from suing individual states that want to impose higher greenhouse-gas emission standards than federal government rules.”
And they’ll be back soon, regardless: “The bill pushes the hard decisions about the future of Detroit’s Big Three into early next year and the administration of President-elect Barack Obama. It requires the automakers, along with workers, bondholders, shareholders and others, to agree to major restructuring plans,” The Los Angeles Times’ Jim Puzzanghera writes.
Your day’s big transition storyline: Obama and Vice-president-elect Joe Biden meet with Al Gore, at 1 pm ET in Chicago. Per the transition office’s Nick Shapiro, the meeting will be “to discuss energy and climate change and how policies in this area can stimulate the economy and create jobs.”
The implications are greater than the policies. Obama is facing growing angst — if not yet anger — on his left. (And Steve Hildebrand’s attempts to calm everybody down may have had the opposite effect.)
Hear the rumbling grow: “A month into Mr. Obama’s transition, many on the political left are trying to hold their tongues,” Peter Baker writes in The New York Times. “But so far, they are mainly muting their protest, clinging to the belief that Mr. Obama still means what he said on the campaign trail and remaining wary of undermining what they see as the most liberal president sent to the White House in a generation.”
Baker continues: “The mixed emotions on the left reflect a larger uncertainty about how to view Mr. Obama. Although National Journal deemed him the most liberal senator based on major votes and many liberals flocked to his campaign, Mr. Obama ran more on inspiration than ideology and has not always adopted the orthodoxy of the left.”
Enter Gore, a hero in these parts.
But don’t expect him to stay: “He may be assembling a Team of Heavyweights, but Barack Obama isn’t likely to have the full-time services of one of the most formidable powers on the political landscape,” Jonathan Martin reports for Politico. “When Obama and Joe Biden sit down with Al Gore at noon Tuesday in Chicago, they’ll be talking issues — not making the pitch for the former vice-president to return to government service, say transition officials and those close to Gore.”
Both sides say no Gore job is in the offing, but: “Not announced, but almost certainly on the agenda, is drawing Gore into some kind of administration job, even if it’s just a perfunctory position,” Andrew Malcolm reports for the Los Angeles Times. “Pretty please, because the Democratic left is really starting to grumble over all this sensible centrist stuff emanating from the new team.”
New disclosure out Tuesday morning from the Clinton Global Initiative: “As a non-profit organization, CGI depends upon sponsorship assistance to fund its operations and the CGI Asia Meeting. CGI thanks the following sponsors: CLSA, Laureate, the Roberson Foundation, Citi, CNN, the Li Ka Shing Foundation, The Economist, HP, Ogilvy, Suzlon, and Thomson Reuters.”
From the annals of transparency: ABC’s Jake Tapper has details on the new transition effort to post memos and suggestions it’s getting from outside groups. “The OTT has now posted some of the memos it has received from CITA Wireless Industry, unions, La Raza, and various other groups,” he writes.
But: “The transition’s commitment to publicizing the names of donors has an exception: The transition is closely tied to a Democratic think tank that keeps many of its donors secret,” Politico’s Ben Smith and Chris Frates report. “The think tank, the Center for American Progress, and its president, John Podesta, are uniquely integrated with the transition. Podesta, on leave from the Center for American Progress (CAP), heads the transition operation. The transition’s operations director, general counsel, and co-director all shifted from similar jobs at CAP, and the transition is full of lower-level former CAP staffers or current board members.”
Get ready for a new round of Obama house parties. Some 1,500 are on tap for this weekend — the next step in taking those e-mail lists and turning them into action.
The Boston Globe’s Scott Helman: “If Obama’s campaign was about bringing change to the country, the post-election period is about defining what that change means and how to achieve it. His backers are already using networks developed during the campaign to rally support for causes including building local neighborhood organizations and eliminating racial disparities in the criminal justice system.”
Use it, or . . . “Viewership for President-elect Barack Obama’s weekly YouTube ‘fireside chats’ has tanked, dropping more than 50 percent since his initial video three weeks ago,” the Washington Times’ Stephen Dinan writes. “The first video address, released four weekends ago, drew 789,868 viewers over its first three days and is nearing 1 million total, according to TubeMogul’s figures. But the second video was viewed 451,077 times in three days, Thanksgiving weekend’s video garnered 152,222 views, and this weekend’s fourth installment had about 370,000 views as of Monday evening.”
Obama is buying a new tux, and get your invites lined up: “The Obama presidential inauguration committee will not be sanctioning any events organized by outside groups,” Lynn Sweet reports in the Chicago Sun-Times. “That’s because the Obama team — which swore off corporate money for the festivities surrounding the Jan. 20 swearing-in — does not want to be officially linked with events paid for with money President elect Barack Obama said he would not take. The PIC is not discouraging outside events, nor trying to cut anyone out.”
Latest buzz, at Interior: “Kevin Gover, director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, is the newest name in the mix for interior secretary,” Politico’s Erika Lovley reports. “A source close to the President-elect Barack Obama’s transition says several environmental groups have contacted environmental transition head Carol Browner, urging her to consider Gover for the top Interior Department post.”
“A member of the Pawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, Gover could become the first Native American nominated to be a Cabinet secretary, and the potential to make history could prove irresistible for Obama. But Gover’s spokeswoman, Eileen Maxwell, said he has not ‘heard anything from the transition, nor does Kevin expect to,’ ” The Washington Post’s Al Kamen reports.
Bloomie likes Caroline: “Carolyn Kennedy can do anything,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg, I-N.Y. said at a press conference in Washington Monday, per ABC’s Jonathan Karl. “I’ve always thought she’s hardworking, honest and understands the issues as well as anybody.”
A source close to Gov. David Paterson, D-N.Y., tells the New York Post’s Fred Dicker and Daphne Retter: “When the mayor says something like this, of course the governor pays attention.”
