by Frank James
There's a lot of suspicion in Washington and throughout the nation that Senate Republicans who thwarted the auto bailout last night were operating from a range of motives, including a desire for payback against the United Auto Workers,
The UAW has been the bane of Senate Republicans, throwing resources and people at defeating Senate Republicans, including no less than Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky in his recent reelection campaign.
Senate Republicans and organized labor have also been in a pitched battle over legislation that would make it easier for unions to organize workplaces without holding elections featuring secret ballots. Republicans have said the "card check" legislation would allow union heavies to strongarm workers into joining unions against their will.
Organized labor meanwhile has said anti-labor Senate Republicans want to make it harder for unions to organize, including in southern states. Senate Republicans have made it clear that the battle over the legislation will be one of the defining issues of the next Congress.
So the resistance of many Republican lawmakers to the auto-bailout legislation is being viewed by many supporters of the bailout as an opportunity for the GOP to serve a dish of revenge to their union opponents.
Rep. Steny Hoyer, the House Majority Leader, said on CNBC today:
I think it's very unfortunate that the Senate Republicans chose, frankly, to focus solely on labor. And it's reported in the New York Times that this was all about the politics of the Republican Conference and their relationship to the UAW, to labor in general. I think that's terribly unfortunate.
Here's a statement from Rep. John Dingell from Michigan:
"There could be many reasons for blocking this bill and thwarting the will of a majority of Congress. These Senators wanted legislation that cut the pay and benefits of American workers immediately rather than over the next three years, rather than allowing the matter to be resolved in the proper tradition. It could also be that a block of southern Senators saw an opportunity for their states to benefit from the losses of those of us in all parts of the country. Perhaps they wanted to crush a long time political rival - the United Auto Workers - without any concern about the considerable damage done to the nation's economy and the millions of American workers who would be without work.
At a Detroit press conference today, Ron Gettelfinger, the UAW's president, in response to a reporters' questions, said he had evidence that Republicans were really trying to take on organized labor by taking a stand against the bailout bill.
Here's the exchange:
Q Mr. Gettelfinger, I know you've heard this before: Is there a possibility that there was a master plan here that this movement was all part of an effort to oust or break the UAW, to keep them out of right-to-work states?
MR. GETTELFINGER: Well, I'm going to answer that question this way: I have in my hand a document that was provided to us. And I'm going to say up front that the "From" was deleted to it when it was given to us, and the "To." And it's an e-mail, and it was an action alert called "Auto bailout."
It says -- and this was Wednesday, December the 10th, 2008, at 9:12 a.m. -- "Today at noon Senators Ensign, Shelby, Colburn and DeMint will hold a press conference in the Senate Radio/TV Gallery. They would appreciate our support through messaging and attending the press conference, if possible.
"The message they want us to deliver is, one, this is the Democrats' first opportunity to pay off organized labor after the election. This is a precursor to card check and other items. Republicans should stand firm and take their first shot against organized labor, instead of taking their first blow from it.
"Number two, this rush to judgment is the same thing that happened with the TARP. Members do not have an opportunity to read or digest the legislation, and therefore could not understand the consequences of it. We should not rush to pass this because Detroit says the sky is falling.
"The sooner you can have press releases and documents like this in the hands of members in the press, the better. Please contact me if you need additional information. Again, the hardest thing for the Democrats to do is get 60 votes. If we can hold the Republicans, we can beat this."
And again, I will stipulate that when I received this document, this is the way I got it. The "From" is not there and the "To" is not there, but our sources -- and you -- understand sources -- (scattered laughter) -- our sources indicate to us this was put out by staffers on the Republican side of the aisle.
For their part, Republicans denied that union breaking was what Republican opposition was about. Take Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee on MSNBC, for example:
MS. O'DONNELL: Gettelfinger says that this essentially was subterfuge, what was going on, an effort to break the unions on the part of your party. Is that what it was?
SEN. CORKER: Absolutely not. Let me give you the language, Norah. I knew that there's a lot of judgment that has to take place. In the bill -- that, by the way, I think would have gotten at least 90 votes in the Senate had we taken it there, had the UAW agreed to one thing. The bill said that the UAW had to be "competitive." It's a real broad term. I didn't even use the word "parity" -- had to be competitive with BMW, Honda, Toyota and Nissan. We left Kia out because the UAW thought their wages were too low. I agreed to that.
