Propaganda! They have money for propaganda, executive jets, multi-million dollar executive salaries and god knows what else. If the ndustry collapses it will be because the product isn't selling. I'm a union guy and only buy and own U.S. vehicles but the answer is sales not more taxpayer money. If they disappeared Americans will still buy and drive cars. Some other entrprenuer will step forward, buy the assembly lines and manufacture the tanks and cars we will buy. They can scale back and re-tool and sell products we can buy or they will go the way of other companies. Period.
Unfortunately, the economy of the automobile is based in part on rampant consumerism. It only works because so many people buy new cars every few years. People are talking about how we have to protect the industry as it is, but what if forcing the industry to restructure itself to deal with changing times would produce a more robust industry in the long run?
Yes, their changes will cost jobs and hurt the economy in the short run. It may even hasten us into the inevitable depression that we're heading into. However, propping up the dinosaurs will only lengthen fall to the noose, not stop us from hanging.
Also keep in mind that this is the same industry that said that a lack of high tariffs on import cars would destroy them and cost America big. We've had cheap imports for decades, so clearly that chicken little story was wrong too.
There is one major wholly American manufacturer of motor vehicles that is weathering the storm. They are also the only one that is employee owned. Harley-Davidson.
Maybe the Big 3 should fire the CEOs and let the employees run the show.
6 comments:
I can't tell which side you fall on, so reserved apologies if I pick the wrong one, but:
I call bullshit.
A collapse of the big three doesn't mean the end of auto-making in the US... just auto-making in the US as we know it.
Good things could happen.
Propaganda! They have money for propaganda, executive jets, multi-million dollar executive salaries and god knows what else. If the ndustry collapses it will be because the product isn't selling. I'm a union guy and only buy and own U.S. vehicles but the answer is sales not more taxpayer money. If they disappeared Americans will still buy and drive cars. Some other entrprenuer will step forward, buy the assembly lines and manufacture the tanks and cars we will buy. They can scale back and re-tool and sell products we can buy or they will go the way of other companies. Period.
Unfortunately, the economy of the automobile is based in part on rampant consumerism. It only works because so many people buy new cars every few years. People are talking about how we have to protect the industry as it is, but what if forcing the industry to restructure itself to deal with changing times would produce a more robust industry in the long run?
Yes, their changes will cost jobs and hurt the economy in the short run. It may even hasten us into the inevitable depression that we're heading into. However, propping up the dinosaurs will only lengthen fall to the noose, not stop us from hanging.
Also keep in mind that this is the same industry that said that a lack of high tariffs on import cars would destroy them and cost America big. We've had cheap imports for decades, so clearly that chicken little story was wrong too.
OH NOES! Who is going to build crappy cars for us?
There is one major wholly American manufacturer of motor vehicles that is weathering the storm. They are also the only one that is employee owned. Harley-Davidson.
Maybe the Big 3 should fire the CEOs and let the employees run the show.
I really liked a co-worker's take on this.
The CEOs of the Big 3 all flew to Washington in private jets to ask for a bailout. Maybe if they had carpooled people would be more sympathetic.
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