And Sen. Ted Kennedy is on the case: “In recent days the Massachusetts senator has called Gov. David A. Paterson and Senator Charles E. Schumer, as well as Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, who took over last month as head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee when Mr. Schumer stepped down,” David M. Halbfinger writes in The New York Times. “Mr. Kennedy’s message, according to Democratic aides who were not authorized to discuss the conversations, is that Ms. Kennedy — backed by the Kennedy family’s extensive fund-raising network — would have the wherewithal to run back-to-back costly statewide races without having to seek help from Mr. Paterson or Mr. Schumer.”
But: “Gov. Paterson said he will consider longtime city teachers union President Randi Weingarten for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Hillary Clinton,” Kenneth Lovett reports in the New York Daily News. “Paterson told the Daily News on Monday that Weingarten recently contacted him about the seat — fresh evidence that ambitious New York Democrats aren’t about to clear out of the way for Caroline Kennedy.”
Legacy time: “In case any Bush administration officials have trouble summing up the boss’ record, the White House is providing a few helpful suggestions,” Peter Nicholas reports in the Los Angeles Times. “A two-page memo that has been sent to Cabinet members and other high-ranking officials offers a guide for discussing Bush’s eight-year tenure during their public speeches.”
“Titled ‘Speech Topper on the Bush Record,’ the talking points state that Bush ‘kept the American people safe’ after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, lifted the economy after 2001 through tax cuts, curbed AIDS in Africa and maintained ‘the honor and the dignity of his office.’ The document presents the Bush record as an unalloyed success,” Nicholas writes.
More from the president’s interview with Cynthia McFadden, on faith: “It is hard for me to justify or prove the mystery of the Almighty in my life. . . . All I can just tell you is that I got back into religion and I quit drinking shortly thereafter and I asked for help — I was a one-step program guy.”
When asked if he thought he would have become president had it not been for his faith, Bush said, “I don’t know; it’s hard to tell. I do know that I would have been — I’m pretty confident I would have been a pretty selfish person.”
He said he is often asked if he thinks he was chosen by God to be president.
“I just, I can’t go there,” he said. “I’m not that confident in knowing, you know, the Almighty, to be able to say, ‘Yeah, God wanted me of all the other people.’ My relationship [with God] is on a personal basis trying to become as closer to the Almighty as I possibly can get. And I’ve got a lot of problems. I mean, I got, you know, the ego . . . all the things that prevent me from being closer to the Almighty. So, I don’t analyze my relationship with the good Lord in terms of, well, you know, God has plucked you out or God wants you to do this. I know this: I know that the call is to better understand and live out your life according to the will of God.”
The Kicker:
“Art transcends politics this weekend.” — Barbra Streisand, on accepting a hug at the Kennedy Center from President Bush, whom she once described as “an alien sent here to destroy the Earth.”
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Sen. DeMint: GOP Race Could Go Until Convention 
Obama Avoids Questions on Contraception Rule
Look – America is at the point where Wall Street has screwed up just about everything. Banks ain’t lending even though they’ve been given billions of dollars. Hard working people are losing their jobs. If we have to “nationalize” some businesses – so be it. To hell with the Republicans and Conservatives and their “hands off” capitalism. It’s time America moves into a mode of strength and take over private corporations and kick out the non-performing mgmt and regulate Wall Street and the banks. No more easy money for investment bankers and CEOs. It’s past time for American workers to be the winners and not the losers. Turn around Detroit and force them to make smaller fuel efficient cars getting 40-50 mpg to start. Might take a couple of years of retooling but we’ve done it before during World War II.
Posted by: Bob | December 9, 2008, 8:44 am 8:44 am
Killing this final compromise draft for an auto bailout would be a fitting end to Bush’s presidency. Heap $2 trillion in secret loans on financial and investment companies, let the Big Three (and the unions) go way under…
http://www.political-buzz.com/
Posted by: matt | December 9, 2008, 8:50 am 8:50 am
Is the auto industry going to horde the bailout money the way the banking industry has?
Posted by: Terri | December 9, 2008, 9:05 am 9:05 am
I cannot believe these politicians. They have the audacity to criticise the auto companies while Senator Dodd and the crowd has been getting funds from UBS – a foreighn bank that encourages customers to bank in Switzerland in the hope of not paying taxes.
The Auto companies employ ordinary American while the wall street employs super rich thieves. Mind you senators where falling over each other to give 700 billion to wall street and they are doing everything stop giving the auto companies 15 billion to 34 billion that employs thousand of American that was affected by the wall street meltdown.
Even if the GM was making the best fuel efficient cars there will be no buyers as people are loosing their jobs. Senators and Dubya (or Dumbya) how about helping the auto companies? Are you guys so much in the wall street pocket that you cannot take some money out of that 700 billion?
Posted by: Hector | December 9, 2008, 9:06 am 9:06 am
I hate all these bailouts, it started with the airlines eight years ago! However compared to what Bush/Paulson has borrowed to give banks, 700 billion, another 150 billion so congressmen opposed to the first bailout would go along with the second…15 or 25 billion is nothing in todays borrow and spend mentality!
We cannot keep having these job losses, if nothing else it’s less people paying into their 401ks which have been fueling Wall Street. Job losses have a domino effect.
However if they want the money GM and the rest need to bring jobs back to the US otherwise they should ask Mexicans for a bailout!
Posted by: Hege! | December 9, 2008, 9:14 am 9:14 am
GM will not make it, that Volt is a nice looking car, will save on gas and it’s good for the environment…but not at 40k! Toyota and Nissan are coming out with an electric car I’d sooner wait.
Posted by: Hege! | December 9, 2008, 9:15 am 9:15 am
The liberals would like nothing more than to have as much gov’t stake in private enterprise as possible.
It almost makes me sick seeing barney and nancy together as the supposed saviors of this mess, when it was these two, and other socialist wackjobs, who have brought us here in the first place.
Barney, through is and others endless crusades of attempting to achieve “income equality”, is partly the reason the autoworkers made $70.00hr to watch a machine go by. Then people wonder why the asian market can make a better car at a cheaper price- they pay their workers $70.00 a month!
As for fannie and freddie, just 2 yrs ago the republicans were calling for fannie and freddie to tighten their lending practices, and who fought that?