But listen to this: "as determined by the secretary of Labor." The secretary of Labor is going to be an Obama administration secretary of labor, somebody that's going to be very, very, very friendly towards the UAW. And so all I was asking is, give us a date certain when you will be competitive -- competitive; that's a broad term -- with wages and benefits. By the way, taking into account transitional things --
O'Donnell kept pressing the issue:
MS. O'DONNELL: But do you understand, Senator, that's why -- that's why people think that you are doing the bidding for foreign automakers, because you're saying that Americans, who this country -- tax-paying Americans make more money --
SEN. CORKER: No. No.
MS. O'DONNELL: -- for -- U.S. auto companies than those foreign companies.
SEN. CORKER: No, no, no, no, no. No, you're missing --
MS. O'DONNELL: And so people think you're anti-union.
SEN. CORKER: No. No. No. You're missing the point. It was U.S. workers at these plants, BMW, Toyota. These are American workers, Norah. And there are by far more American workers involved in these plants. So no, these are American workers.
And again, please know I purposely used broad language, not prescriptive language, but giving the secretary of Labor the ability to determine what was competitive. So, no, I disagree strongly. And again, all my members --
MS. O'DONNELL: Well, Senator --
SEN. CORKER: Yeah. Okay.
MS. O'DONNELL: Just to make the point that Gettelfinger makes is that those companies, though, like Nissan, in your state, though, do get taxpayer subsidies in order to be in those states.
SEN. CORKER: Well, so does GM.
MS. O'DONNELL: And he feels that that's not something that the Detroit companies get.
SEN. CORKER: Sure they do. We had huge packages. When Saturn located at Spring Hill, the state spent lots of money getting there, and then they remodernized again. That's absolutely not true, Norah. I mean, all states --
MS. O'DONNELL: So you think if the union were gone, that -- if the union were gone, if UAW were gone, that would make it easier to pay the people at the foreign auto companies and the Detroit auto companies the same amount, those workers?
SEN. CORKER: I'm not asking for -- please remember, I was a former card-carrying union member myself. I -- my employees at my company, many of them are union. I sat on a pension board to ensure that they got benefits and were paid well. So I'm not advocating that the UAW disappear.
I'm advocating that as part of a $14 billion investment, where all kinds of people are taking huge financial haircuts, that they become, quote, "competitive" with the other companies. We had a -- and that's, by the way, what a bankruptcy judge, if it goes to that, is going to do. So we were trying to have the same kind of outcome that a bankruptcy judge would give.
MS. O'DONNELL: Right.
SEN. CORKER: So, anyway.
MS. O'DONNELL: I hear you, Senator. And you know their point of view. That -- the UAW and Ron Gettelfinger held up an e-mail that he said he had gotten from one of his sources that said today at noon, you, Jim DeMint, the others, when you were holding your press conference, that that was an opportunity to take a shot at organized labor --
SEN. CORKER: Norah --
MS. O'DONNELL: -- that they think that your party is trying to use this to kill them.
SEN. CORKER: Norah, I didn't go to that press conference, because I don't want to be part -- I mean, I applaud what other members do. If they -- you know, I didn't go to that press conference. I was in the middle of trying to solve this problem.
I called Ron early yesterday morning to try to get him involved. I had the companies involved. I've already talked this morning again with GM. So hey, you know, you can say what you wish and paint it however you want, but I can tell you, I think we need to solve this problem. I personally think a five-minute phone call with Ron could solve it. Again, we had a nice guy in the room, but he --
MS. O'DONNELL: All right.
SEN. CORKER: -- you know, every time he turned around he had to make a call.
MS. O'DONNELL: Senator, I understand you're going to call the UAW president, Ron Gettelfinger. You're going to speak with him shortly. I hope you'll come back -- I'm anchoring again at 3:00 -- and tell me -- (laughs) --
SEN. CORKER: Well, please know -- please know this.
MS. O'DONNELL: -- if you're able to work it out after your five- minute call. (Laughs.) Thanks.
SEN. CORKER: I think this is -- this is something that needs to be solved. I'm very concerned about workers in Tennessee. Thank you.
The reality is that there's little Corker can say to persuade UAW members that the Senate Republican bloc that opposed the bailout wasn't doing it as payback. If the UAW survives, it's safe to predict their efforts against certain Republican lawmakers will only intensify based on what appears to be a growing animus between the two sides.
