A Couple of Things
1. Hugo Chavez has had his oil supply threatened by Al Qaida and he can't figure out why. They are both opposed to the United States and "the enemy of my enemy" should be my friend right?
Mr. Chavez, does the word "infidel" ring a bell. Maybe you and your leftist pals here in America need to rethink your position on the Jihad; America may be their main target but you're in their sites too. They are against us because we stand in the way of their dream of global domination. Their ambition is not a world without the USA but a world-wide Caliphate.
H/T Jihad Watch
2. As if Michigan hasn't had enough economic bad news from the Auto Industry. Now DMX-Chrysler is cutting 5500 jobs here in Michigan alone and a total 13,000 jobs nation-wide. All I can do is ask "What else is new?" Plenty of blaming this politician or that politician, but no one seems to have any answers.
Mr. Chavez, does the word "infidel" ring a bell. Maybe you and your leftist pals here in America need to rethink your position on the Jihad; America may be their main target but you're in their sites too. They are against us because we stand in the way of their dream of global domination. Their ambition is not a world without the USA but a world-wide Caliphate.
H/T Jihad Watch
2. As if Michigan hasn't had enough economic bad news from the Auto Industry. Now DMX-Chrysler is cutting 5500 jobs here in Michigan alone and a total 13,000 jobs nation-wide. All I can do is ask "What else is new?" Plenty of blaming this politician or that politician, but no one seems to have any answers.
posted by shoprat at 5:16 PM
17 Comments:
Poor, poor Hugo. Boo hoo! I can see him crying in his beer.
Sorry about the cuts, and sorry no one has any answers. Politicians are always full of solutions before they get elected.
Sorry to hear about the cuts. I guess their cutting about 2500 in Onscario up here as well. The answer is to slap tarrifs on imported cars until they allow American made cars in there countries on the same level as their domestics, like it is here. They know they wouldn't be able to compete.
Wake-up call for Hugo Chavez.
I highly doubt that there is a genuine threat against Chavez. He and the president of Iran are great buddies. This is probably a typo.
On Chrysler cutting these jobs- well, there is nothing that we can do about it. The Auto Manufacturing industry in Michigan is in it's death throes. We can debate the causes:too many bad management decisions, overly generous union benefits, whatever. It simply makes no sense to pay someone 75,000 a year to build cars (not to mention the retirement benefits) when those jobs can be done in other nations where the prevailing wage is 5,000 a year. Our state must work smarter, not harder, to regain our once high standard of living. College is a must. Education must be stressed. We can still design the products here, but cheaper labor will build them. Mass. has twice the population of college degree holders that Mich. has, and even though their taxes are much higher, their economy is thriving.
He is friends with Iran, but not with Al Qaida. One group is Shi-ite and the other group is Sunni. They have also declared Jihad on each other as well as each others' friends.
ABF, Honda makes about 90% of what it sells in the US in the US, so that tariff would be hard to collect. Hyundai is up to about 50% of their sales being "domestic" made.
The difference is their employee costs are about 35% lower than the Big 3, even though they pay 85-95% of the UAW wage in their locals, and have competitive health plans.
Until the UAW realizes they are the problem, not the solution, we'll watch as the Big 3 become the "Hasbeens".
There is no political solution for Michigan's economic problem, or at least not one that I want my wallet subjected to. Crazy politico sums up Michigan's problem in the automotive sector to a tee. The gravy train has derailed, some folk are just reluctant to get off.
That is truly a shame. But unfortunately for Michigan, the ooze of Dearborn is beginning to spread throughout the state.
It effects things we'd assume was totally unrelated, but that's the way it works.
As far as Chavez, He's dancing with the 'devil' himself. HA!
CP-just like you to only blame the working guy and let the top brass off the hook. You truly are the Republican's "bitch".
I agree with CP on this... what makes a person with no skills worth that much money?? You can train a monkey to do most of their jobs, I realize they are "justified" in their income because they are union but, c'mon where is that union getting them now??
So sorry to hear about the jobs being cut. I was shocked when I realized how much money the auto workers made! Wow! Their companies are competing with others that have lower standards of living.
gayle & lmc He's an idiot who deserves this.
abf I'm sorry too but we'll get through it.
cp You're right though you failed to mention overpaid, inept management as part of the problem
Steve There is a solution but it would be hard and largely non-political. The people of this state would have to change.
tim We can't let the uaw off the hook. I pay dues to that racket (that's all it is) and have absolutely no respect for them.
Skip You know I don't make that.
lp The auto-industry has its haves and have-nots. I'm in the wrong group.
No, Tim, I can do math. If GM and Chrysler and Ford all cut (completely) their white collar and executive salaries they'd still be losing over $1500/vehicle (instead of $2000).
Unfortunately it's legacy costs of the blue collar end that eats their profit margins.
Management isn't completely blameless, they've allowed bad designs, and lower quality to exist while they can see what the consumer is buying.
Had they had the balls to stand up to labor anytime since the late 70's and not give such generous contracts when the workers were producing a less than stellar product maybe they wouldn't be in the position they are. Instead to keep labor piece they give more to the workers, who bitch about not getting everything, while producing crap.
Big flash for you guys:
Toyota paid more to their workers in the US this year than the big 3, so tell me how the wages to the people building the cars is the problem when Toyota obiously can make a profit while paying their workers even more.
The real problem here is quality of the design of the vehicle, not the workmanship in manufacture. The big three have been building the wrong cars. Concentrating on SUV's and big trucks when gas is approaching $3 a gallon. Not only that, but they are years behind in hybrid technology. These decisions were made at the top. As far as legacy costs, well, why shouldn't the workers get what was promised to them. They worked there for 30 years, did their job, and are owed it.
I never worked for a union, but to hear someone tear them down because they don't make as much is envy, and it's petty.
I guess I didn't read where someone said they didn't make as much... gonna have to re-read these.... to assume that just because we are non-union that I don't make as much or more per year sounds petty to me, I have nothing to envy according to my
W-2
Manufacturing is what made the US strong.
Say what you will, but when it is off of our shores, we will have signed off on our own demise.
Post a Comment
<< Home