Barney frank was one of the loudest voicest against oversight saying “any pressure of fannie/freddie will only diminsh the amount of affordable housing”. He also said “fannie and freddie are financially sound- leave them alone”
Posted by: liberalsaresocialists | December 9, 2008, 9:15 am 9:15 am
Can we please have a moratorium on the word “czar”? Has anyone looked it up or read any history?
Posted by: Peter | December 9, 2008, 9:20 am 9:20 am
Our politicians are a bunch of idiots. I don’t care whether you’re liberal or conservative or whether you voted Obama or McCain. These boneheads have no sense of business nor do they know what the American people want. What these politicians should be doing is giving these millions back to the American people to which they stole it from in the first place. This way we’ll have money to purchase cars and payoff our mortgages.
Posted by: BT | December 9, 2008, 9:23 am 9:23 am
liberalsaresocialists wrote: “Barney, through is and others endless crusades of attempting to achieve “income equality”, is partly the reason the autoworkers made $70.00hr to watch a machine go by. Then people wonder why the asian market can make a better car at a cheaper price- they pay their workers $70.00 a month!”
=====================
So you think $70 is a fair wage? Why do you prefer feudalism and serfdom?
Posted by: The_Mick | December 9, 2008, 9:24 am 9:24 am
It is not so much the Democrats on the left Obama is losing, it is the independent voters that voted for Change and got more Clinton. Rahm Emanuel and Hillary Clinton are a big turnoff. In a pinch the Democrats on the left will always vote democratic, the independents will go their own way.
Posted by: JoeForSure | December 9, 2008, 9:25 am 9:25 am
No bailout without Union renegotiation of contracts.
Posted by: cam | December 9, 2008, 9:28 am 9:28 am
Here is the plan we should be demanding now-The government simply absorbs the remaining $350 billion from the stimulus bill and suspends the collection of all income and payroll taxes for two months. Even trade. This means that for two months you get your entire paycheck (well … less any State withholding). The government ends up with the same amount of money in its coffers, and the income earners in this country have some extra money to spend – an average about $2,000 per taxpayer – over the following two months.
Posted by: Integritywaslost | December 9, 2008, 9:30 am 9:30 am
czar
Variant(s):
also tsar or tzar \ˈzär, ˈ(t)sär\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
New Latin czar, from Russian tsar’, from Old Russian tsĭsarĭ, from Gothic kaisar, from Greek or Latin; Greek, from Latin Caesar — more at caesar
Date:
1555
1: emperor ; specifically : the ruler of Russia until the 1917 revolution
2: one having great power or authority
— czar·dom also tsar·dom or tzar·dom \ˈzär-dəm, ˈ(t)sär-\ noun
Posted by: Integritywaslost | December 9, 2008, 9:31 am 9:31 am
read the entire article at CNBC http://www.cnbc.com/id/28108013
Clearly we don’t need the imput of Republicans who let lobbyists dictate legislations.
Posted by: Hege! | December 9, 2008, 9:35 am 9:35 am
I plan on voting out my Representatives in my region. Diane Feinstein and Nancy Peolosi, and Barbara Boxer. All of them are weak, mindless, rich, overpampered broads, who do not have the fainted idea of what the averaage American tax payer is going through. There decisions have cost us a recession because they choose to vote to keep giving our money away to rich assholes instead of trying to help the the tax payer. Until these rich pricks understand that if they don’t give back to the American people, a lot more business will close down because we will not be buying anything. 2010 is coming around the corner and they better be aware that could possibly their last time in office. I want someone in office who can stand up to these rich assholes and say no more bailout. If they can give up this much money, then it should not be a problem for them to vote a nice stimulus package for the tax payers.
Posted by: cdd | December 9, 2008, 9:36 am 9:36 am
Isn’t it interesting how we are using the word Czar? It’s Russian and our use of it sickens me.
Have you notice that though things are failing not one lawmaker or one CEO has been fired/arrested/indited. Nor have laws been changed. The fundamentals of our country has changed dramatically in the past 12 years.
Since I’m a realtor I’ll use an analogy I’m familiar with.. a home. Our country’s foundation has been chipped away for over 30 years with exporting jobs to foriegn companies, thus getting rid of ‘low class-low paying’ jobs. These jobs were the foundations that built our communities and average folks out of high school could work. As a nation we can not compete with $8 a day labor nor should we want to compete with essentially slave labor.
Now the big three make/bring in a lot of money to this country. So did a lot of textile, ceramic, computer chips, and other companies. These jobs have disappeared yet Congress is concerned only for the automakers? If it’s okay for the other jobs to go then Chinese cars should do just fine here as well. Right?
Now Congress solution is in essence to put a new roof on a home that is on fire. Nothing inside was changed neither was the foundation rebuilt.
We as a nation.. unless we face up and admit the race to the bottom (as far as work salary goes) is destroying our home and nation.
Posted by: Jonathan | December 9, 2008, 9:38 am 9:38 am
As for fannie and freddie, just 2 yrs ago the republicans were calling for fannie and freddie to tighten their lending practices, and who fought that?
Barney frank was one of the loudest voicest against oversight saying “any pressure of fannie/freddie will only diminsh the amount of affordable housing”. He also said “fannie and freddie are financially sound- leave them alone”____HA HA HA What a crock Freddie and Fannie Mae paid millions to Republicans who controlled Congress to kill the legislation! Please read http://www.cnbc.com/id/28108013. Here’s an excerpt, “In 2005, Freddie Mac hired political consultant Frank Luntz, a Washington fixture whose specialty is choosing the right buzz words to achieve a particular goal. The records AP obtained do not cover 2005 and Freddie Mac refuses to confirm that it brought Luntz on board.
The AP previously described, in October, how Freddie Mac thwarted efforts to bring a tough regulatory bill sponsored by Republican Sens. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, John Sununu of New Hampshire, Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and John McCain of Arizona to a full Senate vote.
At a meeting days after Hagel’s bill went to the full Senate, Syron and McLoughlin berated the company’s in-house lobbyists for failing to keep Hagel’s bill corralled in committee, said the four people familiar with events at Freddie Mac at the time.
