It feels weird to say, but if the Republicans hold the line on the auto industry bailout, this is one time I actually agree with them. I think that the Big Three have run their business into the ground too many times to be bailed out again. Remember, they were the ones who, in the face of Global Warming were producing bigger and less fuel efficient cars. Lets see, there was the Hummer, the Hummer 2, the Escalade, and the Expedition just to name a few. And even though the American consumer backed them all the way and bought bigger and bigger cars, the auto makers should have been looking toward innovation. We all watched as gas prices went from 2$ per gallon to $4. Didn't somebody at some point think, "maybe people are not going to be able to gas up these gas guzzling behemoths."? Meanwhile, Toyota is laughing all the way to bank because they brought hybrid technology to the road.
"but Pete," you'll say, "what about the hard working American auto workers, they will be out of a job..."
Thats right they will, but...what can I say? I feel badly about it, but how many of us can say we are knowingly working for a dying company? If I knew that I worked for a company that consistently put out a bad product, I don't think I would bank my retirement on it.
And how are we ever supposed to put out a better product if a bad product is continually supported by the government? Maybe there is some genius car maker out there that just can't get a foothold on the market because his competition gets and infusion of gov't money on a regular basis? Those who work on the assembly line will be able to find a jobs new assembly lines.
I'm not going to argue that we should become a country that doesn't produce anything, I think we should be a country that produces the newest most innovative products in the world.
Here's something to ponder over, what if, when the iPod was invented the gov't decided that it didn't want to see the people who make Sony discman's out of job(I know Sony is Japanese company... bad example), so they sunk a bunch of money there. That would have been a pretty stupid move.
If we are going to be a free market society then the working class has to realize that they need to be as innovative and adaptable as our products if we are going to maintain market superiority.
I know Obama thinks that the Big 3 will see this as a wake-up call and change their ways and he's afraid of what the failure of the automakers will mean to the overall economy, but I think in the first place he's being naive and in the second place, we may just have to take this one on the chin (easy for me to say because I'm not going to retire for another 35 years). Who knows, maybe this is just the catalyst we need to start seriously looking into clean transportation.
I know, I sound like some old corporate douchebag, but we have to realize that Democrats are capitalists too. We may not think that the free market is the best way to educate or provide health care to a society, but its definitely the best way to sell a car.
And how are we ever supposed to put out a better product if a bad product is continually supported by the government? Maybe there is some genius car maker out there that just can't get a foothold on the market because his competition gets and infusion of gov't money on a regular basis? Those who work on the assembly line will be able to find a jobs new assembly lines.
I'm not going to argue that we should become a country that doesn't produce anything, I think we should be a country that produces the newest most innovative products in the world.
Here's something to ponder over, what if, when the iPod was invented the gov't decided that it didn't want to see the people who make Sony discman's out of job(I know Sony is Japanese company... bad example), so they sunk a bunch of money there. That would have been a pretty stupid move.
If we are going to be a free market society then the working class has to realize that they need to be as innovative and adaptable as our products if we are going to maintain market superiority.
I know Obama thinks that the Big 3 will see this as a wake-up call and change their ways and he's afraid of what the failure of the automakers will mean to the overall economy, but I think in the first place he's being naive and in the second place, we may just have to take this one on the chin (easy for me to say because I'm not going to retire for another 35 years). Who knows, maybe this is just the catalyst we need to start seriously looking into clean transportation.
I know, I sound like some old corporate douchebag, but we have to realize that Democrats are capitalists too. We may not think that the free market is the best way to educate or provide health care to a society, but its definitely the best way to sell a car.
1 comment:
I agree 99% like I said. There's still that 1% of me that feels too much pity for the workers. However, I am sick and fucking tired of giving away billions and billions of tax dollars to unsuccessful businesses. Do we bail out the small business owner when his family restaurant fails? Hell no. What about the three waitresses he hired? Find another job.
Thomas Friedman's new book talks a lot about our recent lack of innovation in the green industry. He is clearly concerned that we are not leading the charge in this arena.
In the end, I understand the larger political implications of not bailing these people out, but I wonder what would have happened if we just let failing banks and automakers collapse and just use the money to pay the little man instead. Why not pay the wages of the autoworkers for 6 months under the condition that they get new training for a modern job - like producing solar panels? Why not buy the mortgages from the failing banks at pennies on the dollar and help struggling people? The banks take a dive, but the little guy is saved while the government turns a profit.
At least put conditions on the automakers if we bail them out. Force them to produce more hybrids. Ban them from being able to make gas-guzzlers. I know what some will say - "The government can't tell companies what they can/can't make." To that I say bullshit - once they take tax dollars we damn well have the right to tell them.
I'm glad you posted this.
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