Comments
The GOP got caught with the knife in their hand standing next to the DEAD American auto industry and they called it a "victory".
Say hello to your next generation US armory, should there be any war, that it will have TOYOTA written all over it.
If the UAW was really the party who blew up the auto bailout negotiations, the people screaming the loudest would be the automakers. Yet, all the noise today is coming from Senate Republicans and their surrogates. What does that tell you?
Posted by: Teresa | December 12, 2008 6:40 PM
What happens to NASCAR when the big three folds up? Can these Southern Republican Senators answer their constituents ? LOL !!!!
Posted by: Mohan Nair | December 12, 2008 7:10 PM
Let's have a show of hands of those of you who can name Bush's Secretary of Labor.
I thought not.
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport ✌ | December 12, 2008 7:26 PM
FInally the 'chickens of conflicting purposes' come home to roost for the Republicans.
Hey 'Reagan' Democrats;
The Republicans have been after your throats for a generation.
This McConnell suit is the final exhibit.
Posted by: C.Morris | December 12, 2008 7:28 PM
The Republican project to reduce the American worker to Third World status is nearly complete.
Smart votin' workers! YOU put these people in office for a generation.
Welcome to your nightmare.
Posted by: OldCreaky | December 12, 2008 7:40 PM
And you working class heros were afraid the Liberals were going to pry your Mini-14 from your cold dead hands.
Little did you know the Repimplicans were going to take away your health care, living wage, children's college educations, environmental protection, etc. etc. etc.
America; You jumped off the cliff in the '04 election. The final result is reporting to you.
Posted by: TheReamer | December 12, 2008 7:44 PM
Teresa asked,"If the UAW was really the party who blew up the auto bailout negotiations, the people screaming the loudest would be the automakers. Yet, all the noise today is coming from Senate Republicans and their surrogates. What does that tell you?"
Management would love to have competitive cost structure and flexibility. They have been trying many times only to capitulated to UAW threat of strikes.
The only group against competitive cost structure is the UAW. Equity and bond holders already have been wiped out.
Posted by: Liem | December 12, 2008 7:53 PM
My God! If we don't give the automakers $34 billion of taxpayer money to pay for their $17 billion in legacy retiree liability, pay for no-work program and operating losses, we are UNION-BUSTING? These are businesses! If they fail, they have bankruptcy laws to enable them to reorganize and become competitive with strict regulation of how they treat shareholders, creditors, their employees and unions with whom they will continue to have legal bargaining relationships. The rhetoric that is being flown around to support this blackmail is disgusting.
Posted by: THIS IS TAXPAYER-BUSTING! | December 12, 2008 9:09 PM
My God! If we don't give the automakers $34 billion of taxpayer money to pay for their $17 billion in legacy retiree liability, pay for no-work program and operating losses, we are UNION-BUSTING? These are businesses! If they fail, they have bankruptcy laws to enable them to reorganize and become competitive with strict regulation of how they treat shareholders, creditors, their employees and unions with whom they will continue to have legal bargaining relationships. The rhetoric that is being flown around to support this blackmail is disgusting.
Posted by: THIS IS TAXPAYER-BUSTING! | December 12, 2008 9:09 PM
The "Hoover Party" aka the Republican Party are making themselves irrelevant for the next generation with ideological stupidy like this..
2006 and 2008 are just the beginning of their downfall.
Posted by: Turkey B. Slaughtered | December 12, 2008 9:13 PM
TAKE BACK CONTROL OF MONEY
The American economy rests on the back of the American worker and consumer. Taxpayers own the government and currency is only a tool enabling commerce.
Take charge of it. Get it working for you, not against you.
http://pacificgatepost.blogspot.com/2008/12/revising-government-relationship-to.html
Once this is done, the other problems will at least begin to resolve naturally, including home owners making their mortgage payments.
Posted by: James Raider | December 12, 2008 9:23 PM
Old mistakes come back to haunt the Democrats.
Remember the 'nuclear' option that Dr. (Mengel) Frist threatened the Democrats with a few years ago?
In retrospect the Dems should have forced his hand and let them have their way.
At least now we could start to fix the mess, but instead our hands are tied by Republics in the Senate.
They still hold the power, and thanks to Blago they may pick up another seat in the special election, if it comes to pass.