Freddie Mac shifted into high gear, secretly paying a Republican consulting firm, Washington-based DCI Group, $2 million to kill Hagel’s legislation. The covert lobbying campaign targeted Republican senators in 2005-06. ”
You complain about workers making a decent wage but the loser CEOs who have lost money for their companies for years are living the high life with millions of dollars in compensation and private jets.
Posted by: Hege! | December 9, 2008, 9:40 am 9:40 am
The_Mick
All I was demonstrating is that America has been paying its workers 1000 times more than its competitors yet liberals still talk about how terrible America is.
Posted by: liberalsaresocialists | December 9, 2008, 9:40 am 9:40 am
Rick Waggoner is a good honest person. He always reported honest earnings, not going back to reset them to increase the price of stock.Sen. Dodd can’t understand a good honest person. When he ran for Pres. must of his support came fron the Banking and Insurance Co, that he helped bail out. I wonder what his position be if he got funds from G.M.
Posted by: Stuart Left | December 9, 2008, 9:40 am 9:40 am
Republicans are even against minimum wage and talk about how good companies have it in other countries, they dream about making America a Third World country. They still think trickle down works LOL.
Posted by: Hege! | December 9, 2008, 9:42 am 9:42 am
Question: If they are not bailed out, what about the 3 million people who would lose their jobs? That’s the bad thing…but Obama says he does not want them to just be handed money, it has to stop, they have to have some kind of a plan and stick to it. Saying that: Nissan and Toyota and Honda apparently make better cars and the cost of the new American cars are too much. If as a previous blogger said, they are going to make electric cars great but not at 40k! That’s the real problem..And people are out of work..who will buy these cars?
Anyway, this is a real mess…it was allowed to happen under Bush’s watch, no one was watching the store, there is plenty of blame to go around AND WHO SUFFERS? US! the people who are not in debt, who do not spend beyond their means, who work hard and save…now WE have to bail all these idiots out?
Posted by: Barb | December 9, 2008, 9:43 am 9:43 am
Wagoneer has lost money since he became CEO under his watch the stock has plummeted 75% and he’s dumb to boot…he thinks the Volt and a made over Camaro will save GM. He needs to quit, like Bush before he make things worse!
Posted by: Hege! | December 9, 2008, 9:44 am 9:44 am
“change” a revolutionary change that must be preceded by a passive, affirmative, nonchallenging attitude toward change among the mass of our people. They must feel so frustrated, so defeated, so lost, so futureless in the prevailing system that they are willing to let go of the past and change the future.” Facing this economic disaster, will an informed American people put their trust Obama’s socialist ideology to bring remedy?
Posted by: Integritywaslost | December 9, 2008, 9:44 am 9:44 am
The new Democrat President is still 6 weeks from taking office and already Democrats are, out of pure arrogance, seriously and permanently damaging their majority status by forcing an auto industry “thugs” bailout down taxpayers throats, when over 60% dissapprove of the corporate welfare bailout. That’s how long it takes for Democrat ignorance, arrogance and stupidity to take hold. And I’ve been a Democrat all my life. Talk about squandering an immense public mandate (e.g., Bush’s post 9-11 Iraq war squanders immense global 9-11 sympathies and support). Since the Reagan years we have decimated human welfare and now we can’t get Democrats to finally end Corporate Welfare for the same reasons, namely, the recipients have intentionally caused their own dire predicament by deliberately acting dishonestly and irresponsibly against their own best interests, against the country’s best interest and the environment’s best interests, in the name of short-sighted short-term profits. True Capitalism is Darwinian and it weeds-out irresponsible self-destructive behavior by making idiots extinct. It is now unmistakably clear this country has rejected Capitalism in favor of Corporate Socialism, a Corporate Welfare doctrine that says only “Human Welfare” is repugnant and intolerable (Humans actually ‘exist’ – Corporations do not – they are legal fictions). And we now know that a Democrat vote translates as support for this twisted, dishonest, myopic doctrine. Goodbye Dem majority.
Posted by: Reflecting_Pool | December 9, 2008, 9:45 am 9:45 am
Here’s an idea: Federally “insure” new car warranties during the time GM and Chrysler restructure under Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The govenment would save money and the automakers would have no excuse for restructuring. The cost to the government would be treated as a loan or as a credit toward new technology development.
Posted by: Hurry Writeacheck | December 9, 2008, 9:52 am 9:52 am
Reflecting_Pool
Obama is not our dad’s democrat…The days of “ask not what your country can do for you” have turned into….
“spread the wealth around”–BO
“we need income equality”–Barney Frank
“it is our duty to supply affordable
housing”—Barney Frank
“we are seeing the end of capitalism and I say good riddance!”–Mike Moore
Posted by: liberalsaresocialists | December 9, 2008, 9:53 am 9:53 am
liberalsaresocialists, I agree with you- Great Post!–The liberals would like nothing more than to have as much gov’t stake in private enterprise as possible.
It almost makes me sick seeing barney and nancy together as the supposed saviors of this mess, when it was these two, and other socialist wackjobs, who have brought us here in the first place.
Barney, through is and others endless crusades of attempting to achieve “income equality”, is partly the reason the autoworkers made $70.00hr to watch a machine go by. Then people wonder why the asian market can make a better car at a cheaper price- they pay their workers $70.00 a month!
As for fannie and freddie, just 2 yrs ago the republicans were calling for fannie and freddie to tighten their lending practices, and who fought that?
Barney frank was one of the loudest voicest against oversight saying “any pressure of fannie/freddie will only diminsh the amount of affordable housing”. He also said “fannie and freddie are financially sound- leave them alone”
Posted by: liberalsaresocialists
Posted by: Integritywaslost | December 9, 2008, 9:56 am 9:56 am
But what is the solution if they are not bailed out? If they go bankrupt, can they regroup like the airlines did? I know Barry Frank was on tv last night saying the same thing, they need a plan, we can’t just keep giving them money and they have to make better and more affordable cars…their employees seem to make enough..perhaps they should lower their pay and benefits? I wish I made the money and got the benefits they did..that’s part of the problem. I don’t think anyone wants to bail them out, but what is the solution? You don’t want 3 million people more out of work, but you dont’ want to keep giving out money like it’s water either…the taxpayers, us, will get stuck footing the bill eventually.
