Welcome to the Wal-Mart Society: Why Republicans Want Automakers to Fail

Republicans never gave me a reason to vote for them. Even though I voted Obama, I consider my self as a Left leaning independent. Part of the eight years that Bush was responsible for is the demolishing the middle class. I think he did a Great Job of that. Hopefully, the president elect will change some things up and make this country better than it is now. Bush should have been impeached and he should go to jail.

Wow. Numerous mis-truths, inaccuracies, & narrow minded shallow assertions Professor. (1) There once was a vast textile industry in the USA, it was primarily in the Southern States, they fell into great trouble & hard times starting in the late 60's, through the 70's, and into the early 80's. They sought Government support, subsidies, etc. (bail outs) and the NORTHERN Politicians did not give a damn, basically said "let them die" and guess what, they died. Now the North is learning "payback" is a bitch, isn't it Professor. It's too bad you don't address the whole and complete story here, I'm not sure you are even aware of what I've just asserted, are you? Furthermore, you speak of "Auto Industry" while failing to concede there are 2 auto industries in America, you guessed it, those Southern states and their auto industry are kicking Detroit's ass. I found your commentary to be grossly underdeveloped, heavily slanted, and fails to recognize the legacy cost / burden that comes with "Detroit" and what you are actually bailing out. Bailing out Detroit is "catching a falling knife", plain and simple. There is a robust vibrant and healthy auto industry in America, it's jut not in Detroit. I would encourage you to study up, bone up in economics, history, learn of how through the 70's & 80's the Northern States & their Politicians did not give a damn about the workers in the textile industry in the South, about how the Northern States did not want to bail out the Southern States Textile Industry and encouraged it to die and be sent off shore. Then learn about how the Southern States have rebounded and have a very successful auto industry today. Yes Professor, Payback is a bitch, isn't it? I've given you your lesson plan for today, perhaps next time you speak to these issues to your next audience, you'll tell the full and whole story free of hype, distortion and spin. Yes, I can go on ripping you a new ***hole but the trading day is closing and I've got to get back to my desk. Yes, those who can do, and those who can't.....do what you do Professor, they teach. Good luck.

Anonymous you forgot to leave us reference materials so that we can check out your facts. If you're are going to continue to attack on this site at least include footnotes and an appendix. Perhaps, as I have suggested before, you will even start your own news blog to give some of us the pleasure of attacking it. No, that's not entirely true, we're not that cowardly to hit and run and leave a name like anonymous behind.

Anonymous, if there is relevant information you have to address the automobile manufacturing problem, I would like to see it. Knowing 30yr old history has nothing to do with what we are dealing with today. 30yrs ago, american manufacturing was the backbone of the formation of the middle class. When manufacturing began to be outsourced, the middle class suffered. That's basic.

Reading your post, I understand that you are interested in an ineffecitve tit for tat. That's your thing. I don't see why payback is in order when discussing massive job losts. This is especially true when the payback is in the form of a foreign company.

The basic premise of the auto bailout opposition is that republicans wanted the UAW to concede portions of their salary and benefits by a specific date. Labor costs account for only 10% of what it costs automakers to make a car. The "average joe" works at these unionized american companies. Asking Joe the middle class hero for concessions based on 10% payout projections seems political and self-interested at best.

Here's a link to the article breaking down the costs of american manufacuring vs. foreign manufactures. You asked the author to be on his A-game when discussing this issue. I implore you to meet him there.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/business/economy/10leonhardt.html?em

While you are gunning for a payback, most others are concerned about millions of layoffs.

Whats the real agenda is my question. We bailed out the bankers and there not even of this country and to bat the money went to high ranking executives and didnt do what it was suppose too. Bailout my ass i know a pay off when i see one. Shit make the bankers give back the money or give loans to the industries that are having a short fall. Some of the these individuals got more money then a years pay for the entire Ford plant combined. I smell a rat! As for Anonymous he is mostly likely another white man that keeps just enough drama going to divert attention. Ignore him. He wont and cant back his so called facts because if he does there will be more behind his story then he wants us to know.