Posted by: C.Morris | December 12, 2008 9:41 PM
Amazing that the only union the GOP is interested in is the US Chamber of Commerce the biggest union for big business in the country, the word republican, GOP or conservative is synonymous with toxic and a party that will soon be a thing of the past, this is exactly what we need is another 2 million Americans on unemployment. Just how much more damage can this party and this administration do to the American people.
Posted by: Sailingwindward | December 12, 2008 9:59 PM
Oh please, the Republicans are all about Union busting.
That's what they do.
Posted by: David | December 12, 2008 11:12 PM
bankruptcy laws to enable them to reorganize and become competitive with strict regulation of how they treat shareholders, creditors, their employees and unions with whom they will continue to have legal bargaining relationships. The rhetoric that is being flown around to support this blackmail is disgusting.
Posted by: THIS IS TAXPAYER-BUSTING! | December 12, 2008 9:09 PM
The Republican MINORITY in this country want us to lose our manufacturing infrastructure and throw 3 million people out of work in order to bust a union......period, end of story.
MINORITY party Senate Republican idiots said, we'll give you the big auto loan only if the factory workers take a $20 an hour cut in wages, pension and health care. That's right. After giving BILLIONS to Wall Street hucksters and criminal investment bankers -- billions with no strings attached and, as we have since learned, no oversight whatsoever -- the MINORITY Senate Republicans decided it is more important to break a union, more important to throw middle class wage earners into the ranks of the working poor than to prevent the total collapse of industrial America.
31 Republican Senators who decided to blame the poor, miserable autoworkers for this mess. And our wonderful corporate media complied (again) with their spin on the morning news shows: "UAW Refuses to Give Concessions Killing Auto Bailout Bill." In fact the UAW has given concession after concession, reduced their benefits, agreed to get rid of the Jobs Bank and agreed to make it harder for their retirees to live from week to week. Yes! That's what we need to do! It's the Jobs Bank and the old people who have led the nation to economic ruin!
But even doing all that wasn't enough to satisfy the MINORITY Republicans. These Senate vampires wanted blood. Blue collar blood. You see, they weren't opposed to the bailout because they believed in the free market or capitalism. No, they were opposed to the bailout because they're opposed to workers making a decent wage. In their rage, they were driven to destroy the backbone of this country, not because the UAW hadn't given back enough, but because the UAW hadn't given up.
Teresa, you can use whatever stupid saying that you want as your "post name" (and you do this because you know your posts are crap) but we always know it's you because you're always blindly following your GOPer overlords off the cliff.
Posted by: Alaskans for impeaching Palin | December 12, 2008 11:59 PM
The Rethuglicans hate the middle class and they always have. They want a very small obscenely wealthy upper class and a large mass of unwashed hoards to serve them who will argue over whatever little scraps they are willing to give and not fight for benefits because, well, there are a lot of other people they could be showering largesse on.
It's no fun for them to be rich unless everyone else is poor but what the most amazing thing is is how they are still able to fool some of the dumber lower and middle class Americans (mostly from the south) into voting for them every election cycle.
And that is something you can apply to every bit of Republican policy over the past 25 years.
The Republican Party: the party of greed, hate, anger, fear, waste, death, destruction and division.
The Rethuglicans certainly don't seem excessively concered about displaying an appearance of fairness or evenhandedness, does they?
Very curious, indeed. Have they checked the demographics on how many elections they can expect to win, exclusively on the right-wing fundementalist nutjobs, alone?
Posted by: As of today, I am a former Republican | December 13, 2008 12:34 AM
Dear American Human Applicant:
We, the Republican Party of the year 2008 are writing to inform you that though we'd like to take steps to save the economy, allowing you to keep a roof over your head and food in your children's mouths, we've been informed that your gardener, Cruz, makes $18 dollars an hour, which far exceeds the pay for gardeners in your human competitor countries like China and South Korea.
Therefore we must insist you inform Cruz that unless he willingly cuts his salary in half and gives up his single family dwelling for housing more consistent with that of your competitors (see below) we are going to be forced to use your tax refund to fund AIG's "Mercedes For Millionaires" program.
http://media.photobucket.com/image/slum%20house/chrisgeorgeindia/P1010037.jpg?o=5
Additionally, we've learned that you have "Child Care" and that you are providing said "Child Care" with something you call "Health-Insurance".