And Obama said he can’t do this overnight. Does everyone realize just how bad this mess is? I love it when people are criticizing him already, at least he has a plan and is getting an intelligent group of people to help him…he wants everyone’s ideas…he is not just standing there with a deer in the headlights look like the current president does.
Posted by: Barb | December 9, 2008, 9:56 am 9:56 am
The automotive industry does not need a short term fix of cash as much as it needs radical smart transformation of leadership to be competitive for the longer view ahead – next 20 to 40 years.
The current management at the big three must go because they are part of the root cause of the problem – They have failed to lead in more ways than one and particularly, into the future with a vision.
If taxpayer’s money is used to help the big three now, then this is the right time to make leadership changes with a plan or vision of the industry’s future, in addition, with price to pay to come from the industry’s management and labor with revitalization and innovation at a lower cost in mind for smarter technology, higher quality, safety, energy, and environment as an industry goal and benchmark.
Smart technology innovations that are affordable has been the hallmark of American capitalism and spirit.
Posted by: threeriverscrossing | December 9, 2008, 9:58 am 9:58 am
and as for people criticizing, the republicans were in office for eight years, 6 with a republican congress…so don’t blame the dems for this…yes there is blame to go around but who was in charge when this mess happened? and if you are in charge and see what’s happening, yooo hooo! wake up! Now Obama has a huge mess and everyone will blame him? NOT!
Posted by: Barb | December 9, 2008, 9:58 am 9:58 am
AND I said a long time ago these high paid CEO’s of the wall street, insurance and car industries should be fired and their bonuses given back and someone else with more intelligence should take their places…that would be a great start.
Posted by: Barb | December 9, 2008, 10:00 am 10:00 am
liberalsaresocialists, great point, I agree with you- The liberals would like nothing more than to have as much gov’t stake in private enterprise as possible.
It almost makes me sick seeing barney and nancy together as the supposed saviors of this mess, when it was these two, and other socialist wackjobs, who have brought us here in the first place.
Barney, through is and others endless crusades of attempting to achieve “income equality”, is partly the reason the autoworkers made $70.00hr to watch a machine go by. Then people wonder why the asian market can make a better car at a cheaper price- they pay their workers $70.00 a month!
As for fannie and freddie, just 2 yrs ago the republicans were calling for fannie and freddie to tighten their lending practices, and who fought that?
Barney frank was one of the loudest voicest against oversight saying “any pressure of fannie/freddie will only diminsh the amount of affordable housing”. He also said “fannie and freddie are financially sound- leave them alone”
Posted by: liberalsaresocialists
Posted by: Integritywaslost | December 9, 2008, 10:01 am 10:01 am
Hege-President Carter, pressed by grassroots organizations — though opposed by the banking industry, signed into law the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). July 1994 Represented by Obama and others, Plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit alleging that Citibank had “intentionally discriminated against the Plaintiffs on the basis of race with respect to a credit transaction,” calling their action “racial discrimination and discriminatory redlining practices.”Republicans had won control of Congress and planned CRA reforms. The Clinton Administration, however, allied with Rep. Frank, Sen. Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) and Rep. Waters (D-California), did an end-around by directing HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo to inject GSEs into the subprime mortgage market. After years of Democrats blocking the legislation, Sens. Hagel, Sununu, Dole and McCain write a letter to Majority Leader William Frist and Chairman Richard Shelby
expressing demanding that GSE regulatory reform be “enacted this year” to avoid “the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the Housing market, the overall financial system, and the economy as a whole.”
Posted by: Integritywaslost | December 9, 2008, 10:02 am 10:02 am
Barb
Open your eyes. Was their greed at the top of both partie? yes. But there are 2 major idealogical differences at play here. One created this mess and the other didn’t do enough to stop it.
Our conservative founding fathers had 4 things in mind, which liberals vehemently oppose…
Small taxes for everyone
(including the wealthiest 10% who pay 70% of the tax load and not just for the bottom 50% of income earners who pay no federal tax in the first place).
Large military
(liberals hate our military, they have for years. If they are looking for ways to shrink it they are surely badmouthing it)
Small, efficient gov’t
(liberals want a massive increase in the size of gov’t)
Citizen self-reliance
(liberals want a nanny state to take care of them from cradle to the grave)
Posted by: liberalsaresocialists | December 9, 2008, 10:11 am 10:11 am
Trees grow from the ground up! Give the American citizens 700+ billion dollars and we’ll decide what companies survive and which ones fail!
Posted by: Feed _The_Wealthy | December 9, 2008, 10:12 am 10:12 am
If Congress and Bush wants to go ahead and destroy what the terrorist didn’t let them go right ahead.
Posted by: Harold | December 9, 2008, 10:14 am 10:14 am
The UAW spent millions campaigning for the Democrats in Michigan. I don’t believe for a second that the Democrats aren’t going to reward them for their contributions. I think the only reason there hasn’t been a bailout yet is that Bush & the Republicans want to put anti-labor strings on that money.
Posted by: nathan | December 9, 2008, 10:15 am 10:15 am
Nader has been stressing for years that the Democrats are part of the problem, NOT part of the solution, because both parties are married to and beholding to the corporate empires that fund their campaigns. Nader calls them ‘”Tweedle-dum” and “Tweedle-dee.” I voted Democrat just about a month ago and I’m already sorry for it … and they haven’t even taken office yet. Now we all know. Next time a Democrat tells you they are going to put people’s interests above corporate interests, DON’T BELIEVE THEM. Make sure you remember this in the next election cycle. Democrats just never seem to “get it.” And already it’s time for Pelosi to be moving on. Her allegiance is to the corporations NOT the people. Regardless of what Dems say, this is tantamount to “nationalization” of the auto industry, but with all the disadvantages and NONE of the advantages. If “nationalization” is the way to go, let’s start with the oil industry and let’s make it REAL government ownership.