What a sad time it is in this country, the Pubs among many are dead center of this madness that we're witnessing! Their greed is toxic, it will inevitably destroy what we've managed to garner for our families over the years! The Republicans remind me of the Confederates, these Southern boys are wanting and darn near getting free labor so they can make all the money for themselves. Watch Senator Bob Corker very closely, wake up America!!!

What many people fail to recognize is that the fat cats who make all the money and only pay a meager wage to the poor working class earned the right to do so. They are the ones who invested and grew their businesses. Why don't the underpaid masses demonstrate the same hard work makes the money spirit that made the horrible big money makers wealthy. Stop looking at what you can take from me and redistribute to you. I earned it and I would like to keep it. Hard work makes money not theft.

Who is going to take ownership of this recession? The repubs were backslapping and high fiving themselves when the real estate market was skyrocketing to ridiculous levels. Now that it has crashed--who OWNS that shit now? I have to hand it to them, they are a greedy pack of rats who will continue to suck this economy dry until the very 11:59 a.m., January 20th, 2009. These guys started a war to get control of Middle Eastern oil and more than doubled the price of gas. That ended up wrecking the economy last summer. So much for that gambit. Then they cried the sky was falling and bailed out the banks and insurance companies for hundreds of billons of dollars. Most of these banks were no where close to failing--but they sure as hell took that money. When will this end? 11:59 a.m. January 20th.

Why is it the banks are not being held accountable for there screw ups. I still see the same homes for sell I saw before October. Funny how complicated it is for them to find out what who and where the problems are, but they can tap my damn phone, emails and IM's with no problem. Put some of those resources to work on some of these so called leaders and bankers. But I guess im just being nieve. THIEVES the whole batch of em.

The "Wal-Mart Society" and the "Bailouts" are completely two different things. First, Wal-Mart is a supply chain that provides China with direct access to the heartland of America. It uses mass production to create enough crap at low, low prices no other chain can compete. Americans buy this crap because we are trying our best to save pennies because the CEO's are ripping us off overpricing American products and services forcing us to depend on Wal-Mart to make ends meet. As for the "Bailouts", this is the destruction of Capitalism. By bailing out the banks we destroy all competition. We prop up the failures that destroyed the market with selfish greed and bad business practices. We give them tax dollars for bonuses, air travel and posh gifts for failing. What happens...the costs of goods and services produced in America doesn't drop. The consumer is forced to continue supporting Communist China and Wal-Mart's way as America continues to fail until Communism is the only way. Bailing out the Autoworkers is a distraction deliberately designed to divide as they conquer us all without firing a shot. In short, we get angry as a specialized worker gets $75 an hour, but how many CEO's are stealing billions? Clearly, I'm not for welfare for CEO and I'm not for Wal-Mart either. What happened to American Pride? Have we sold it to save a penny here or there? China smiles every time we don't think before we buy. Communism is closer than you think.

Let me tinker with one of these suggestions: Let them give up their Cadillac health care but, instead of getting the precise policy you get at the bottom of the pile, let it be scaled so that their deductible is 15 percent of their gross pay. They could blow off a $3,000 deductible like it was play money. And let's also scale what they pay for premiums to a percentage of gross pay commensurate with what the Wal-Mart level workers are paying.

The South was agricultural...cotton The North was industrial...textiles and steel The South's income came from the ground and exported their goods to the North and Europe Anon needs a history lesson

Gerard Denys what you fail to recognize is that it is very darn hard to get to that level playing field. The elite do everything in their might to keep others from taking their money or lowering the amount in circulation for THEM. But I bet you don't care because your one of them that knows the impossible and unfair system of reward which is capitalism and leads to monopolies. What the elites have been doing all these year is theft, don't excuse them!

the us hasnt made a decetn car in years, its about time they went under...

UAW members not only have "Cadillac" health care benefits, but also a $6 million private golf course on a $33 million dollar resort that's been operating at a loss.