We are somewhat baffled as to WHY you would provide said "Child Care" with said "Health Insurance" when its well known that many of your Human competitors not only don't provide their "Child Care" with "Health Insurance" but forgo "Child Care" altogether by choosing not to hold down a job.
We strongly feel that you should rescind this "Health Insurance" scam in order to be stay competitive with Humans all over the world. After all would it be so hard for your "Child Care" to simply "Pray" for better health like your competition has for 3000 years?
Further concerns arise around your choice to adhere to concepts like "workplace safety", which is at odds with the practice of certain of your foreign based competitors.
For instance we hear that your Offspring (who does not even work) still has all its factory installed limbs, whereas Offspring in competitive countries (unburdened by child labor laws) have successfully existed for tens of years after having arms or legs amputated due to accidents in their place of gainful employment.
Therefore we are going to have to respectfully withhold further assistance until you can prove that you are willing to take the viability steps of removing your smoke detectors, gas shut off valves, as well as the cut-guard on your circular saw.
We do look forward to your submitting a fully-realized (HCRP) Human Competition Restructuring Plan.
Sincerely,
.
The Herbert Hoover Republican Party of The United States Of Free Markets-2008
Posted by: E=mc2 | December 13, 2008 3:00 AM
Since 1990, the auto industry has cut $100 million in checks to the GOP, compared with $34 million to Democrats. I Do hope that they reconsider those figures next time the auto industry decides to cut the GOP a check.
Posted by: Kenny S | December 13, 2008 4:53 AM
Nancy Pelosi stated last week that everyone had to give some thing up for the bailout to move forward.
I believe "everyone" includes the UAW!
Posted by: Joe Jankovic | December 13, 2008 6:26 AM
auto industry and its ged wannabee's ,maybe some actually finished high school and have there own teeth,are way the bleep overpayed,greed breeds greed,they didn't mine stuffing their pockets all these years ,ridiculous benefits for morons,golden parachute this a holes,your all crooks,is it not what unions are all about,a $35,000 car costs $50,000,thanks to you porch monkeys,go bleep yourself,i've been out of work for 56 weeks because my competion has been overweight,obese,3 chins,big gut,fat ass,out of shape union looking workers like yourselfs,can anyone spell useless scum,that might be a stretch...............file bankruptcy and get rid of all the out of shape trailer thrash,physically fit is better for production,self esteem,if not,robotics was the way to go 20 years ago,"oh we can't do that ,we"ll be putting people out of work,dahh,its about a business making money and being profitable,or did i miss something in school.....................drop dead,you get paid what your really worth,not what some moron organization who strong arm people to get what they want,thats why unions are useless,education,not morons in the long run will dominate,although right now because this country is a bunch of overweight pigs ,hire real pigs there in better shape and probably understand better what a bottom line means............drop dead
Posted by: joe mainstreet | December 13, 2008 8:07 AM
All you people laying the blame at the union workers feet, if the contracts were so bad why did the guys holding the purse strings sign said agreements? Don't the people who have the lear jets and the 10 million dollar Xmas bonuses have any blame in the situation?
Posted by: lochnessmonster | December 13, 2008 9:15 AM
Keep writing these columns, Frank! Because every partisan hack column like this you write, more and more people shake their head and leave the ever-more bankrupt Tribune forever.
Posted by: ChangeNHope | December 13, 2008 9:35 AM
The unions including the UAW have been in bed with the Democrats so long it isn't even funny. The unions have held these auto companies by the throat for years.They want payback and its as clear as the nose on your face.
I want the car companies to succeed but they need to restructure their companies from the top down. And start to make cars with some styling. I believe they have the quality but they need a car that doesn't look like every other car. So don't blame the Republicans!.
Posted by: Paul | December 13, 2008 9:39 AM
I don't think enough attention is being paid to the potential horror that the card check act could mean for union workers. I encourage everyone to visit this website - it has a wealth of information about what the Card Check Act is, what it means for workers, a petition to sign to battle it and a video explaining it. Please check it out - http://www.friendsoftheuschamber.com/email/email4.cfm?id=178
Posted by: ashley | December 13, 2008 11:22 AM
The basic premise of this article is false, and those who think Republicans (or anyone else) are trying to break up the unions have proven their own ovine pedigree.
.