Posted by: Livid_Democrat | December 9, 2008, 10:18 am 10:18 am
Yes both parties have faults BUT NONE OF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO HAPPEN IF BUSH AND THE REPBULICANS had done something…and why didn’t they do something? BECAUSE BUSH AND COMPANY ARE THE MAIN CAUSE OF ALL THIS!!!
They were the majority and in charge…so the buck stops there!
and I have faith in President Obama. He should start now and Bush should step down…he is a disgrace to this nation! along with Cheney!
Posted by: Barb | December 9, 2008, 10:23 am 10:23 am
I see a lot of people here complaining about the Democrats and Republicans in congress and saying that we should get rid of them. I AGREE, but just look at your own voting record … when was the last time that you voted for an independent? When was the last time you donated to the campaign of an independent? We just had a very worthy independent run for congress in my district. He had hardly any campaign money to spend. His opponents, a Democrat and a Republican had hundreds of thousands. The Democrat and the Republican each got over 40,000 votes and the independent got 2500! The better candidate did not stand a chance and he never will until the American people give up this damned two party system and start thinking for themselves!
Posted by: P.Ray | December 9, 2008, 10:24 am 10:24 am
c’mon all you dems, this is what you want so drink up and enjoy the chicago politics…….
Posted by: Jake | December 9, 2008, 10:29 am 10:29 am
Barb,
And what exactly would the pro-socialist, Obamamania, anti-capitalist media and democrats have done to George Bush if he spoke out in favor of restricting home loans made by Fannie/freddie????
“You just hate poor people!!!!”
The democrats have figured out entiltements=votes. The more they shove handouts down people’s throats the more support they get from the media and the rest of the socialized world. Nevermind that they have nearly destroyed our economy by doing so.
Posted by: liberalsaresocialists | December 9, 2008, 10:31 am 10:31 am
Liberalsaresocialits:
You and I will never agree…I can’t understand that after all these years of Republican control how anyone can think it is good….they were outsted, the public is angry, so say whatever you want, all I can say thank God Obama will be President Jan. 20…we need a change from this awful Bush/Cheney mess
Posted by: Barb | December 9, 2008, 10:35 am 10:35 am
Barb-President Carter, pressed by grassroots organizations — though opposed by the banking industry, signed into law the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). July 1994 Represented by Obama and others, Plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit alleging that Citibank had “intentionally discriminated against the Plaintiffs on the basis of race with respect to a credit transaction,” calling their action “racial discrimination and discriminatory redlining practices.”Republicans had won control of Congress and planned CRA reforms. The Clinton Administration, however, allied with Rep. Frank, Sen. Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) and Rep. Waters (D-California), did an end-around by directing HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo to inject GSEs into the subprime mortgage market. After years of Democrats blocking the legislation, Sens. Hagel, Sununu, Dole and McCain write a letter to Majority Leader William Frist and Chairman Richard Shelby
expressing demanding that GSE regulatory reform be “enacted this year” to avoid “the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the Housing market, the overall financial system, and the economy as a whole.”
In the period 1989-2008, topping the list of recipients of contributions from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Sen. Dodd (D-Connecticut), who received $165,400. Second on the list is Sen. Obama (D-Illinois), receiving $126,349 with only three years in the Senate. Rep. Frank (D-Massachusetts), received $42,350.
Posted by: RMBarley | December 9, 2008, 10:38 am 10:38 am
RMBARLEY
That’s impossible! This mess is completely Bush’s fault, along with everything else going wrong in the world. Have you not been reading the NYT or watching ABC news? Our socialist friends in europe know Bush is terrible, too.
Posted by: liberalsaresocialists | December 9, 2008, 10:47 am 10:47 am
My fellow Democrats…we want to stay far, far away from any talk of blame for the current economic situation. Seriously.
Posted by: Silky | December 9, 2008, 10:51 am 10:51 am
“liberalsaresocialists,” I’ve never read a better post which explains the why we can’t have any serious reform in this country unless there is a major crisis. Thank you.
The media would have destroyed Bush and the Rep’s with exactly the “You just hate poor people” tag if a serious attempt to reform FNMA/FHMC had been made.
The internet is breaking the power of the liberal media, but has not yet succeeded.
Barney Frank and Chris Dodd should be arrested for the what they’ve done to this country – and NOW they’re blasting the CEO of GM? Have they no shame?
Posted by: MichaelN | December 9, 2008, 10:52 am 10:52 am
So here is the deal..and Barb..you are so right sister! All you armchair pundits out there can banter back and forth all day every day about which party, which administration, which man is right or wrong..and to what avail? The bottom line is the Republicans BLEW it. The last 8 years have very nearly destroyed the country and the VOTERS, thank God, delivered the message that the Republicans are OUT OUT OUT and that the Dems are IN IN IN and THANK GOD GOD GOD that they did! NOBODY can be as BAD a President as BUSH.. NOBODY! YES I’m as liberal as they come and while my Republican friends think Obama is the Anti-Christ..I am more inclined to think of him as the Second Coming of Christ..(well almost)! All your deep, intense thoughts on these matters is sounding softer and fading away out of earshot the closer it gets to the inauguration and your chapters are closed! Things are what they are! Get with the program ..the NEW program.. or get left out and get left behind. The rest of the country is moving on! Oh.. and please stop taking the fun out of blogging with your depressing mindless chatter.. thank GOD that BIG GOVERNMENT IS BACK …BOOYAH for the Dems and thank God for our saviour in all this…President Elect OBAMA !!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: liberaldem | December 9, 2008, 11:16 am 11:16 am
I think America as a whole, should be more than concerned that our government is doing these bailouts. It appears, that now our government is going to be holding the pink slip to America and our jobs. Why not? The government has done so well managing the fiscal budget hasnt it? Do we really want them to have the ability to hire and fire Americans, or controlling how much we get paid? I mean, they give us the choice on how high are taxes are right? They also let us choose what tax bracket to be in right? In all seriousness, this country is in a hard place right now. However, if this bailout fails, we wont be able to blame President Bush…He will be out of office. I hate to see President Obama get blindsided by an economy that might get worse. Folks, throwing good money into bad corperations probably wont work, and millions of jobs are in jeapordy. I just want to give you some food for thought. The sad part is, people are praying this works, because if it doesnt, our economy is going to be like an anchor and drag the rest of the world with it. BTW…..grins…..isnt a global market great?
Posted by: Fred | December 9, 2008, 11:21 am 11:21 am
I am basicaly looking to see where I can input my opinions on the “Automotive” problems that currently exist. I am a “ex Ford dealer” and I can give MANY reasons we shouldnt bail out any, esp Ford. After 4 years being a Ford dealer I can tell how they can care less about the dealer, how we get NO support, how they do not help you get deals financed, and on and on… I figure that if Ford is responsible for me loosing millions of dollars and THEY made no effort in helping me recover then why should America help them without knowing all of the facts. If Congress knew everything then maybe they would put even strictor regulations before a bailout is given. As I stated in the begining this is of my opinion being a franchised Ford dealer for nearly 4 years. I appreciate your time.
Ricky Brown
Covington, VA. 24426
Covington Ford, Inc
540-962-3941
Posted by: ricky | December 9, 2008, 11:24 am 11:24 am
liberaldem
If I was as drunk off of the barry O kool-aid as you are, I would be having fun now, too.
And one more thing… you can expect all of us non-obamafans to fall in line and show the same level of respect to barrr as the liberals have shown Bush over the past 8 years.
Posted by: liberalsaresocialists | December 9, 2008, 11:30 am 11:30 am
Libsaresocialists – Drunk would be an understatement…..and you are right, I am having quite a bit of fun now too. I cannot expect anything less of you..that’s true…because after all..you are who you are.
Posted by: liberaldem | December 9, 2008, 11:39 am 11:39 am
liberalsaresocialists
Yes, because we all know two wrongs make a right. So if someone criticized your hero, by GOD you are going to go after THEIRS!
I tried not to ever attack Presdient Bush personally. Although I didn’t much like him as a person, it is just more logical and fair to criticize only his policies and actions. It’s just that he was so consistently awful on those that it was hard to stay away from blanket condemnations.
But yes, many people did attack him personally. People can be mean idiots. So you better go show them that you can be a mean idiot too!
Posted by: jock59801 | December 9, 2008, 11:43 am 11:43 am
jock59801
you are not acting like a good “open-minded liberal” calling me an idiot. As I have said before, liberal open-mindedness is about as laughable as liberal patriotism.
Criticizing Bush is more than okay, I have done it numerous times. I just find it ironic that liberals on this post now have a “respect for the office of the presidency” now that their marxist savior will soon be in the hot seat.
Liberals have had no problem calling Bush a terrorist or saying America is a state-sponsor of terrorism over the last 8 years, while in the mean time asking the holocaust-denying ahmadenijead to come speak at columbia college.
Liberals have been siding with America’s enemies for the last 50 years, which is why they love BO. They latched onto barry because he actually went to superbowl parties at unrepentent terrorist homes, along with michelle who is still looking for a reason to be proud of America.
Posted by: liberalsaresocialists | December 9, 2008, 12:02 pm 12:02 pm
Gore is a bullfighting term
Posted by: ROBERT CECIL HANNA | December 9, 2008, 12:26 pm 12:26 pm
liberalsaresocialists
I didn’t call you an idiot. I just suggested you would be if you attacked somebody just because “they” did. That choice is up to you.
You also seem to be confusing the logic of who “liberals” are. You note that various bad things were done by people who were probably liberal, and you conclude therefore that ALL liberals are like that. Tell me, do you really want to be lumped in with the worst of the conservatives?
Posted by: jock59801 | December 9, 2008, 1:01 pm 1:01 pm
They could bail themselves out if they re-release the electric car. They don’t even have to do any research and development. Just produce the ones they recalled from a lease and crushed. I have little sympathy for them as they are self serving. If some other manufacturer brings in the electric car before the big 3 I am buying it. My next car purchase is No Plug, No Deal.
Posted by: James3006 | December 9, 2008, 2:05 pm 2:05 pm
Why don’t they go into the plants and see what’s really going, how hard these folks work and ask them and their suppliers about the Loan program. It many take awhile, it’s estimated almost 5 million people’s jobs are dependent on the core of what’s left of our manufacturing base.
Anyone think Honda, Toyota, Hyundia and others aren’t working to see them go under. Their market share would go up dramatically.
That is once we get out of the depression the failures would likely cause.
Wake up folks we are all in this together.
Posted by: Tom. Tescher | December 9, 2008, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm
It is a complete DISGRACE what George W. Bush and the LIBERALS in Congress have been doing to America. These bailouts are nothing but a deadly mix of CORPORATISM and SOCIALISM. Nobody cares about small businesses and entrepreneurs whan they fail so there is no reason to bail out the banks, the Big Three or big Labor. If all industries were as heavily unionized as the Big Three, we’d have nothing but government subsidized monopolies throughout our economy, with no room for entrepreneurs or innovation. Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Nancy Pelosi, Henry Paulson, and George W. Bush ought to be ashamed of themselves for the destruction they have wrought on America.
Posted by: Liberty Loving Land | December 9, 2008, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm
If the big 3 take this money, I will NEVER buy another car from them. Allow capitalism to run its course. File for Chapter 11, put pressure on the unions (who were starting to crack before the bailout), restructure the business and get back to making great cars. Otherwise, I’ll buy foreign cars out of principle because a domestic auto industry that cannot survive on its’ own doesn’t benefit this country or its’ employees/shareholders or deserves my support.
Posted by: Matt in AZ | December 9, 2008, 4:02 pm 4:02 pm
Thank heavens there are a few courageous Republican legislators who aren’t afraid to stand up and say “no” to government intervention and the demise of free enterprise.
What’s wrong with letting the auto makers go belly-up? In smaller businesses, it happens all the time. The businesses either adopt better business strategies or die.
I know people will lose jobs, but people in less noticeable jobs lose their livelihood all the time. No one’s bailing them out.