The Big 3 auto manufacturers have themselves to blame for running their companies into the ground. More than thirty (30) years ago, foreign car manufacturers brought to market smaller, better priced cars. Since then, the quality of these foreign-made cars has been vastly improved. This kind of car has consistently sold well in U.S. markets. Despite all of this, the Big 3 turned a blind eye to market trends. They couldn’t build, or refused to build, vehicles of competitive quality and price, thus allowing their market share to be swallowed by the foreign manufacturers. It is precisely because of the Big 3’s fossilized, unimaginative design and management styles that the only competition related to American-made cars today is the highway game of trying to find one on the road. This is why they now find themselves begging for money from Congress with hats in hand.
.
When faced with these circumstances, one must naturally ask: If the Big 3’s own profit motive couldn’t inspire them to change for the better and become more competitive over the past 30 years, why would a pile of low-cost, taxpayer money make any difference now? This is the question many people in Congress asked themselves - and for which they frankly couldn’t find a satisfactory answer. And that is why the Big 3 didn’t get a bailout from the Congress, union or no union.
.
In the larger scheme of things, one must also question whether it is the proper role of the federal government to pay corporate welfare or bail out bad businesses. That type of role certainly finds no support in the Constitution. Besides, we already have only a shadow of a free market system due to the incessant intervention of the federal government. Our free market gets less free every time the government gets to decide which businesses will exist and be competitive and which ones won’t. We will soon find ourselves on the road to a soviet-style command economy if the government has to keep handing out the means of production to all companies who can’t succeed on their own.
Posted by: John W. | December 13, 2008 2:10 PM
Is the Senate GOP trying to break a union? Of course they are, it is their STATED PURPOSE. Anyone who works for a living should always remember this day because the GOP is not your friend, they are anti-labor and they are destroying the middle class which in turn has destroyed our economy.
Posted by: Quippy | December 13, 2008 3:50 PM
The UAW still doesn't get it. If the company they work for is going under financially, you need to make cuts in the budget, DEEP CUTS, now, not in 2 or 3 years.NOW!!! If their company doesn't believe they will last til the end of the year, how do they expect them to last til 2011? Oh right, they expect the taxpayer to keep crapping out money for them every 3 or 4 months. You guys make me sick.
Posted by: jimmy learn | December 13, 2008 4:08 PM
Yep, not only are Republicans trashing the economy in order to union bust, they also we're stupid enough to let an internal memo get out that proves that they are.
http://thenewshole.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/12/12/1713569.aspx
It never was about trying to help the automakers or the economy for the Republicans, it was an effort to crush the working class and punish unions. There are many more people in line to suffer if the Big 3 go out of business, but wingnut Shelby and his band of Republican blowhards couldn't care less.
"Union Busting" is a high priority for these Conservatives fools that have allowed our country to be run into the ground. Can you name anything good that has come out of the eight years of Bush and Conservative dominance? So what is their solution? To take it out on the blue collar workers of America.
Posted by: country first | December 13, 2008 6:02 PM
These Republican thugs are the same people who had no problems with shoveling $700 billion dollars to their buddies on Wall Street in record time, without nary a question, let alone any commitments from the robber barons. Yet, incredibly, when it comes to giving ordinary working stiffs a hand, all of a sudden the Rethugs become the guardians of the treasury, and for a mere $14-34 billion. How much more dishonest can these traitors possibly be? They make me sick to my stomach.
The Republic Party is going to be out of power for looooooong time to come.
Posted by: you bethcha, wink wink | December 13, 2008 6:09 PM
The Republicans will set the entire country back to the late 19th century purely on ideological grounds.
The Republics are just a breath away from 'predestination'. (You know about that; If you are poor it's because God does not favor you. If you are rich, God favors you.)
Posted by: TheReamer | December 13, 2008 6:46 PM
* * * * *
Posted by: country first | December 13, 2008 6:02 PM
.
You know, it’s funny that the so-called memo had its author and recipient redacted. Therefore, we don’t have any indication that it either arose within the Senate itself or represents the view of any particular Senator. It means that we can’t verify its authenticity or confront the person responsible for its generation. That is “circulated” in the Senate means nothing. Junk mail “circulates” too.
.
Thus, as far as anyone can tell, it is a fabrication intended to put a smoking gun in the hands of Senate Republicans based on their reputation for having distaste for labor unions. And, of course, we can always count on NBC and MSNBC to pass around material of untested and unverified sources. This wouldn’t be the first time.