From what I’ve read, it’s not been so bad to be out of a job if you’re an autoworker. I don’t know what they were all complaining about in the first place all these years they’ve been going on strike. $30 an hour? You’ve go to be kidding! Our police officers, nurses, teachers, etc. make less than half that much and still survive.
Posted by: ronrak | December 9, 2008, 4:40 pm 4:40 pm
Maybe if these companies fail, then they are not doing business right. Giving BONUSES to CEO’s that bring a company to financial ruin and bankruptcy? Come on!!! FIRE EM’! Show them the door darn it! To dang much GREED with those kind of companies and lack of common sense with politicians that think bailing them out will somehow help. Let em’ sink, then maybe we’ll see some of those European diesel cars that get 60-70 MPG in America too.
They brought this on themselves, what good will the bailout do? Keep building cars that they can’t sell?
The way these so called American automakers do business it gets me kweezy to even consider about buying a vehicle from them again, I’ll buy a high quality Japanese vehicle first. At least their CEO’s limit their income (maybe not all of them) to one million dollars a year and focus on building quality vehicles and fuel efficiency. (GM building S-10 trucks with doors falling off after a 1000 miles, or making 12MPG Hummers!)
I say let the oil companies bail them out, their the ones with the greatest interest in them!
Posted by: Brad | December 9, 2008, 4:45 pm 4:45 pm
(liberalsaresocialists says- And one more thing… you can expect all of us non-obamafans to fall in line and show the same level of respect to barrr as the liberals have shown Bush over the past 8 years.)
Are you kidding! Show respect to incompetency? We’ll all show respect when respect is earned.
You probably think it’s OK to reward CEO’s with bonuses too when the company they are running has filed bankruptcy.
Posted by: Brad | December 9, 2008, 4:58 pm 4:58 pm
Brad
Actually I think any CEO that “cooked the books” and exagerated profits to allow for bonuses should got to jail. This is something that both CEO’s on the right and left have done.
My whole argument from a political standpoint, is that the financial crisis is on the democrats shoulders.
They have become the party of entitlements and have created this entire mass of people who don’t want to work, but rather, expect the gov’t to work for them.
Posted by: liberalsaresocialists | December 9, 2008, 5:55 pm 5:55 pm
of all the talk and news story’s done on the big 3 automakers.i have yet to here anything about their workers taking a pay cut to save their jobs.they are no different than any other american worker that has had to make consessions to save their job.at close to $75.00 an hour including benifits that is outragous !!! let them get a grip in the new world to help themselves !!!
Posted by: w.c.dimon | December 9, 2008, 7:50 pm 7:50 pm
Socialism doesn’t work. And unrestrained capitalism, eventually destroys free enterprise. The ceo’s responsible for the current meltdown should go to prison, along with the;politicians who aided and abetted them. The liberals absolutely demonized, Pres. Bush, just to get power back, no ethics or honesty demonstrated there.
Barak Obama ran on the theme of change, without really explaining what that meant other than finally revealing it meant “spreading the wealth around.” Socialism doesn’t redistribute wealth, because it doesn’t create wealth, so it redistributes poverty. As Christian’s we need to pray for our Pres-elect, and hope that we can have some miracles for our beloved country.
Posted by: will | December 9, 2008, 10:01 pm 10:01 pm
Boycott the big 3 so Washington will hear us that we do NOT want any bailouts (“loans”) for anyone!
Posted by: No Bailout | December 9, 2008, 11:43 pm 11:43 pm
Eeeegads! This is rather depressing to read.
I fundamentally agree with the sentiment against any further bailouts….. ANY……. yet, I am fully aware that the very people I voted for (“successfully”) will likely spend our money recklessly against our will.
Do I feel guilty? Maybe. Moreover, I feel plenty of anger!
Posted by: Steve Applebaugh | December 9, 2008, 11:53 pm 11:53 pm
Why are all three auto makers being perceived as relative equals. Read a recent Consumer Reports run-down on the most vs. the least reliable vehicles on the road. The “most reliable” were 3/4ths Honda, Toyota, and a few others. The “least reliable” were 3/4ths Chrysler, GM and Ford vehicles. Notwithstanding these broad reports, wasn’t Chrysler bailed out once a long while back, when Lee Iococa took the money and invented the rebate program? The rebate program was a doozy, a real car mover for a brief stint, but the cars themselves remained, in essence, pieces of junk that cost a lot of money. Then there was a nutty movement across the country to “buy American,” which proved a windfall for companies that produce crummy cars: and Chrysler was right in the forefront. If those fortunes did not lead the company to the bright light of market sensibility, then why in the world are we even setting a place at the bailout table for Chrysler? Chrysler should be cut loose to experience what millions of other companies large and small are experiencing, or will experience very soon now. The Big Three “are,” not “is.” They are not joined at the hip and one-third of the issue could be dealt with by saying NO to Chrysler. This is not to say that the remaining two are capable of turning their own brand of crummy around. But we can take a safe chance with Chrysler and let it finish its trip down the road of failure by its own devices. Give it a dignified send off if that would help, but at least just let it go sin a taxpayer bailout. Chrysler produces the least attractive and least reliable vehicles on our roads and highways. So, for its failed effort to build superior vehicles and also for its success at consideing profit before product quality, then Chrysler should find the dignity and resolve to say adieiu. If not that, then the Congress should send Chrysler a Dear John letter and perhaps today would not be too soon to send it.
Posted by: rpruitt | December 10, 2008, 12:47 am 12:47 am
one rotten apple doe not mean all our politicians are crooks; we have people like, Durbin, Quinn, Fitzgerald, Madigan. I also think you media people should be a little more loyal to Chicago because you make your money here…This is the Greatest City in America. There are crooks in NY, WA, every state has their crooks…we have GOOD GUYS too….so if you make your money here; then be loyal to your city.
Posted by: CAROL STANTON | December 10, 2008, 10:27 am 10:27 am
“Posted by: Badboy | Dec 5, 2008 11:37:45 AM;” You are a dispicable, vulgar, “Potty-Mouthed” Slob, who should be permanently banned from public discourse!!!”
Posted by: bobj72 | December 16, 2008, 4:20 pm 4:20 pm