.
I guess, maybe, I’m just a little more skeptical than most, but I have never forgotten that the first casualty in war is the truth. There are people trying very hard to squeeze a living out of Congress that they do not deserve. For them this is war, and this kind of propaganda is predictable.
Posted by: John W. | December 13, 2008 8:23 PM
Thus, as far as anyone can tell, it is a fabrication intended to put a smoking gun in the hands of Senate Republicans based on their reputation for having distaste for labor unions
Posted by: John W. | December 13, 2008 8:23 PM
You were also the one who gave Bush the benefit of the doubt when you voted for him.
Try again, Gramps...
Posted by: Cruz | December 14, 2008 2:29 PM
* * * * *
Posted by: Cruz | December 14, 2008 2:29 PM
.
I don't need to try again, JohnEEE-Boy. (And I know this is you because no one else calls me ‘gramps.’) The case against Republican Senators wasn't made on the basis of the stupid little fabrication that "country first" mentioned (“country first” being yet another of your pseudonyms). The memo proved exactly nothing. Without any foundation regarding source or authorship, the memo doesn't require anyone to give anyone the benefit of any doubt.
.
You lose again - Loon Boy.
Posted by: John W. | December 14, 2008 7:51 PM
from John W.
When faced with these circumstances, one must naturally ask: If the Big 3’s own profit motive couldn’t inspire them to change for the better and become more competitive over the past 30 years, why would a pile of low-cost, taxpayer money make any difference now? This is the question many people in Congress asked themselves - and for which they frankly couldn’t find a satisfactory answer. And that is why the Big 3 didn’t get a bailout from the Congress, union or no union.
from
http://crooksandliars.com/
Maybe Romney should ask those companies where they stand on national subsidization of their industry. Because back in Japan, they understand that underwriting their manufacturing capacity is the key to a competitive economy ... which is why they keep the yen artificially low. This subsidization is part of why those same automakers can operate at lower cost here.
John,
I think you should take an immediate paycut and assume all of you health care costs. We only have your word for your competence on the job.
Posted by: chimpymcflightsuit'snavigator | December 15, 2008 11:05 AM
* * * * *
Posted by: chimpymcflightsuit'snavigator | December 15, 2008 11:05 AM
.
First, I already bear all my own health care costs inasmuch as I am happily self-employed. My pay level depends on my own ability to drum up business, and I take a pay cut every time I go on vacation. But, thanks for asking all the same.
.
Second, you continue to perpetrate the myth that it is government support that makes businesses competitive. This is simply not true. A company that can’t turn out a good product is not, and will not be, competitive even if government subsidies allow it to bring its product to market cheaper than its competitors. Quality is a product’s most important selling point. All things being equal, quality trumps price every time. High-priced goods will often sell better than lower priced goods as long as the quality difference makes the price difference worthwhile. Were this not true, one would expect some of the high-end cars from Germany to have no market share at all.
.
The Big 3 auto manufacturers have product quality problems that no subsidies, national health care system, or other debt relief can fix. Regardless of the workers’ compensation, the Big 3 simply do not produce competitive, quality products. This problem arose when the engineering and design of the Japanese manufacturers improved to the point they were making better, more reliable cars than the Big 3 were. That marked the turning point in the public’s view of Japanese cars, as well as the point at which the Big 3’s market share began to dwindle. It is this improved quality that the Big 3 hasn’t matched. Inexplicably, it doesn’t appear that they have even tried very hard to match it. Perhaps they expected Americans’ atavistic and xenophobic tendencies to insure a sufficient market share. Whatever they were thinking, it sure hasn’t worked.
Posted by: John W. | December 15, 2008 1:51 PM
John W: I give you credit for being a voice of reason in this left wing looney bin masquerading as a source of news and information. Only a tiny portion of the clowns who post on here have a fractional understanding of the economy and its fragility. You believe that governMINT propping up private business is the solution. Government doesn't create money, it only takes it from those who produce, and spends more and more of it each year. Bailouts are only postponing the inevitable. In a capitalist economy, you adapt or you die. Unions have held the Big Three hostage for decades, and now that the world economy has proven our UAW to be obsolete, you blame Republicans, Bush, Global Warming, the war against terror, Bush's hurricane machine, Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh... You have sealed your own fates because of your ignorance.
Posted by: USGovernMint | December 17, 2008 12:03 PM